Biodiversity beyond borders

Farms. Food Future. Transcript

Episode 77 – Biodiversity beyond borders

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Brian Thomson: This is Farms. Food. Future. – a podcast that’s Good for you, Good for the Planet, and Good for Farmers.

Brought to you by the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

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Brian Thomson: Welcome to episode 77, I’m Brian Thomson,

Michelle Tang: and co-presenting this edition, I’m Michelle Tang.

Brian Thomson: Michelle – I know it's dangerous, but spurred on by Valentines Day and all things romantic, I’ve been thinking.

Michelle Tang: Tell me more – I like the sound of this.

Brian Thomson: Well, I've been thinking about how often on this podcast and in general we're talking about loss and not love – loss of species, biodiversity, even cultural knowledge.

Michelle Tang: It’s always about what’s slipping through our fingers. I think it’s time to change the narrative – especially in honour of Valentines Day.

Brian Thomson: That’s exactly why dear Farms. Food. Future. listeners and Michelle, in a romantic turn of events, we're focusing this edition on the love that drives action to protect and restore what’s at risk. Love for the crops that feed us, the animals that share our world, and the ecosystems that sustain us.

Michelle Tang: And as our Valentine’s gift to you, we’re bringing stories of resilience, innovation, and hope – proof that love and not the loss, can change the world.

Brian Thomson: Don’t forget we want to hear from you – what you think about our romantic loving stories and who you want us to be talking to – so please get in touch with us at podcasts@ifad.org. You can also subscribe to this podcast via your favourite podcast platform and please don’t forget to rate us.

Michelle Tang: Coming up, we’ll explore how protecting migratory species connects us all. From birds to marine life, these creatures cross borders and inspire global cooperation to safeguard their future.

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1 Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals - Amy Fraenkel

Brian Thomson: You’re listening to Farms. Food. Future. with me Brian Thomson and Michelle Tang.

The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, also known as CMS, is an international environmental treaty under UNEP, the United Nations Environment Programme.

Michelle Tang: It provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats.

Brian Thomson: Our reporter Hector Clack spoke to Amy Fraenkel, Executive Secretary of the Convention.

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Hector Clack: Welcome, Amy. What trends are you observing in migratory species populations and what does this mean for broader ecosystems?

Amy Fraenkel: Yes. Thanks so much for having us on the podcast. So migratory species are those that regularly cross national borders as part of their life cycles, which includes land animals such as antelopes, ocean species such as fish and dolphins as well as many bird species. What we do is bring governments as well as scientists and conservation groups to agree on conservation priorities for species that require international cooperation. Now, farmland and pastures often encompass areas of great importance for migratory species. So, what we're aiming to do is find ways to ensure that those areas are utilising some of the best sustainable practices. Are mindful of the impacts they could have on wild animals and can take measures to ensure that the farming practices can support as opposed to endanger those species. For example, for bird species. We are working to advance sustainable agriculture for many species that are supported by agricultural areas. We have very specialised agreements for particular species, for example the conservation of Southern, South American migratory grassland birds that have common needs for conservation as well as threats that we need to address. We also have focused work on the conservation of vultures, which are the most threatened group of hawks and other birds known as raptors. Now vultures really are important to help reduce disease and to support human health. For land animals our focus is often on the bounce between pastoralism and wildlife and farm areas and the need for wild animals to move. Now migratory species by their nature needs specialised sites for their breeding and their life cycle for feeding and resting. We recently launched last year at our 14th Conference of the Parties, the first ever state of the world's Migratory Species Report. Among the top threats are habitat loss and fragmentation, so agricultural lands obviously play a huge role, both in terms of the large-scale agriculture as well as smaller scale farming practices that can destroy habitats that are essential for species and it doesn't have to be that way.

Hector Clack: What conservation practises can farmers adopt to support migratory species populations while enhancing the resilience of agriculture and local communities?

