By Ernie Shea, President- Solutions from the Land
Following my trip to Rome in the first week of July, I have been reflecting on the new world order that I see emerging at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other United Nations (UN) platforms. In short, the era of multilateral responses to global challenges is at a minimum contracting and in some cases collapsing, as evidenced by some member state responses to regional conflicts, hunger and starvation, and disease. Following the U.S. government’s dramatic reduction in participation and financial contributions to USAID, FAO, WHO, UNFCCC and other platforms whose missions touch agriculture and food systems, some member states are following suit, while others are stepping up engagement and investments to fill the void. We are in a new era, and the reset that will emerge is still unclear.
At FAO, financial contributions are tightening, and member states are narrowing and sharpening their focus. At the closing plenary session of the FAO Conference on July 3rd, the FAO Council discussed an agenda item on global food security challenges which led to a spirited debate on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the need to accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda (SDG attainment). Observers took note that the U.S., supported by Argentina, objected to reaffirming the SDGs, citing their perceived inconsistency with U.S. interpretations of sovereignty, concerns over the SDGs being used to justify unrelated activities, and standing national policy to not reaffirm the 2030 agenda as a matter of course. The motion was defeated overwhelmingly, but it clearly demonstrates where our own national government is in this space.
This discussion gives us reason to pause and reflect. Solutions from the Land (SfL) is a farmer/scientist led NGO with a mission to advance agricultural solutions to global challenges. We have all seen evidence that there is room for improvement in the way FAO and other UN platforms operate but diminishing multilateral collaboration as a core strategy to end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment and improve livelihoods does not seem to be a productive way forward.
One of SfL’s core defining principles is embracing multistakeholder collaboration to address and solve the mega challenges the world is facing today. Individually and collectively, these exceed the capacity of governments to solve alone. They require the combined expertise and contributions of member states, the private sector, academia and civil society. The commitment to multistakeholder collaboration is now being questioned and is being strategically undermined as articulated in this thought provoking essay.
In this context, SfL reaffirms our underlying values, and will continue to advance pragmatic solutions that a productive and enabled agricultural sector can deliver. My takeaway message from Rome is that the SfL vision and principles are touchstones that are needed now more than ever. Our private sector, academic and NGO partners are affirming and encouraging us to step up our leadership in actively promoting the voices of farmers, foresters, ranchers and fishers. In this new world order of change and shifting conditions, it is more critical than ever that farmers be placed at the center of agriculture/food system/bioeconomy discussions and decisions.
SfL is committed to making farmers visible; to seek partners and collaborators who share our values and foster activities that promote conservation systems and practices, food and nutrition security, and investments in innovations and technologies; and to help farmers be part of the solution that agriculture and food systems face today and into the near future.
SfL’s work is made possible by the generous financial contributions we receive from our friends and supporters. For those who have contributed, we extend our warm thanks and appreciation for your vision and foresight in this era of change. For those who have not yet contributed, we invite you to Donate to SfL today and play a part in meeting the challenges and influencing the new world order. If you would like to be on our bi-weekly update, drop me a line with your email and we’ll add you. We look forward to welcoming new partners in our work to advance agricultural solutions to global challenges.
