“Without the farmers, it is only political policy without implementation”―that was the stark message delivered by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s Director-General last week to delegates attending the latest round of UN biodiversity talks in Rome.
Over 150 countries met from February 25 to 27 to advance biodiversity finance, accountability and the integration of agrifood systems into global conservation strategies.
Despite groundbreaking agreements on genetic data and recognizing the stewardship role of indigenous peoples at the first round of the COP16 conference in Colombia late last year, this new Conference of the Parties―or COP16.2―aims to close some crucial gaps which are instrumental for implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.
With nature declining at an alarming rate, the challenge now is turning commitments into action.
FAO chief Qu Dongyu called for urgent action to transform agrifood systems, stressing that biodiversity must be embedded in food and farming policies. A key focus is the Agri-NBSAPs Support Initiative, launched at COP16 in Cali, Colombia.
The initiative is designed to help governments integrate agrifood systems into their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, to eliminate any conflicts between agricultural policy and biodiversity goals.
Colombia’s COP16 President, Environment Minister María Susana Muhamad, and Agriculture Minister Martha Carvajalino underscored the importance of full implementation.
Dongyu highlighted the deep connections between biodiversity and food security, noting that over half of the Kunming-Montreal Framework’s 23 targets are directly linked to agriculture.
He explained that “biodiversity is also in the soil and in the water” and that it is critical “to look at biodiversity from a holistic, three-dimensional perspective.”
Despite commitments made at COP15, funding remains a sticking point.
Secretary-General António Guterres, warned in a statement that biodiversity is “on the brink” and urged governments to translate pledges into investment. “Success requires accountability. And action demands finance,” he said.
With only a fraction of the required $200 billion per year mobilized, developing nations are pushing wealthier countries to meet their financial obligations.
Discussions in Rome are expected to focus on accountability frameworks to track spending and ensure resources reach the communities most affected by biodiversity loss.
In the coming days, negotiators will work to finalize agreements on biodiversity finance, implementation strategies and monitoring frameworks.
Dongyu closed his statement by calling for an integrated approach across government sectors.
“We need an integrated approach across government sectors, across Ministries, to ensure the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, better environment and a better life―leaving no one behind,” he said.
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With time running out to meet the 2030 targets, COP16.2 is a key test of global commitment―whether countries will step up or risk falling short on protecting the planet’s ecosystems. UN News
