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Climate change impacts on water and food security Southern Africa is experiencing a challenging climate (dry season, floods), nine months or more of dry season even before climate change, how to ensure we do not rely on the 3-4 months of the wet season and making the most during dry season (manage the dry seasons very well). There is potential on some crops that can strive (Irish potatoes) in dry season. Linking farmers to high value markets- identify areas on where to sell excess produce, formulate value addition policies and plans (improve quality). Scientific evidence or information should ... قراءة المزيدbe made available to decision makers. Partner with colleagues from water and other sectors (different domains) to brainstorming strategies and Programmes at regional levels. Markets, policies, value addition and Partnership will help to promote food security approach and improved technology National policies mechanisms and investment policies become relevant for resilience, water availability, how much investment can government make for irrigation technology; to relieve or improve stressed food systems, energy systems Regional organisations become important players in coordinating regional priorities and also sharing needed knowledge on food security, resilience etc Promoting efficient use of water in agricultural system through improved technology such as hybrid crops (water resistant crops, drought resistant crops etc) Proper governance of water; recognise water for different uses; allocation of water (need water for irrigation, energy, agricultural production). -Poor resource farmers have to benefit from innovation of water efficient technology such as drip irrigation through engaging with them. Avoid mismatch or competing policies on climate changes. For example, when drafting NDCs and National overarching adaptation plan. How will it be possible to tell if these actions are being successful? Food systems, smallholder farmers should be resilient Policy mechanisms- are important more especially in addressing conflicting interests. How much investment should be channelled to agriculture, & climate smart practices Water transboundary- providing support and coordination across countries Right policies- what investment we need to establish Recognising water for different uses- changing the way water is allocated to improve efficiency Politics and meaning of land is very important - take the land discussions out of politics What contributions will our organisations make? Supporting countries to develop national adaptation plan which is sector specific, how do you bring climate change adaptation and water security Technologies – improving irrigation technologies, water efficiency technologies Recognising water security in building climate change resilience. Improving trade policies to promote food securities in the region Improve regional coordination through partnership -Information dissemination through organisational platforms -Engaging with farmers including poor resource farmers to benefit from the joint discussions and innovation Promote grassroots policy engagement with relevant stakeholders قراءة القليل

How can we sustainably produce more food in the region using low greenhouse gas energy sources? The group noted that the food system is responsible for around 30% of global GHGs equating to 16 Gigatonnes per year. In developing countries over 50% of GHG are from on-farm production and bad land use. As countries develop more GHGs come from energy, industrial activities and waste management rather than land use. Methane from food waste, animals and rice production produce 35% of total GHGs emitted. It seems “Food miles” where local rail and road transport are main transport GHG emitters are ... قراءة المزيدless important than packaging to address. Refrigeration is main emitter in the retail post farm system and 5% of total GHGs for the food system. While 1990-2015 saw a 40% increase in production there was only 12% increase in GHGs due to and energy transition to renewables and better systems. Reducing wastage in the system is the low hanging fruit that needs to be focused on. The new AU trade agreement could help unlock regional markets and production of renewable energy technologies. Innovations that could reduce energy use in food production/value chains over the next decade include: - Agroecology and better farming practices - Using balanced feeds in livestock rearing - Low pack/no pack solutions : shops using no packaging and customers using own recycled materials when shopping in stores. - Irrigation using gravity feed systems. - Using wastewater for energy: methane could be used to produce gas for other things such as cooking and heating. - Solar PV for pumping water - Intensive farming rather than extensive - Internet purchasing: small scale farmers chain to market is long, therefore using online shopping small scale famers can shorten this and improve their on farm economics Some reason why these innovations have not taken off include: - The cost of technology and limited capital to invest in it especially at microscale where farmers have no financing. - There is a lack of trust in new technology - we do not have enough examples (e.g biogas) of such technology working well. Therefore, the needs to be more demonstrations to show people the technology works that would ensure more buy-in and less sceptism amongst policy makers. - In South Africa regulations are no longer the problem, now the issue is about building project that are at a larger scale, however it is difficult to raise finances for that. Most investors are willing to put in like $ 10 000 instead of like $100 000 which could benefit more farmers and people. - In low-income countries people are not able to afford energy innovations, there should be some subsidies that push people to invest in those innovations. - When approaching small-scale farmers with new technology we also should give them access to services to maintain them. How can we reduce water use while introducing new energy options? - Cheap energy could lead to pumping too much water. Water use needs to be automatically recorded and used for monitoring. - Utilizing wastewater for biogas rather than fresh water. - More use of efficient systems such as irrigation technologies that time irrigations flows based on what is needed and when. - There is a need for more wholesome energy that uses available waste and other resources linked to the food system. قراءة القليل

