IFOAM: Future Policy Award on Agroecology

On April 5, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Future Council (WFC) and IFOAM – Organics International kicked off a global contest for the world’s best agroecology laws and policies.

The Future Policy Awards celebrate policies that create better living conditions for current and future generations. Each year, the awards identify one topic on which policy progress is particularly urgent to raise global awareness for exemplary policies and speed up policy action. This year, the theme is agroecology.

Why agroecology?

Scaling up agroecology is key to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. World Leaders and the UN General Assembly recognise the potential of agroecology to achieve healthy nutrition for all and to address social injustice, climate change and biodiversity loss.

There are numerous countries where the policy framework gets it right. This year’s award will showcase and reward these innovative policies that create enabling environments for agroecology.

Maria Helena Semedo, FAO Deputy Director-General, explains: “Agroecology can help transform the way we currently produce and consume food to build healthier and more sustainable food systems. But this calls for the full engagement of governments and policy makers. Only with significant commitment at the policy level, will we see the scaling-up of agro-ecological approaches take root and realize its potential.”

“It is critical that we learn from the policies that are already making an impact,’’ says Alexandra Wandel, Director of the World Future Council.

“World Leaders and the UN General Assembly recognise the potential of agroecology to achieve healthy nutrition for all and to address social injustice, climate change and biodiversity loss”, notes Peggy Miars, President of IFOAM – Organics International. “We see it happen in numerous countries where the policy framework gets it right. Let’s showcase and reward these innovative policies!”

Source: Notification IFOAM – Organics International, 06.04.2018