Amy Fraenkel: Absolutely, I appreciate that question because farmers and farming communities play a crucial role in supporting migratory species. For example, for birds, maintaining and restoring traditional farming landscapes like hedgerows, meadows and wetlands can make a huge difference. These can be seasonal habitats so for example, in the thawing spring when farm areas create sort of temporary wetlands. This is vital for birds such as water birds that are using those areas of stopover sites. So they can feed they can rest, store up and continue on their journey, and then the farm lands can be of course used the crops. Pollution is another issue and looking at the levels of pesticide use and the types of pesticides used is also very critical. So, there's many different ways that farmers and the communities can take steps to make sure that their practices minimise negative impacts on migratory species. Now, for especially terrestrial species one of the critical concepts is the need for animals that migrate to be able to move, and there's a concept called ecological connectivity which simply means that natural areas are typically connected and migratory species need to be able to move from one site to the next, and in the case of terrestrial species, sometimes we see very long journeys across lands and across national borders. So, if there are fences, for example, put up, there's highways put up, there's other kinds of infrastructure that can create huge problems for these species. So, looking to identify and to conserve corridors that can be used by species to take the same journeys they've taken for, you know, thousands of years in some cases, while having, you know, farmed lands is something that we're also very much working on.

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Michelle Tang: Thank you, Amy and Hector.

You can find out more on their website cms.int.

Brian Thomson: Up next, we talk to Ivonne Higuero, Secretary-General of CITES – that's the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. We'll be talking about how love for biodiversity inspires action to protect species and restore balance.

3 CITES – Ivonne Higuero

Michelle Tang: You’re listening to episode 77 of Farms. Food. Future. with me Michelle Tang and Brian Thomson. CITES plays a crucial role in protecting species from extinction caused by overexploitation and habitat loss.

Brian Thomson: Our reporter Rosa Gonzalez spoke to Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero about how the convention balances conservation with community needs and helps species recover and thrive.

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Rosa González: Welcome Ivonne and thank you for joining us once again on the podcast.

Ivonne Higuero: Well, thanks so much for inviting me to be part of the podcast again. I enjoyed it very much last time and I think that the theme that is going to be present for this podcast is about love. And, you know, here at Cites, for all of those who are involved, it's love to animals and love for the plants. And I always like to underline that too, that we're not only regulating the wildlife trade related to animals but also related to plants.

Rosa González:

Ivonne, with reproduction rates declining in many species because of habitat loss, poaching, illegal trade and human-wildlife conflict, how is CITES addressing the risks to biodiversity and ensuring the survival of these species?

Ivonne Higuero: CITES has been enforced this year for 50 years and I think we have good proof that without this convention, we would be in a much deeper crisis than we are right now in terms of biodiversity loss.

One of the issues about species declining has to do with poaching and illegal trade, but also overexploitation. And so, this is what CITIES is trying to regulate, to make sure, for example, that the parties to CITIES, we have 184 parties, are trading sustainably. So, they have to carry out a scientific assessment called a non-detriment finding to be able to guarantee that the trade is actually sustainable so they that they could make sure that that species will survive in the wild and that there will be no risk that we would lose that species.

You know, sometimes you're successful in one area like we have been in decreasing poaching, but then this is causing another issue, which is this need for coexistence between wildlife and human beings living close to each other. This is something that we have seen rising and that we hope that the people who are really the at the front line by being living close to animals see the value of keeping these animals alive and well and no poaching, because they get there's an incentive for them to do so.

Legal and sustainable trade provides an incentive to care for wildlife since your economy can be based on certain types of trade that you make sure that it's sustainable so that future generations can enjoy it, not only for trade and for income, but also to enjoy nature and be living in harmony with nature.

Rosa González: Thanks. And building on what you were saying about ensuring the coexistence between wildlife and human beings, how does the Convention ensure that conservation efforts do not overlook the needs of local communities who depend on the species that you protect?

Ivonne Higuero: Well, thanks very much for that question, because I think it's incredibly important to think about people. Many of the parties to CITIES and where I have been visiting, I can see that they are setting up funds, for example. And this is something that CITIES is becoming very involved with, what we call sustainable financing for wildlife, and part of that sustainable financing for wildlife is to take into account what is happening to local communities and indigenous people on the ground when there is, for example, an injury, a loss of life, a loss of their livelihoods, for example, elephants trampling over crops, that there is funding and incentives for them to get compensated for that because of the fact that they are then, you know, the animals and plants that are in those ecosystems, they have to take care of them.

Rosa González: Are there any success stories that you would like to share with us?

Ivonne Higuero: CITIES has collected about 50 cases on sites and livelihoods from across the world, on all continents, in both developing countries. And again, this is not only about developing countries, it's about developed countries as well. But to give you an example that might be interesting to the to the listeners is about a plant called candelilla in Mexico.

billion in: 2023

Originally when we were looking into candelilla and how it needed to be better conserved, they actually had a lot of unsustainable harvesting, so they had to make sure that these CITIES authorities in Mexico had to invest to be able to improve harvesting methods, to be sure that there was adequate recovery before extraction occurred. And so, this is very important for the local people, because that harvest of candelilla and trade of candelilla provides local people with income and employment. So, by working with the local communities and the indigenous people, you can transfer the knowledge on how to allow that plan to recover.

