Mobilizing for Strong and Sustainable Food and Nutrition Systems in Africa

Since July 2023, the Paris Peace Forum has launched a new political initiative focusing on South-North dialogue for agricultural transformation on the African continent. In a demographic and climatic context that will require feeding more people while decarbonizing agricultural production, we are working to bring together the climate and environmental agenda with the agricultural development agenda, for sustainable food and nutritional security. A call for mobilization for a sustainable unlocking of Africa's great agricultural potential was signed by organizations from around the world at the sixth edition of the Forum, in November 2023. The work for mobilization goes on.

CONTEXT & APPROACH

The idea of launching a food security initiative at the Forum was born of a threefold observation:

1. SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) is not being met, and food security is under threat in the short, medium, and long term. The number of food-insecure people has been rising since 2015, and the Covid-19 epidemic and the war in Ukraine have exacerbated structural trends: food insecurity is likely to increase because of rising demographics (9.7 billion by 2050) and falling crop yields due to climate change.

2. To achieve food security - particularly on the African continent, whose population is expected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, and which has 60-70% of the planet's unexploited arable land - it will therefore be necessary to produce more while at the same time respecting the environment.

3. On the one hand, the countries of the "North" are promoting an ambitious agricultural transition agenda that corresponds to the needs of their own models, which are difficult for the countries of the "South" to replicate. On the other hand, the countries of the "South" are emphasizing the need to produce a lot and quickly to feed a growing population and combat poverty.

Our approach therefore consists of:

• Raising awareness on this issue, which concerns the future of all humanity.
• Working to mobilize multi-stakeholders and bring North and South closer together on the basis of common interests and principles.
• Working to reconcile the climate and agricultural development agendas.

Africa Can Be a Major Agricultural Power

Call for multi-stakeholder mobilization for sustainable agricultural development in Africa

On the occasion of the 2023 Paris Peace Forum, international organizations, development banks, businesses, financial institutions, research centers, philanthropic foundations and civil society organization launched a call for Africa's agricultural development. As Africa has the potential to become a major agricultural power by 2050, a transformation of its agricultural systems is needed, not only to increase production, but also enabling sustainable and equitable food systems that generate wealth for small producers and agricultural workers, women, and youth, prioritize access to nutritious food, environmental sustainability, and resilience.

Read the call for mobilization

Outcomes of the 2023 Forum

South-North Dialogue to help achieve SDG 2 and 13 in Africa: An Agricultural Revolution for Sustainable Food Security

The Covid-19 epidemic and the war in Ukraine have exacerbated structural trends: food insecurity is set to increase due to rising demographics and declining crop yields caused by climate change. The challenge of the century will be to produce more while decarbonizing. Faced with this situation, Africa has immense agricultural potential. It can feed its population with a model adapted to climate change.

This roundtable, in line with the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact, attempted to show that it is possible for Africa to reconcile the agendas of combating global warming and protecting biodiversity on the one hand, and agricultural development to achieve food security on the other.

Read the summary of the discussion

Preparing for Nutrition for Growth summit in France: addressing the root causes of nutrition insecurity

After it’s 3rd edition in Tokyo, the 4th edition of the "Nutrition for Growth" Summit, soon to be hosted by France, needs to address global nutritional insecurity. To combat the root causes, stronger renewed political commitment and policies prioritizing peace, access to health, education, climate sensitive food systems are essential and must be secured. To ensure a successful summit, civil society from the most concerned countries and human rights must be placed at the center of the debats.

This round table, co-organized with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Action Contre la Faim, aimed to review the current situation of global nutrition, call for stronger political commitment, and foster an inclusive dialogue in favor of nutrition, giving space to civil society.

Read the summary of the discussion

Bridging the global challenges of Food security and climate change

To feed a growing population while protecting the planet, we need to close the yield gap while enabling the agriculture sector to go beyond net zero and play a significant role in carbon sequestration. Leading climate scientists have warned that it’s “now or never” if we are to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. At the same time, we need to feed a population projected to grow to 10 billion by 2050 while using less land. Africa is expected to have the highest leap to contribute to the global food security and global climate efforts. Thus, enabling Africa to achieve its just agriculture transition is essential to be on track in meeting all SDGs regionally and globally. This sessions was co-organized with OCP Group.