[IYRPsupportgroup] Doubling our efforts on IYRP

[Maryam Niamir-Fuller]

Dear RISG members and the wider ISG

*We need to step up our efforts. *

We are very pleased to note that the recently received support letters from
the Ministries of Agriculture of France, India and the Russian Federation
brings the total of formal support to 19 countries (plus another 30 or so
who voiced support during COAG 2020). Therefore, all indications are that
the IYRP will be approved by the FAO Conference in June 2021.  But there is
still one final and very challenging step:  the designation of 2026 as IYRP
by the UN General Assembly in September 2021.

If we miss this opportunity, or if the UNGA decides to postpone the
decision to next year, then we will lose a lot of momentum and dash the
hopes of so many great stakeholders who are counting on the IYRP to raise
awareness and enhance knowledge.

The next few months will be critical. Our primary focus should be on
seeking more governments, and especially their Ministries of Foreign
Affairs, to support the IYRP.

As members of ISG and the RISGs, we ask that you double your personal
efforts to contact people in your Governments, ask them to consider the
importance of the IYRP, provide them with any information they seek, and
convince them to support this initiative.  You could contact ministries
such as those focusing on food, poverty, environment, forestry, and the
entity in charge of coordinating the SDGs. The ultimate aim is to convince
the Ministries of Foreign Affairs.

In addition, the RISG Chairs could contact all the people in their region
who have already sent organizational support letters since 2020 –
especially those who may not necessarily have volunteered to be a member of
the RISG (we can send these lists and contacts if the RISGs don’t have them
yet). They may be able to help find ways to seek Government support letters

We have ample resource materials to use (the Open Flyer; a draft Action
Plan; a very informative website).  Some RISGs are developing additional
flyers and outreach material tailored to their regions – such as the North
America RISG’s justification paper on why rangelands matter and a paper to
show how IYRP can help Native Americans and First Nations. After their
success in getting the Indian Government’s support, the South Asia RISG
found it helpful for Jim and I to send a letter directly to the Minister of
Pakistan referencing the Government of Mongolia’s own request letter of
August 2020. All such materials can be adapted and translated for other
regions.

Please make sure you coordinate with your RISG Chairs or, in the case of
global stakeholders such as the UN or CGIAR, with us.  The RISG Chairs are
listed in the attached.

Do send your thoughts and ideas on how else we can help to step up efforts.
And thank you for all you have done.

Jim O'Rourke (Chair of ISG) and Maryam Niamir-Fuller (Vice Chair of ISG)
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