This document outlines an action plan for transitioning the global food system to 100% agroecology. It summarizes key findings from the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) report that business as usual is not sustainable and a fundamental shift is needed. The plan calls for interventions at multiple levels including policies, institutions, and research to support agroecological practices that are sustainable, equitable and address multifunctionality through a systemic approach. Modeling shows that modest global investments of 0.1-0.16% of GDP annually could help transition food production to nourish the world population through 2050 in an environmentally and socially sustainable way.

1. 100% agroecology will nourish the
world!
Action plan for changing
course in agriculture
Swedish Society for Hans R. Herren
Nature Conservation (SSNC)
April 25, 2012 President www.millennium-institute.org
Stockholm President www.biovision.ch
Co-Chair IAASTD www.agassessment.org
Coordinator UNEP GER Agriculture Chapter

2. Who said that we need to change course?:
The IAASTD Reports…and then others, in different ways
(www.agassessment.org)
Multi-stakeholder: 400 authors, 52 countries
Multi-disciplinary
Multi-locational: Global / sub-Global Reports

3. IAASTD: Key findings
1. We feed only 6 out of 7 billion people with the present food
system (but have enough for 14 bn)….in addition, we count 1.5
billion obese and 300 million diabetes 2 cases
2. The industrial food system uses some 10 Kcal to produce one,
energy problem
3. The industrial and conventional food system (incl. the
traditional systems are a major part of the CC problem
4. Soil degradation, water shortages & biodiversity loss underlie
food security, natural resource problem
5. Jobs, Industrial agriculture emptied the rural areas and
multidisciplinary research labs, social problems
6. Unfair trade works against the small-scale famers and the
poor, economic and social problems
Business as usual is not an option

4. What’s the plan forward?
Different intervention levels (all with multistakeholder
approaches) for planning (it’s a system), implementation and
monitoring the new paradigm (multifunctional agriculture)
1. Policies (informed via
assessments, i.e., IAASTD, implementation via
policies,.i.e., AU-EOA Initiative; land reforms, etc..)
2. Institutions (reformed to support agroecological
agriculture, i.e., reassign perverse subsidies)
1. R&D (in support of the new paradigm, with emphasis on
women, resilience
Actors: Producers, Suppliers /
Buyers, Processors, Consumers, Policy Makers

5. Food security…..is
“a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical,
social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious
food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for
an active and healthy life” (FAO)
……is built on:
• food availability: sufficient quantities of nutritious food are
available on a consistent basis
• food access: nutritious food is affordable for all people
• food stability: Not bumper yields, but stable yields as expected
from resilient system are needed
• food use: knowledge of basic nutrition, access to adequate
water and sanitation, safe processing and handling
…….and implies multifunctionality

6. IAASTD: Showing the right road
1. “a fundamental shift in AKST and the connected
• agri-food system policies; • institutions; • capacity
development; and • investments”
2. Paradigm change: Transition to sustainable /agro-ecological /
organic agri-culture
3. An agriculture that addresses the multifunctionality and
resilience needs of the small-scale and family farmers (social &
economic: equity issue, farmer status, land ownership, empowerment, women),
quality job creation (Edu at all levels);
4. Need to use a systemic and holistic approach (basic ecological
principles); treat cause not symptoms; is part of the solution to
hunger, poverty, health, natural resources conservation, CC
5. Good governance and new Institutions

7. Ecological agriculture as the main solution:
Multifunctionality paradigm for sustainable agriculture and food
system
equitable livable
sustainable
viable

8. Thinking in system: how does it work

9. Changing behavior: consumption defines production
Encouraging a
wider genetic
base in
agriculture…trees
, fruits, grains,
vegetables, lost
crops, animals
for nutrition and
health, cultural
diversity,
incomes, pest
control, resilience
to climate change
Barilla, 2011

10. Green way ahead: is knowledge intensive
• Improve and expand extension services (ITC)
• Introduce capacity building (ITC)
• Agriculture is very localized = local solutions
• AU Ecological/Organic Ag initiative (Head of State)

11. Transforming: ….. sustainable, organic, agroecological,
resilient, equitable agriculture
High productivity
Low productivity
Un-sustainable Sustainable

12. Transformation…..the never ending debate…and
the image problem…..
• Can organic/agroecological based agriculture feed the
planet?
(and who can afford it?)
(wrong question, as one should ask:
• Does the present industrial / conventional (green
revolution) model which is being promoted?
• How can we nourish 9.5 billion people; eradicate
hunger and poverty; assure rural livelihood (jobs);
eradicate inequities; assure good nutrition and
health; and do all this in a socially, environmentally
and economically sustainable manner (back to the top)

13. Can it be done?: scenarios from the UNEP GER ag
chapter 2011
Global investments across sectors (1% and 2% of GDP, Stern
report); 0.1% and 0.16% of GDP invested in agriculture for:
- Pre harvest losses (training activities and effective bio-
pesticide use)
- Ag management practices (cover transition costs from till
to no till, organic, agroecological agriculture, training, access
to small scale mechanization)
- R&D (research in soil science and agronomy, crop
improvement (orphan crops), appropriate mechanization, and
more)
- Food processing (better storage and processing in rural
areas, efficient processing, marketting)

14. The forward looking scenarios:
Approach and methodology
Water Water Water stress
efficiency demand
Agriculture
labor
Sustainable
mgmt. Agriculture
capital
Natural crop yield Effective crop yield
Forest land per ha per ha
Soil
quality
Organic Pre harvest
fertilizer losses
Fertilizer use
Chemical
fertilizer R&D
Harvested
area
Oil price
GDP Agriculture
production
Population

15. Yes…..(UNEP GER Report – 2011),
Investing 0.1% or 0.16% of total GDP ($83-$141 Billion) / year
Year 2011 2011 2050
Scenario Unit Baseline Green BAU
Ag production Bn US$/Yr 1,921 2,852 2,559
Crops Bn US$/Yr 629 996 913
Employment M People 1,075 1,703 1,656
Soil quality Dmnl 0.92 1.03 0.73
Ag water use KM3/Yr 3,389 3,207 4,878
Harvested land Bn ha 1.20 1.26 1.31
Deforestation M ha/Yr 16 7 15
Calories p/c/day for
consumption Kcal/C/D 2,081 2.524 2.476

16. In conclusion
The change that is needed will first start with each of us…
….then as a group of like minded we need to:
• take a medium and long, holistic, multifunctional and
systemic view in addressing multiple challenges
• invest more in (agro-ecological -research, -extension, -
education
• focus on the finality of agriculture and food systems: health,
equity and cultural diversity
• support changes in governance (be active in policy design to
end perverse subsidies and favor a true food pricing policy)
• Invest in enabling conditions
……and yes it can be done, so lets do it NOW

17. From Stockholm 72 to Rio 92 to
Jo‘burg 02 to Rio 12 (Rio+20)
92: Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA)
• (UNFCCC); (CBD); (UNCCD)
02: IAASTD
11: IPBES
12: Governance, Institutions and Green Economy
(IAASTD implementation via CFS)

18. You cannot solve the problem with the same
kind of thinking that created the problem
Albert Einstein
www.millennium-institute.org &
Thank you
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