Bringing up these issues of livelihoods and local communities and indigenous people is really important, because often they're blamed for loss of biodiversity, and it's not like that. In fact, many of the natural resources of the world are managed by indigenous people and local communities, and they've been very successful in doing that. They love nature. They love their nature. Over generations they have been taking care of nature. So, we need to respect that.

Michelle Tang: Thank you, Ivonne. Check out episode 51 of this podcast for more insights from Ivonne Higuero on the vital work of CITES.

Brian Thomson: And next up in this episode, we’ll hear how advances in plant breeding, another word for love, are helping smallholder farmers adapt to climate change.

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3 Hy-Gain Project - Ian Godwin and David Jordan

Michelle Tang: You’re listening to Farms. Food. Future. with me Michelle Tang and Brian Thomson.

The Hy-Gain project is a groundbreaking collaboration between the Gates Foundation and the University of Queensland, working to develop self-reproducing hybrid crops that can improve resilience for farmers in regions impacted by climate change.

Brian Thomson: It’s a perfect example of how love for the land and innovation can come together to make a real difference.

Michelle Tang: And we’re lucky to have two incredible experts joining us today.

Brian Thomson: Professor Ian Godwin, a leader in plant biotechnology whose work focuses on sustainable crop production and food security.

Michelle Tang: And Professor David Jordan, a sorghum breeder who’s worked for over two decades to improve crop varieties for farmers around the world.

Our reporter Rosa González spoke to them.

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Rosa González: Welcome Professors Ian Godwin and David Jordan to the podcast, and thank you very much for joining us today to speak on innovations in plant reproduction and their role in driving resilience and biodiversity in agriculture.

So first up, I'd like to ask you, Ian, if you could tell us a bit about your work with crops like sorghum and cowpeas.

Ian Godwin: So partly the reason why we're focusing on these two crops is that they're both highly important for food security in sub-Saharan Africa – cowpeas, particularly in West Africa, and sorghum across the whole sub-Saharan Africa, including southern Africa. The aim is to change the way that the plant as a crop reproduces.

For the farmer, they would be buying or trading the seed in exactly the same way as they normally would. The main way that they would notice a difference is… at the moment, if farmers are buying sorghum, they have to go back and purchase new seed every year. But we aim in this project to produce what is effectively a hybrid that you can keep forever, we call them self-reproducing hybrids.

In sorghum, there are breeding technologies available at the moment that enable farmers to buy hybrids. But in cowpeas there aren't. And in some of the research that Dave's team has done, they've been able to demonstrate that hybrids would give you a much bigger yield boost in cowpeas.

David Jordan: Yeah. So, my career started off as a commercial hybrid sorghum breeder, and from that position, I understood the impact that hybrids could have in terms of increasing yields. Later in my career, I've been working in Africa, helping breeding programmes in Africa, particularly in Ethiopia, and hybrid sorghum is used very rarely. And that's because of the economics of producing hybrid seed. And that economic system just is not working for smallholder farmers.

As Ian said, the self-reproducing hybrid technology allows you to get around that issue. And we know in sorghum that hybrids yield around 20 to 30% more than in breeds under the same circumstances. So, in breeds being the traditional farmer varieties. In the case of cowpea there hasn't been a technology available that people could use to make hybrids commercially anywhere. And for that reason, we didn't know. And what we found was that in cowpeas, there's the same 20 to 30% increase in yield that would be available.

Rosa González: And, building on this – how do you think these hybrid crops can help smallholder farmers adapt to the changing climate?

David Jordan: Well, there’s a number of ways. The first way is that hybrids are naturally more vigorous and tend to perform better under more stressful conditions. Breeding programmes are very expensive things to run, and they tend to produce relatively small numbers of products, and those products need to operate a very wide geographic range.

And typically, in a developed country, varieties get replaced every 3 to 5 years. In the developing world, we see that varieties, instead of getting replaced every 3 to 5 years, are getting replaced every 20 years. And I think a really good analogy for this is to think about mobile phones. Now we're using, you know, the latest Samsung, whereas the farmer in sub-Saharan Africa is, if they're lucky, using a Nokia 310 from way back then. Right. And that means they're not getting the benefit of technology.

