Zero Hunger Coalition side event at COP 28

Food and climate are inextricably linked. Food systems account for 15 to 30% of total greenhouse gas emissions yet suffer from production losses due to extreme weather events caused by rising temperatures. Agricultural demands for land will continue alongside the growth in worldwide population. As such, food and agricultural systems are both a casualty and a contributor to climate change. Solving problems linked to climate change will benefit food systems and vice-versa. 

Sustainable food system transformation will be a hot topic during COP 28. Already, the COP28 host has proposed the Emirates Declaration on Resilient Food Systems, Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Action which calls on country signatories to integrate food systems and agriculture into their climate action plans. 

Zero Hunger Coalition side event

To understand the complementarity between food systems and climate action, the Zero Hunger Coalition is pleased to co-organize a side event during COP 28: A Prioritization of Policy and Programmatic Options: What are the actionable points of synergy between Agri-food Systems Transformation, Nutrition, Poverty Reduction and Climate Action? 

The side event will bring together key stakeholders to explore synergies and partnerships to address the multiple complex issues that link food systems and climate in Africa. 

An agenda for action

The side event will consist of two sessions. The first session will address integrated interventions for climate, food systems, nutrition and poverty reduction while the second session will examine the role of national parliamentarians in Africa to find synergies and solutions. 

Confirmed speakers include:

• Hon. Arlette Soudan Nonault, Minister of Tourism and the Environment, Republic of Congo
• Dr Stefanos Fotiou, Director, UN Food Systems Coordination Hub
• Dr. David Laborde, Director of the Agri-Food Economics Division, FAO
• Hon. Jeremy Lissouba, Member of Parliament, Republic of Congo and Member of the African Food System Parliamentary Network 
• Dr. Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
• Hon. Angélique Ngoma, Network of Central African Parliamentary Alliances for Food and Nutrition Security
• Hon Neema Lungagira, Member of Parliament, Tanzania, and Member of the African Food Systems Parliamentary Network  
• Hon. Dr. Jasaw Godfred, Member of Parliament, Ghana and Member of the African Food Systems Parliamentary Network 

Ibrahim Mayaki, Special Envoy of the African Union for Food Systems will provide the closing remarks.

The side event will take place during the COP 28 Food and Agriculture Systems Day on 10 December from 10h00-11h30 at the Congo Basin Climate Commission Pavilion. 

Livestreaming of the event will be available on YouTube and Facebook.

This side event is co-organized by the Republic of Congo, the Congo Basin Climate Commission, the African Food Systems Parliamentarian Network (AFSPaN), the Network of Central African Parliamentary Alliances for Food and Nutrition Security, the Zero Hunger Coalition and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).