A. Cross-cutting initiative on biodiversity for food and nutrition
The Conference of the Parties
Recalling decision VII/32, paragraph 7, that requests the Executive Secretary to undertake the necessary consultations and bring forward options for a cross-cutting initiative on biodiversity for food and nutrition within the existing programme of work on agricultural biodiversity of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and to work together with relevant organizations in order to strengthen existing initiatives on food and nutrition, enhance synergies and fully integrate biodiversity concerns into relevant work, with a view to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal 1 and other relevant Millennium Development Goals;
1. Welcomes with appreciation the progress made in enhancing synergies and integrating biodiversity concerns into the work of other initiatives, and on the development of options, as presented in the note by the Executive Secretary on options for a cross-cutting initiative on biodiversity for food and nutrition (UNEP/CBD/COP/8/26/Add.2);
2. Extends its appreciation to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), the Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil and other contributors to the process;
3. Adopts the framework for a cross-cutting initiative on biodiversity for food and nutrition, as contained in the annex to the present decision, which builds upon existing national activities;
4. Decides to integrate the elements of the framework into the programme of work on agricultural biodiversity at its in-depth review at the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties; 5. Urges Parties and other Governments to integrate biodiversity, food and nutrition considerations into their national biodiversity strategies and action plans and other national plans and activities, including national plans of action for nutrition and strategies for achievement of the Millennium Development Goals; UNEP/CBD/COP/DEC/VIII/23 Page 2 /...
6. Requests the Executive Secretary to continue to collaborate with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Standing Committee on Nutrition of the United Nations (SCN) and other stakeholders, regarding the implementation of the cross-cutting initiative on biodiversity for food and nutrition and to report on the progress with the view to contributing to the in-depth review of the programme of work on agricultural biodiversity;
7. Requests the Executive Secretary and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to integrate the cross-cutting initiative on biodiversity for food and nutrition into the Memorandum of Understanding between the Convention and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, when the Memorandum is next updated;
8. Requests the Executive Secretary to make available to Parties and relevant international organizations the outcomes of the Conference on Health and Biodiversity (COHAB) for consideration in the framework of the in-depth review of the programme of work on agricultural biodiversity at the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties;
9. Invites the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, the World Health Organization, the Standing Committee on Nutrition of the United Nations, and other relevant organizations and initiatives, taking into account ongoing work, to implement the cross-cutting initiative on biodiversity for food and nutrition;
10. Invites the governing body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture to take note, at its first meeting, of the cross-cutting initiative and to collaborate in its implementation;
11. Recognizes that activities under this initiative should be implemented taking into account the Voluntary Guidelines to Support the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security adopted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2004.
Annex
PROPOSED FRAMEWORK FOR A CROSS-CUTTING INITIATIVE ON BIODIVERSITY FOR FOOD AND NUTRITION
A. Rationale
1. Biodiversity is essential for food security and nutrition, and offers key options for sustainable livelihoods. Environmental integrity is critical for maintaining and building positive options for human well-being. Existing knowledge warrants immediate action to promote the sustainable use of biodiversity in food security and nutrition programmes, as a contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Such action would counteract the simplification of diets, agricultural systems and ecosystems, and the erosion of food cultures. Considering the difficulty in precisely identifying optimal diets, a diversity of foods from plants and animals remains the preferred choice for human health. Traditional food systems provide positive synergies between human and ecosystem health, and culture offers an essential context for mediating positive dietary choices.
2. An interdisciplinary initiative on biodiversity for food and nutrition, based on the ecosystem approach that makes the most of locally-available biodiversity and initiative to address nutrition problems will assist countries and stakeholders in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Without urgent action that directly engages the environmental, agricultural, nutrition and health communities, biodiversity and the positive options offered by domesticated and wild biodiversity for addressing food security, nutrient deficiencies, and the emerging burden of non-communicable disease, will be lost.
B. Aim
3. The overall aim of the initiative is to promote and improve the sustainable use of biodiversity in programmes contributing to food security and human nutrition, as a contribution to the achievement of Millennium Development Goal 1, Goal 7 and related goals and targets and, thereby, to raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity, its conservation and sustainable use.
C. General considerations
4. The initiative is to be implemented as a cross-cutting initiative within the existing programme of work on agricultural biodiversity, and should complement relevant activities under this and other programmes of work and cross-cutting initiatives of the Convention. In addition, the initiative should build upon and strengthen other relevant existing initiatives, and avoid duplication of effort.
5. The initiative will apply the ecosystem approach, using interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral approaches in order to integrate health, education, agriculture and environmental objectives. In examining potential solutions to food and nutrition problems, activities under the initiative will look first to the biodiversity resources of local ecosystems, including existing intra-species diversity. As well, the social and cultural importance of food—as an inherent aspect of human existence and community organization—should be recognized as a positive motivating force for healthy diets and ecosystems.
6. A commitment to sustainability is essential to the success of the initiative The initiative will explore the potential of local and national markets to transact and deliver a greater diversity of plant food types to consumers, and to return greater value to those producing biodiversity-based products.