Through the discussions, priorities for action within the context of current realities were identified. The first priority identified was the need for more dialogues that promote integrated approaches linking water and energy with food. Other outcomes from the discussions included the need for data sharing across sectors and across countries; integrated scaling pathways and even the pull through of WEF nexus tools and products to scaling. The need for financing models to enable the exchange was also emphasized as well as the need for policy implementation that concretize these priorities. Othe... قراءة المزيدr outcomes included the need for institutional coordination, specifically reconciling donor interests with nation state and regional/local institutional interests. Participants also agreed that there was a need for sizable projects to realize true systems transformation and WEF nexus operationalization. In essence, while many different views and objectives were expressed on how to achieve food systems transformation in the region, the role of water was critical in all of them. It was further emphasized that we have to move beyond the sectoral coordination approach, although this is very key – to examine the political transformations that are important in realizing more just systems transformation. Finally, the degree to which Africa and southern Africa voices/inputs on water are incorporated into the UNFSS Action Tracks (recognizing that this is still lacking in many respects) and the role of regionally focused dialogues in helping to achieve that was another major outcome from the discussions. قراءة القليل

Southern Africa faces an uphill battle to achieve food and water security. Research shows that roughly 43% of the region is either arid or semiarid and that 70% of its people rely on rain-fed agriculture. These circumstances have been worsened by unusual times – bringing age-old questions back to the fore – such as can Southern Africa feed itself and does the region have enough water to do so? The United Nations Food Systems (UNFSS) Southern Africa dialogue attempted to answer these questions and provide some solutions. The dialogue unpacked the way food systems can be localized and transf... قراءة المزيدormed in a water-constrained region in such a way that acknowledges WEF nexus linkages, promotes regional trade and enhances equity and inclusion. The UNFSS Southern Africa dialogue highlighted six key thematic areas on which participants were required to engage in an interactive manner that allowed for small group discussion, collective brainstorming, and agenda-setting. The thematic areas covered by breakout groups were: 1). Moving towards low carbon energy for food production; 2). Climate change impacts on water and food security; 3). Policy coherence and institutional coordination in water, food, energy and climate change that operationalize the WEF nexus; 4). Advancing technical WEF models, tools and frameworks for decision making at multiple scales; 5). Putting nature back in the WEF nexus: towards resilient food landscapes; and 6). Community approaches to operationalize the WEF nexus. Each group was required to discuss a series of prompt questions, with an overarching key question in each of the breakout discussions. The questions were: 1. How can we sustainably produce more food in the region using low greenhouse gas energy sources? 2. How can we sustainably enhance food security without compromising water security in the context of climate change? 3. What practical steps can/should be taken to ensure policy coherence and institutional coordination to improve water, energy and food security in the region? 4. How can WEF nexus models/tools facilitate new understanding of interdependencies and trade-offs in the WEF nexus, as well as foster data sharing and enhanced decision-making in the region? 5. How do we build more resilient food and livelihood systems while protecting critical water sources, biodiversity, and other ecosystem services? 6. How can we promote equity and inclusion in WEF nexus governance to create opportunities for transformation towards more just food, water and energy systems? Using interactive virtual facilitation tools such as jamboards, mentimeter, and mural, with collective brainstorming approaches such as the 3-Horizon approach, facilitators guided breakout discussion participants in identifying actions in the next 3 years that will have the greatest impact on the discussion topic, determinants of success of those actions, and partnership arrangements that need to be prioritized etc. قراءة القليل

The main area of divergence was related to how to understand the role of women in food systems. Some people posed a traditional role for women, for example: educating women so that they feed other people well. That is, planning a nutritional education so that women make good decisions, taking 100% responsibility for their reality and the reality of their family, when the conditions in which they daily live do not allow them. On the other hand, some people brought a more transformative view of the role of women in food systems.

