Land transformation: From competition for land use to integrative use

Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

Time: Tuesday, 25. January 2022, 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. (CET), subsequent deep dive 9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Languages: English, German, French

Summary:
While food security for 10 billion people within the planetary boundaries is possible, it can only be achieved with a coherent approach to transforming global land use. Healthy soils as part of healthy ecosystems are key to safeguarding food security, climate change mitigation and the preservation of biological diversity. Agricultural production must be intensified in a sustainable manner on existing areas in order to reduce long-term costs for people, the environment and climate. Forests, species diversity and their ecosystem services play just as central a role as innovation, knowledge and access to capital and technology. Yet, there is often a lack of efficient institutions to implement the host of existing strategies for sustainable land use and to reduce existing barriers such as access to land or means of production. Alongside governments, trade, industry and consumers also bear the burden of responsibility, because global agricultural supply chains contribute to deforestation and soil degradation through inadequate sustainability standards and a lack of governance. During the event, approaches to solutions will be discussed in order to establish a balance between these conflicting objectives. The focus will be placed on tried and tested solution concepts that help to dismantle existing barriers to sustainable land use, overcome sectoral silo mentality and contribute to poverty reduction.