Guidance for developing and updating National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans
About
This guidance was produced by Global Alliance for the Future of Food, Biovision Foundation, WWF International, the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture, and the Agroecology Coalition – leading institutions addressing food systems transformation nationally and internationally.
We encourage Parties to the CBD to take up this Guidance to develop sound and comprehensive NBSAPs that leverage agroecology’s ability to address the biodiversity crisis and provide multiple co-benefits for climate adaptation and mitigation, food security, health and nutrition, ecosystem resilience, sustainable livelihoods, social cohesion, preserving cultural heritage, and protecting human rights.
A translated version of the report executive summary is available in Español.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the numerous individuals and organizations who provided their time and expertise in the planning and development of this work.
The creation of this Guidance was led by John Garcia Ulloa, Charlotte Pavageau, Moritz Fegert, Matheus Alves Zanella, Amanda Jekums, Faris Ahmed, Liz Willetts, Martina Fleckenstein, and Carolina Navarrete Frías. The work greatly benefitted from the support and inputs by Oliver Oliveros, Lisa Fuchs, Natasja Oerlemans, and Petra Hans. This process has been all the stronger due to their analysis and help shaping its form and content throughout the process. We are deeply thankful to the contributing teams for their commitment to this project and for their everyday work to advance sustainable agricultural practices.
The content of this Guidance is based on the perspectives and insights shared by 75 policymakers and shapers from Eastern Africa, Latin America, South-East Asia, and Europe during two peer-to-peer dialogues held online on 12 March 2024, and in person on 9-10 May 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya; as well as discussions held in two side events at the 25th (15 October 2023) and 26th (14 May 2024) meetings of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA). In addition, the authors conducted interviews with selected experts from leading institutions outside of the author group as well as delegates and observers to the CBD who shared case studies of model policies, practices, and insights on integrating agroecology across national plans, which were validated in this Guidance with the support of expert reviewers Robin Goffaux (SBSTTA NFP – France), José Luis Chichoma (UNDP), Luca Chinotti (WWF), and Christina Eghenter (WWF).
The peer-to-peer dialogues were attended by governments (NBSAP focal points, food system and agroecology focal points), civil society organizations, farmer organizations, and multilateral agencies and research institutes from 22 countries, including observers and parties to the CBD, namely: Amina Mbaruku, Francis Shivonje, Josephine Akia, Sarah Jones, Flurina Doppler, Pierre Ferrand, Sylvain Aubry, Mariam Mayet, Ernesto Méndez, Laban Kiplagat, Ogalo Baka, Lothar Lechner, Alison Blay-Palmer, Clemence Moinier, Jago Wadley, Luisa Forero, Venter Mwongera, Anne Maina, Georgina Simangele Msweli, Madeleine Kaufmann, Camila Cammaert, Vu Dang Toan, Lim Li Ching, Sol Ortiz, Rutendo Chirape, Alice Jandrain, Kamwesige Mtembei, Sabrina Nafisa Jasinjila, Pauline Nantongo Kalunda, Rodger Mpande, Phillip Kihumuro, Lijie Cai, Martha Ngalowera, Daniel Peter Beniamino, Lucy Ng’ang’a, Allan Milhomens, Leonardo Correia, Sim Hourleang, Sok Sotha, Maria Teresa Palacios Lozano, Luis Jeronimo Pulido Arredondo, Cargele Masso, Reguli Damas, Anna Moshi, Bob Sunday, Pauline Nantongo Kalunda, Thabani Siziba, and Esther Kagai.
This work was generously funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and members of the Global Alliance for the Future of Food. We extend deep gratitude to Global Alliance members and the Global Alliance secretariat. We also extend our thanks to JPD Studio, New York, who led the design and layout; Tracy Bordian, who copy edited the documents; and Hannah Bestow, who supported the translation of these materials into Spanish.
The authors remain responsible for the content of this compendium and any errors or omissions.