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Strategic opportunities for sustainable crop production: FAO Perspective Gavin Wall, Director and OiC, Plant Production and Protection Division, FAO FAO-EPSO Consultation Outline • Key challenges for food production and security • FAO’s Global Goals and messages • Sustainable crop production intensification • Strategic opportunities for SCPI: – Plant genetic diversity – Research and science – Market and value chain development – Partnerships 25 June 2012, FAO, Rome slide 2/x FAO-EPSO Consultation Key Challenges for food production and security Increase the production of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, while ensuring sustainable ecosystem management and and mitigation of climatic change Eradicate food insecurity, nutrient deficiencies and unsafe food in the face of increasing and fluctuating prices Rationalize food consumption and nutrition Improve the livelihood of the population living in rural areas, in the context of urbanization and changing agrarian structures Ensure fairer and more inclusive food and agriculture systems at local, national and international levels Increase resilience of livelihoods to threats and shocks affecting agriculture and food security 25 June 2012, FAO, Rome slide 2/x FAO-EPSO Consultation FAO’s Global Goals 1. Reduction of the absolute number of people suffering from hunger, 2. Elimination of poverty and economic and social progress for all, 3. Sustainable management and utilization of natural resources, FAO’s three key messages to the Rio +20 summit: 1. Sustainable development cannot be realized unless hunger and malnutrition are eradicated, 2. Both food consumption and production systems must achieve more with less, 3. Transition to a sustainable future requires fundamental changes in the governance of food and agriculture and an equitable distribution of the transition costs and benefits, 25 June 2012, FAO, Rome slide 2/x FAO-EPSO Consultation Sustainable Crop Production Intensification (SCPI) A new paradigm for agriculture, promoted through the Save and Grow model Produce more from less, by conserving resources, reduce negative impacts on the environment, and enhancing natural capital and the flow of ecosystem services, Key elements of the Save and Grow model: • Builds on ecosystem services • Makes more efficient use of inputs www.fao.org/ag/save-and-grow • Conserves and enhances natural resources 25 June 2012, FAO, Rome slide 2/x FAO-EPSO Consultation FAOs main contributions to SCPI Supporting the establishment of adaptation sites for SCPI managed at local level Encouraging investment in local participatory research to blend traditional and local knowledge with new and improved practices. Assisting member countries to develop and implement sustainable crop production intensification policies and strategies, Helping build capacity of national decision makers Assisting in bringing together national and regional responses to complex issues, like processing and distribution of food products, pest and disease control, watershed management etc. 25 June 2012, FAO, Rome slide 2/x FAO-EPSO Consultation Save and grow in practice – an example Developments of maize-legume systems in African savannah • Integration of soybean, cowpea and agroforestry trees with maize leads to a reduction of recommended fertilizer rates by half, while increasing maize yields by 140-300% • Soil health is vastly improved, and leaching reduced • These systems have been adopted by a large number of farmers in sub-Saharan Africa in recent years 25 June 2012, FAO, Rome slide 2/x FAO-EPSO Consultation Key lessons from “Save and Grow” 1) Increasing production alone is not sufficient 2) There is no “one size fits all” or “silver bullet” 3) Sustainable production is knowledge intensive 25 June 2012, FAO, Rome slide 2/x FAO-EPSO Consultation Crops and Varieties: Conservation and use Direct and potential value for food security • A range of crops and varieties are directly used • Represent a potential for enhancing production/yield and nutrition • Provide options for agriculture to cope with climate change. Linkages between conservation and management, utilization and breeding, and the seed sectors needs strengthening FAO is a key driver in global efforts at optimizing these resources and sharing the benefits: • International Treaty on PGRFA • Second Global Plan of Action (Second GPA) 25 June 2012, FAO, Rome slide 2/x FAO-EPSO Consultation 25 June 2012, FAO, Rome slide 2/x FAO-EPSO Consultation Science and Research Significant potential to deliver solutions for sustainable production and development: – Understand underlying principles and advance our knowledge – Provide new technologies, solutions and innovations – Foster public-private partnerships 25 June 2012, FAO, Rome slide 2/x FAO-EPSO Consultation Markets and value chain development Crop production alone is not enough – Post-harvest aspect is essential with regards to food distribution and use, food waste, creation of employment and rural development – SCPI must be well integrated with Ago-business, agro-technologies and agro-food industries, to support value chains and establish/drive markets – Collaboration and partnerships with private sector and civil society 25 June 2012, FAO, Rome slide 2/x FAO-EPSO Consultation Partnerships No single organization or sector can solve the problem of hunger! Partnerships and alliances as one of the core functions in all domains of FAO’s work. Long-term partnerships are needed, such as between Europe and developing countries and among stakeholders for • Increasing needs-driven scientific collaboration • Support participatory technology development • Improve individual and institutional capacities 25 June 2012, FAO, Rome slide 2/x Thank you for your attention! slide 3/x