In celebration of the United Nations International Day of Biological Diversity: Insights from our virtual panel discussion

In celebration of the United Nations International Day of Biological Diversity: Insights from our virtual panel discussion

On 24 May 2024, GLOBALG.A.P. c/o FoodPLUS GmbH hosted a virtual panel discussion in honor of the United Nations International Day of Biological Diversity. Titled "Be Part of the Plan: How can responsible and resilient farming practices promote and protect biodiversity?", the event served as a platform for thought-provoking dialogue on the pivotal role of agriculture in safeguarding our planet's rich biological heritage. Learn more about how the event unfolded .

About the panelists

Moderated by Rene Capote, GLOBALG.A.P. Senior Technical Expert, the panel brought together a diverse array of voices from across the agricultural value chain:

• Philipp Wagnitz, Director of Quality and Sustainability at Lidl International, shared his journey from working with WWF to joining Lidl.

• Marion Hammerl, President of Global Nature Fund, discussed her extensive career in environmental NGOs, beginning in Spain, and the interconnectedness of different crises. She shared her experience in founding the Living Lakes Network, which focuses on protecting lakes worldwide.

• Nyiko Gift Mutileni, Environmental Scientist at ZZ2 in South Africa, shared her involvement in documenting and monitoring biodiversity in South Africa, including initiatives like the City Nature Challenge on the iNaturalist platform.

Biodiversity protection begins on farms

Amidst the backdrop of escalating environmental challenges, the panel discussed strategies for turning theoretical biodiversity protection goals into tangible farm-level achievements. "It's not as easy as we sometimes suggest," said Wagnitz. "Farmers know best about biodiversity. They work the land and understand the issue locally. The expertise lies in the field, not the boardroom."

From a producer's perspective, Mutileni agreed that efforts start at the farm. "We see ourselves as custodians of the land," she explained. "Agricultural success depends on the ecosystem services we derive from our landscapes."

Support needed from all stakeholders

In celebration of the United Nations International Day of Biological Diversity, it was emphasized that biodiversity protection requires collective effort across the supply chain, not just from farms. "Rehabilitation should involve everyone, and we should invest in helping farmers achieve this," was the consensus.

Hammerl, from the Global Nature Fund, reiterated this. "Farmers cannot tackle the enormous task of protecting biodiversity alone; they need support, particularly from the food sector." Responding to concerns about the burden of biodiversity certification on smallholders,

Need for political and democratic support

Hammerl and Wagnitz agreed that more action is needed at the governmental level. "We are pushing political decision-makers," Hammerl said. "In Europe, we have begun to support our biodiversity strategy with legislation, which was previously lacking. This absence of legal support contributed to our past failures in meeting the Convention on Biological Diversity objectives." They acknowledged that democratic processes take time and involve diverse stakeholders, but expressed optimism that meaningful change is happening, even if it advances one small step at a time.

Closing insights and audience engagement

As the discussion drew to a close, participants engaged in a short Q&A session, where both the cost of standard implementation and the feasibility of dedicating valuable land to biodiversity measures was an important topic for smallholders. In response, Hammerl highlighted the importance of a landscape approach. Implementing a biodiversity plan at the cooperative level would ease the certification burden on individual smallholders and provide more effective protection.

Overall, the discussion underscored the importance of collaboration, especially between different sectors—retail, NGOs, and producers—to effectively address biodiversity challenges and promote sustainable practices.

As we reflect on the insights gleaned from this illuminating discussion, it is evident that promoting biodiversity within agricultural systems is not merely a moral imperative but a strategic necessity.