[IYRPsupportgroup] FYI: Notes on COAG discussion on Subcommittee on Livestock

[Ann Waters-Bayer]

Dear all,

Here  are some quick notes on the COAG meeting yesterday about the COAG Subcommittee on Livestock( SC-L):

Almost all interventions were supportive. However, delegates from Switzerland and the USA raised some concerns about duplicating other existing groups, e.g. GASL (Global Agenda on Sustainable Livestock), which was called into being 10 years ago by COAG. More clarification was requested about how the new committee would complement existing ones. FAO emphasised that the SC-L would be an intergovernmental body focusing on policy guidelines, whereas GASL is a multistakeholder initiative promoting networking. The SC-L should be open to all COAG members, with civil society and the private sector as observers. Every organisation with observer status to the FAO can attend the subcommittee sessions. The SC-L should meet every two years, at least six months before the biennial COAG meeting. The costs are to be covered by voluntary contributions, not by the FAO budget.

It was encouraging to hear the strong support given for attention to sustainable livestock systems especially by smallholder family farmers (even pastoralists and pasturelands were occasionally mentioned specifically, e.g. by Kenya and Peru). Livestock was repeatedly described as essential for rural development, and some speakers mentioned specific importance for women.

The wording of the (draft) final statement included:

COAG endorsed the proposal to establish a SC-L as intergovernmental forum with mandate to discuss and build consensus on livestock issues and priorities and advise COAG, the FAO Council and the FAO Conference on technical and policy programmes and activities needed to optimise contribution to poverty alleviation, food security and nutrition, sustainable livelihoods, and in the realisation of the 2030 Agenda.

The COAG noted the importance of collaborating with multiple stakeholders, existing partnerships and specialised organisations, and it may invite GASL to report regularly to it.

COAG recommended that the first session of SC-L be held during the first quarter of 2022, followed by biennial meetings inter-sessional with COAG, subject to available extra-budgetary funds.

However, it did not appear to be clear to the delegates in the COAG meeting, including the chair, about the further process, e.g. whether the decision of COAG about the SC-L needed confirmation of the FAO Council or FAO Conference. Depending on how this is handled, the process of setting up the SC-L and holding the first meeting may take some time.

NOTE: The final wording of the statement on the SC-L takes place this afternoon!

Another point that may be of interest to people working with pastoralists, some of whom identify themselves as indigenous peoples (IPs): in the COAG discussion on the food systems approach in preparation for the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, the COAG stressed the importance of IPs as protectors of biodiversity and knowledge holders in natural resource management, innovations and food systems, and the need for scientists and stakeholder to follow interculturality in their understanding of indigenous food systems, The Committee welcomed the launching of the Global Hub on IPs’ Food Systems to provide a structured dialogue that enables an exchange of knowledge between IPs and scientists to ensure the protection and preservation of Indigenous food systems

Also right now in the discussion of the proposed Global Programme on Sustainable Dryland Agriculture, the spokeswoman for the EU called for recognising the “nomads” who produce food in dryland areas as part of sustainable dryland agriculture.

Cheers.

Ann


Dr Ann Waters-Bayer
Agrecol Association for AgriCulture & Ecology
Coalition of European Lobbies for Eastern African Pastoralism (CELEP)
E: waters-bayer at web.de / waters-bayer at agrecol.de
S: ann-waters
W: www.agrecol.de / www.celep.info





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