Kindra, this resonates with how we’re exploring these challenges at BRAC. Currently, we are piloting an integrated approach in two districts in BRAC that takes a whole of society approach to addressing climate change simultaneously layering programming, research, financing, technology, policy, and more. It’s complex and challenging, but very exciting and we’re looking forward to sharing what we’re doing and learning with others.
I agree - we are seeing more need to data collection and verification. We are keen to ensure we give voices to communities and listen to their needs and requirements
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The biggest risk we see, @DaniellaMendoza , is more than competitiveness, but smallholder exclusion from whole supply chains, with all the burdens (and cost) of due diligence and data requirements of the EUDR. Funds have been committed by consumer country governments to support, but we’re not seeing enough action, and there needs to be partnership between producer and consumer countries.
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I agree with this, but it is not only in the U.S. - something like 1/2 of the world’s population goes to vote for leaders this year - and there are risks associated with that in several of those decisionmaking moments to action towards sustainable development
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this is a very “micro” and maybe a more personal reaction to this arresting stat about 70% of child labor occurring in agriculture, but it strikes me that children being part of their FAMILY food system (including farming, gardening, and home “labor”) is something very common in human history, and a very good thing (connected to family, nature, everyone contributing). so the problem is really the commodification and globalization of our food system, right?
Hi I am Debjani Samantaray, Manager for Knowledge Management and Mobilization at GAIN (Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition) and my areas of interest are in enhancing public private engagement in nutrition and ushering a shared understanding of what’s needed for food systems transformation. We’re working with partners to realize the goal of healthier diets for all people, especially the most vulnerable and susceptible to malnutrition in its varied forms, by building more resilient and sustainable food systems to act as powerhouses for such transformation.
Hi everyone - I am Stephanie Schmidt, working with Ashoka, a global network of social entrepreneurs and changemakers and leading our partnership work in Africa. Writing from Johannesburg. Looking forward to the conversation!
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Just encountered this on a trip to Uganda last week where thankfully the Ministry (MAAIF) are having to introduce multi-crop multi-sector traceability to the farm level in order to ensure that their precious Priority Crops are able to reach their end-user markets. It is possible, but it is a whole new level of complexity requiring real multi-stakeholder collaboration if we are to collectively succeed on behalf of all actors in the value chain.
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My perspective is that scarcity leads to the breakdown of trust and responses of withdrawal and aggression, which in turn increases scarcity. It is a vicious circle. The way out I believe, is to work on rebuilding trust which is the foundation of resilience. This creates conditions of abundance in a virtuous circle. The challenge of course is how to go about restoring trust in a highly unequal society where it has been broken.
A1: PART 2: IMPACT MEASURMENT
- Challenges in implementing the nitty gritty of impact measurement strategies; the devil is in the detail, and working with companies, we see that they continue to struggle to identify the key indicators to measure, right size it to resources available, and operationalize the data collection.
- Also, there are many challenges in getting accurate data and how to use the data for decision making and not just reporting to funders.
- Impact measurement strategies for early-stage companies are different from growth-stage companies and then between SMEs with limited resources to large MNC programs.
- There are still siloed impact measurement teams and subsequent issues around continuous learning and improvement within companies.
PART 3: INTERSECTION OF GENDER AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Missed opportunities to use data for evidence-based decision-making at the intersection of gender and climate. While many stakeholders acknowledge that women are more deeply impacted by climate change (including facing increased gender based violence), there is again limited use of research and measurement to understand systemic issues, deep rooted cultural bias and structures, and then piloting and testing interventions with a focus on using data to understand success.
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As a labor economist who studies how labor markets function in conflict-prone areas, I am very excited to hear about organizations such as Naamal. Conflict tends to impede data collection efforts, making it harder for researchers to understand the causes and consequences of conflict.
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Hi Delilah - in case you havent seen it, Steve Waygood from Aviva Investors has done some really great work on looking at the global financial system can be shaped to support and address climate and sustainability challenges.
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Hello everyone! Great to be here and looking forward aross 2024 with you. I’m Justin DeKoszmovszky and I’m one of 5 partners leading Archipel&Co, a social innovation and impact advisory agency. More on my background here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-dekoszmovszky-5b38a91/
We have been talking to small holder communities about Grievance Mechanisms as required by the German Supply Chain Act - and it’s clear that communities need to speak to a trusted person often in an informal way
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I just wanted to add that growing inequalities, poverty and insecurity are major issues in many countries across the world. How do we get better engagement on this issue?
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Agreed! I was really happy to see the greater focus on methane in particular, and food systems more generally. At TechnoServe, we most often focus on stimulating change within existing policy frameworks. Eager to find like-minded partners that have more expertise on identifying and advocating for policies that will enable and support food systems transformation.
Aside from the physical and biological threats we face on a planetary level, there are equally high levels of risk and division in social unity. There is a growing anti-science trend, with people rejecting scientific evidence on critical issues such as climate change and vaccinations. Lacking a shared alignment on truth itself can impose serious consequences for public health and safety.
A1: James Payne here from Forum for the Future.
Despite the polycrisis the world is facing, I still believe a more sustainable future in which people and the planet can thrive is within our grasp. Creating it will mean embracing the immensely unsettled nature of a world that is changing, every day.
Among the multiple transitions already in play, Forum for the Future believes three offer genuinely game-changing potential to address our intensifying environmental, social and economic crises: how we think about, produce, consume and value both food and energy, and the purpose of business .
With increased attention and investment, current momentum behind these transitions is encouraging. And yet, we’re not seeing the results we need.
Why? We believe that, for too long, interventions have been both shallow and piecemeal - addressing specific problems in isolation, but failing to maintain momentum and to tackle the root causes of the issue. ‘Fixes’ that ultimately fail - going neither far enough or fast enough, while simultaneously risking unintended consequences.
but we can no longer afford to fall short.
That’s why we think a sharper focus on deep, deliberate and urgent transformation .is essential.
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A1: Measurement, evaluation and learning in the ESG context: how do we still measure what really matter and informs improved impact?
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We have found that approaching the issue from a human rights perspective (Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) provides a useful foundation for meaningful conversation.