7. Activities under the initiative should be responsive to community needs, and developed with full community participation and engagement. Activities should seek to increase participation of local and indigenous communities in national and international institutions, programmes and processes, and should seek to increase coordination between all levels. Activities should contribute to ‘learning by doing’ and to adaptive management. Activities should be implemented taking into account the Voluntary Guidelines to Support the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security (the “Right-to-Food Guidelines”) adopted by the FAO in November 2004. Finally, existing activities should be scaled upwards to address a more global, cross-sectoral agenda, without losing local and cultural specificities.
D. Elements
Element 1. Developing and documenting knowledge
Operational objective 1
To substantiate the links between biodiversity, food and nutrition, in particular clarifying the relationship between biodiversity, dietary diversity and food preferences, and the relevant links between human health and ecosystem health.
Rationale
Current evidence on the links between biodiversity, food and nutrition is sufficient to warrant immediate action, but more work is needed. Developing and documenting knowledge of these links will provide a sound scientific basis for the initiative, allowing for the better design of activities, and the development of comprehensive public awareness-raising initiatives on the importance of biodiversity to human diets and health, and the link between human health and ecosystem health.
Activities
1.1 Compilation, review and analysis of:
(a) Existing scientific information, indigenous and traditional knowledge on the links between biodiversity, food and nutrition (in a manner consistent with Article 8(j) and related provisions of the Convention) according to national legislation;
(b) Case-studies on the links between biodiversity, food and nutrition;
(c) The value of biodiversity for food and nutrition.
1.2 Stimulating further research and the generation and systematic compilation of new data.
1.3 Development of an indicator (or indicators) on biodiversity in use for food, consistent with decision VII/30.
Ways and means
FAO and IPGRI will take the lead on developing the evidence base for the initiative. IPGRI will work with FAO to increase the usability, for the initiative, of existing FAO databases and information resources. The first report of the State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources and the second report of the State of the World’s Plant Genetic Resources, among other resources, will contribute to building the evidence base for the initiative. In addition, FAO, through its Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, could support countries in generating, compiling and disseminating new cultivarspecific nutrient-composition data, as could the CGIAR International Agricultural Research Centres, through the HarvestPlus initiative. An examination of available data will serve to identify where in-depth case studies would be most useful. On the basis of knowledge gathered, FAO, IPGRI and the Secretariat could support, in collaboration with relevant partners, development of the indicator(s) and related activities as outlined under other elements of the initiative (e.g., development of a communication strategy). Noting the role of Parties, other Governments and relevant national and regional organizations as the primary source of data, there is a need to identify mechanisms to strengthen local infrastructure and human resources for the generation of such data.
Element 2. Integration of biodiversity, food and nutrition issues into research and policy instruments
Operational objective 2
To mainstream the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity into agendas, programmes and policies related to nutrition, health, agriculture and hunger and poverty reduction.
Rationale
Existing research and policy instruments often overlook the importance of biodiversity and associated knowledge in addressing local problems of hunger and malnutrition. In nutrition studies, the most commonly used research instruments aggregate food data into broad categories, obscuring the contribution of individual species or cultivars to human nutrition and health. Under prevailing regulatory frameworks, food quality standards that are not adapted to local foods may also inadvertently constrain food producers, limiting their ability to provide an array of species and varieties to markets. Policies, programmes and projects aimed at addressing poverty reduction and food security sometimes emphasize the provision of staple food sources and dietary supplements while overlooking the value of locally available diverse food sources. In these cases, the value of biodiversity for food and nutrition, especially to poor and disadvantaged groups, is not fully realized. A proactive focus on biodiversity will be needed in order to encourage practitioners and researchers to modify current approaches, and to shift research and policy emphasis towards examining issues of food quality, and not simply food quantity.
Activities
2.1 As appropriate, integrate biodiversity concerns into nutrition instruments, inter alia:
(a) Food-based dietary guidelines;
(b) Food composition analysis and dietary assessments;
(c) National policies and plans of action for nutrition; (d) Relevant regulatory frameworks and legislation at national and international levels.
2.2 Integrate biodiversity for food and nutrition concerns into food security and poverty reduction strategies, inter alia:
(a) National Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers;
(b) The right to food;
(c) Food security projects and programmes, including: household food security projects, school feeding programmes, home gardens; and
(d) Emergency response and preparedness. Ways and means FAO, IPGRI, WHO, SCN and the Secretariat, as appropriate, will work with relevant partners (including those identified in section E, below) to advance activities under this element, including through their work on the development of standards, and provision of support to member countries, their agencies responsible for nutrition, universities, and extension services, acknowledging them as the primary beneficiaries of the initiative.
Element 3. Conserving and promoting wider use of biodiversity for food and nutrition
Operational objective 3
To counter the loss of diversity in human diets, and in ecosystems, by conserving and promoting the wider use of biodiversity for food and nutrition.
Rationale
Diversity is being replaced by uniformity in the agricultural market place, and in human diets more generally. Yet a diverse resource base remains critical to human survival, well-being, the elimination of hunger and providing the basis for adaptation to changing conditions (including environmental change). Promoting the broader use of biodiversity promises to contribute to improved human health and nutrition, while also providing opportunities for livelihood diversification and income generation. Indigenous and local communities, and the preservation of their local socio-cultural traditions and knowledge, play a critical role, as do women, for the maintenance of diverse food systems. These combined outcomes can serve to reduce poverty, providing important contributions to maintain and enhance biodiversity conservation efforts at multiple scales.
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