You have to move fast to stay in the same place. So, climate change is making agriculture more difficult everywhere on the planet and plant breeding programmes, even in developed countries, are struggling to produce new varieties that stay in the same place. That's analogous to somebody changing the network from analogue to digital. And people are stuck with their Nokia 310s and they don't work anymore. So, I think that's potentially the most important thing that we can do to make the system adapt, because we're stuck with climate change for a period of time, and until we're able to do a better job of looking after the planet, we're going to have to adapt quickly. And if we can't adapt quickly, people are going to suffer.

With this new technology, our opportunity would be to potentially tailor make hybrids or varieties more than we currently do. The ability to be able to produce hybrids that are more suited to a particular smallholder farmer in a particular region, and that's something that just would have been too difficult in the past.

Ian Godwin: Yeah, yeah. And I can add to that that we probably saw them in particular in sub-Saharan Africa, there are very large regional differences in terms of the use of the sorghum. In Ethiopia, where Dave’s most familiar, they make a sort of fermented flatbread called injera. That's the most common usage of sorghum in many other places, it's more likely to be eaten as a porridge. In some places, it's more like a flat bread, like what we would think of as a, I guess, a wrap, you know, the chapati type of things. And then in West Africa and particularly Nigeria, probably one of the biggest uses of sorghum is actually for brewing beer. And so, if you buy a beer in Nigeria, it doesn't matter whether it's a lager or a stout… They sell Guinness in Nigeria… it's all made of sorghum, which is quite different. And so being able to adapt to the local geography, the local threats that are there from climate change as well as what does the grower want, because it's highly unlikely that what is a really good sorghum for making a flatbread is also going to be the best sorghum to make beer or even porridge.

Rosa González: That's really interesting. And finally, how can innovations in plant reproduction improve not just yields, but also agricultural systems long term?

Ian Godwin: One of the things that I sort of like to, I guess use as an example is if you look at traditional Southeast Asia, for example, where people grow rice, it's really hard to replace rice because rice will give you a 7 to 10 ton per hectare yield, and if you grew mung bean and did it well, you might get one ton per hectare. So, when Dave was talking about diversifying the system, a major part of diversifying the system for us is to actually make things like cowpea and sorghum more productive.

David Jordan: Many of the farmers who grow sorghum grow that primarily for home consumption, and in the years when they have a surplus, they're usually the good years and everyone has a surplus. And so, the grain isn't worth very much and so there's very little market for that grain. In the poor years everyone wants to buy grain and there's very little grain to sell.

What's happening in Africa now and in many parts of the world, urban populations are growing, so there's a need for grain to produce chickens and those sorts of things, and this provides a potential pathway for development for those smallholder farmers.

Ian Godwin: I do a lot of work in Australia with the poultry industry and sorghum and the sort of improvements we are making. What drove me to do it would be there exactly the sorts of improvements that we would want, like higher protein and digestibility, for people who are eating sorghum in sub-Saharan Africa. But no one in Australia is interested in funding that. But the poultry industry is interested in funding it to be better for chickens.

If we can diversify the system and the opportunities of our people there, on a village basis, you might actually start to rear chickens, and those chickens become not just a way to improve people's health outcomes, but they provide an industry that says: we need grain to feed those chickens; and those grains could well be sorghum, they could be maize, they could be cowpea, they could be beans, because we need to get protein into those chickens. And that drives a diversification that, at the moment, is not quite possible.

So, it's not something that those changes are going to happen in two years. If we release wonderful new varieties of cowpea and sorghum using this technology, it will be a generation to deliver those changes, which will mean that people will have livelihoods that will spread beyond the terror of not being able to feed their family.

Rosa González: Thank you both very much for sharing your insights. It's been a pleasure.

Ian Godwin and David Jordan: Yeah. Thanks for the opportunity and it's been great to talk with you.

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Brian Thomson: Thank you, Ian and David.

Go to hy-gain.org to learn more about the work they do at The University of Queensland’s Hy-Gain project.

Michelle Tang: And stay tuned as we take a trip to Cote d’Ivoire in Abidjan to explore some newly discovered benefits of insect farming with the Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO.

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4 FAO Circular Bioeconomy Project in Abidjan – Isabel Albinelli

Brian Thomson: You’re listening to Farms. Food. Future. with me Brian Thomson and Michelle Tang.

Michelle Tang: Brian, what if I told you that tiny flies in a ‘love shack’ are tackling one of the biggest urban challenges in Côte d’Ivoire?

Brian Thomson: I’d say, “That sounds bonkers, and it sounds like the disco anthem sung by the B52s many moons ago but tell me more about this love shack, Michelle.”

Michelle Tang: I’m being serious, Brian! It’s part of FAO’s Circular Bioeconomy project in Abidjan, also known as BioDAF. Every day, black soldier flies raised in 'love shacks' help transform one ton of organic waste into 150 kilos of animal feed and 200 kilos of organic fertilizer.

Brian Thomson: That’s incredible. So, these tiny flies are turning trash into treasure?

Michelle Tang: Exactly! Farmers get affordable alternatives to imported feed and fertilizers, saving costs and supporting sustainable farming. Plus, it’s creating jobs for women and youth.

Brian Thomson: Let’s hear all about it from FAO bioeconomy specialist, Isabel Albinelli.

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Rosa González: Hello, Isabel.

Thank you for joining us today to speak about this very curious project.

Using insect larvae to tackle waste and food security isn't something you hear about every day. So, what inspired this project and what challenges is it tackling?

Isabel Albinelli: Great. So, thank you so much, Rosa, for this opportunity.

I'm more than thrilled to talk about our BioDaf project, but also on behalf of the team, because this is indeed a collaborative project that brings together technical expertise from FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Green Cities Initiative – a flagship initiative of FAO – but also the FAO Program Priority Area on Bioeconomy for Sustainable Food and Agriculture.

And this project, as you know, is called BioDaf, it’s Circular Bioeconomy in Abidjan. So, it takes place in the district of Abidjan in Cote d'Ivoire, and it began with a really simple but yet peculiar, as you said, idea from a colleague – Gilles Martin, who is now working with you, in IFAD.

Gilles saw the potential of an insect, specifically the black soldier fly larvae, to address two pressing challenges at once. So, waste management and food security in a really fast-growing city… like Abidjan, right? So indeed, these insects eat organic waste, they do it really fast and turn it into high quality proteins for animal feed and organic fertilizer for urban and preurban agriculture.

So, you must imagine, Abidjan is a really fast growing West African city. And first, it produces an enormous quantity of organic waste. We are talking about 2,500 tons of organic waste per day. Second, the country relies a lot on imported synthetic fertilizers, and third point, Abidjan is rapidly growing, right? So, the district has over six million inhabitants and is increasing by more than 187,000 individuals a year, which means that job creation is essential and is a pressing need.

Rosa González: Yeah, definitely. So, how does it work exactly? How do you work with the black soldier flies?

waste to our farm, which is a: 1000

So, we start with what we call the ‘love cage’. It’s a really weird, peculiar term, but it’s where is a cage where the black soldier fly’s mate and they lay the eggs, and then the eggs are collected and placed in a nutrient rich substrate where they hatch into larvae.

These larvae are then collected and placed in growing out tanks where they are fed with the organic waste that we have collected, and the larvae eat the organic waste and convert the organic waste into proteins. They do it in just 14 days, they grow to maturity, they eat the waste, and they reach ten times more their initial size with a protein rich content up to 90%.

So, we then separate the larvae from what is left, which is a bit of organic waste that is remaining, but also the thrust of the larvae. And this remaining is the only byproduct of this process, so it's super circular. And this byproduct is sold and used as a really powerful organic fertilizer.

And then the dried larvae, the larvae are dried and sold as animal feed for poultry rearing and for aquaculture.

Rosa González: So, I imagine insect farming is creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs… Is there any new opportunity you’re creating for women in Abidjan?

Isabel Albinelli: Empowering women is actually at the center of this project. So that's why our insect farm is not just a farm, but the acts as a farm field school.

So, there we train especially women in black soldier fly rearing from black soldiers vibrating and waste management to product processing and marketing, but also financial basics so they can gain valuable marketing skills they use to generate income.

And this is because the unique aspect of black soldier fly farming is that is adaptable, so you can do it at large scale, but you can do it also at farm or house level because it requires a really low initial capital, and it requires that the skills that are taught by our farm field school.

Rosa González: How do you think these innovations can help redefine the future of sustainable cities?

Isabel Albinelli: Circular bioeconomy approaches are beyond also BioDaf and they are already transforming our city. I'm not just talking about bio insect conversion of organic waste, but also, we should consider other strategies like producing biogas through anaerobic digestion in cities which don't just produce green energy to the city, but also, gives digestate that can be used as nutrient rich fertilizer as well, or nutrient recovery from wastewater or the implementation of green infrastructure, the promotion of agroforestry and restoration projects. So, it really must be a really holistic approach. And it's really important that for making cities more sustainable in the future, these approaches are all integrated in strategies that tackle the local issues in different ways.

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Michelle Tang: Thank you Isabel and Rosa.

Brian Thomson: From love shacks to sustainable farming, this is innovation at its best.

Michelle Tang: And we’re just getting started. In our next episode, we’ll explore even more sci-fi-sounding innovations reshaping agriculture.

Brian Thomson: And don't forget to tune in to our latest episodes. In episode 74, we celebrated the 10-year anniversary of IFAD's Recipes for Change programme.

Michelle Tang: Then in episode 75 we looked at the big issues shaping our future: sustainability, climate action and food systems. And episode 76 we met with leading global youth advocates.

Brian Thomson: Now in episode 77, we have an update on this year’s Governing Council from IFAD’s Ron Hartman, Director of the Global Engagement, Partnership and Resource Mobilization Division.

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5 IFAD Governing Council – Ron Hartman

Michelle Tang: Hello Ron, for our listeners to get the big picture… Could you tell us what IFAD’s Governing Council is all about?

Ron Hartman: IFAD’s Governing Council is IFAD annual meeting. It happens once a year, generally in February around Valentine's Day, and it's an opportunity to assemble all of IFAD’s 180 members to meet and have a discussion around the state of global agriculture and rural development. For us, it's an incredibly important opportunity to engage with our members and have a discussion about also the direction of IFAD. For us, it always has a thematic focus. And this year's will be around catalysing investment at the first mile.

The governing council is actually led by our member States as well. We have a chairperson that's elected with two vice chairpersons every two years, and they guide the discussions over the two-day consultation. Many of the sessions are public, and it's an opportunity to hear from member states themselves around what the situation is in many countries and some of the most fragile areas of the world, but it also brings together those from the developed world. And what kind of international cooperation can happen to make sure that we we're moving development forward, particularly in rural areas that are at risk of being most left behind. So, for listeners, it is an opportunity to hear world class experts and hear from key policymakers around the state of the world and the state of food and agriculture.

Michelle Tang: Now, the theme for this year's Governing council focuses on catalysing investment at the first mile. What are the key messages and why are they particularly relevant now?

Ron Hartman: It's particularly relevant now, Michelle, because, as you know, some of the Sustainable Development Goals are off track, particularly those with respect to poverty and food security. And for us, what we'll be advocating for is the urgent need for action, particularly to make sure that rural areas build their resilience, become more prosperous and address some of the root causes that's leading to escalating food and nutrition insecurity, particularly in the areas that are poorest and most vulnerable in our world. IFAD works in catalysing investments, particularly in rural areas, and the ability to influence where financing flows is really critical to reducing hunger and poverty.

This year's Governing Council also provides an opportunity to touch base on key global initiatives that have been established to try and address poverty and hunger. For instance, last year under the Brazilian G20 presidency, a global alliance against poverty and hunger was established and we'll have an opportunity to hear from the Brazilian G20 presidency around how this alliance is going to help developing countries move the dial on poverty and hunger. In addition, this year France is hosting a critically important event on nutrition for growth, and that summit will be coming up in March. So, there will also be an opportunity for IFAD’s 180 member states to engage on what that summit is going to look like.

Finally, for IFAD being both an IFI and a specialized agency of the the United Nations, there is an international conference on Financing for Development, which is hosted by Spain in June. And this is a critical global moment for the world to come together to agree what kind of development financing priorities there will be over the next decade. And this is a moment to take stock. And the Governing Council provides an opportunity for member States to lean in and hopefully to influence, to ensure that financing reaches those that are marginalised and reaches those that are in the last mile or is weird, if we like to think of it, the first mile.

Michelle Tang: Thank you, Ron.

Brian Thomson: And that brings us to the end of this episode.

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Brian Thomson: Thanks as always to our producers and editor here in Rome, Rosa González, Francesco Manetti, Michele Galloni, and to our reporter, Hector Clack.

Michelle Tang: But most of all thanks to you for listening to this episode of Farms Food Future brought to you by the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

Brian Thomson: We’ll be back in two weeks…

Join us as we venture into uncharted territory, uncovering futuristic innovations and out-of-this-world solutions for sustainable agriculture.

This is one you won’t want to miss!

Michelle Tang: And on the second Monday of March, our new series Life Stories drops, bringing you closer to the real-life struggles and triumphs of those shaping the future of farming.

Brian and Michelle: Stay tuned!