#5 For Action Track 5 it was concluded that the following were the key solutions: Equitable livelihoods and redistribution of value Articulate actions against gender-based violence in rural areas, such as physical, economic and patrimonial violence. Promote legislative and parliamentary actions for gender parity and the incorporation of an intercultural perspective in decision-making. Promote the recognition of rural women leaders, as well as grassroots organizations and movements of indigenous and Afro-descendant women. Rethink the mechanisms of social protection and care to achieve a shared ... قراءة المزيدresponsibility between men and women. Establish funds and financing mechanisms to make these proposals possible. قراءة القليل

#4 For Action Track 4 it was concluded that the following were the key solutions: Resilience in adverse situations Ensure equitable access for women to credit and insurance. Mobilize social protection and care policies for rural women with gender-sensitive budgets, allocating resources and coordinating initiatives in the territories. Increase the availability of information that allows better analysis of difficulties, gaps and roles of women in food systems.

#3 For Action Track 3 it was concluded that the following were the key solutions: Positive production for nature Incorporate the gender approach in sustainable agricultural policies and make it possible through action plans and the articulation of participatory and multisectoral platforms. Promote the association and organization of women producers, from an intercultural perspective. Introduce clear measures so that women have better access to financing, technology, information, and training.

#2 For Action Track 2 it was concluded that the following were the key solutions: Change in consumption patterns Make visible the ancestral knowledge and knowledge of rural, indigenous, and Afro-descendant women on food and agrobiodiversity. Promote the participation of consumer organizations to strengthen education and access to information on healthy eating.

#1 For Action Track 1 it was concluded that the following were the key solutions: Access to safe and nutritious food Incorporate the gender approach in regulations, policies, and productive and food security programs. Promote community education initiatives in nutritional matters, with cultural relevance and co- responsibility between women and men. Strengthen specific institutions such as women's ministries and policies for the promotion of production for women.

The main finding of the Regional Dialogue was the need to work with gender transformative, intersectional and intersectoral approach, in all sectors. In this way, it was agreed that to achieve food and nutrition security and to contribute to the sustainable development it is fundamental to pay attention to women’s rights (SDG 5).

The transformation of food systems is a political, economic and environmental issue, but above all it is a question of gender equality. The stark inequalities experienced by women and girls are both a cause and a result of unsustainable food systems, unfair access to food, consumption and production. Addressing gender injustice and truly empowering women is not only a fundamental prerequisite for transforming food systems, but also a goal in itself. Shaping food systems so that they are conducive to gender equality requires a combination of improved knowledge, sound policies, regulations and i... قراءة المزيدnvestments throughout the production and consumption process. We need to reframe how we view women and food systems from mainly focusing on the role of women as producers and consumers to thinking about how food and agricultural systems contribute or can contribute to the process of empowering women and how these systems can create an environment conducive to the equal exercise of women's rights. There is also need for a special attention on climate change, urging us to observe “how women's responses to climate change strengthen the resilience of food systems” and “how women can be empowered to lead the development of climate-resilient food and agriculture systems”. A fair, transformative and gender equitable food system can be defined as one that allows countries, communities, households, and men and women, to have what is necessary to produce enough food and have the access to it, for their families and populations through sustainable, environmentally sound and climate resilient practices that favour gender equity and equality. As part of the preparations for the Food Systems Summit, we proposed a regional gender dialogue to engage with governments and the regional integration mechanisms, civil society organizations, indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples, academia, the private sector and agencies of the United Nations System, to discuss the challenges and pathways for the development of a gender just, transformative and equitable food system that allows the full exercise of the rights and empowerment of women in Latin America and the Caribbean. Specifically, the regional dialogue on gender and food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean has identified: (i) a set of solutions and commitments for gender equality in food systems (ii) a regional position on what commitments are needed to achieve gender equality in food systems for the UN Food Systems Summit. The discussions were organized into 5 working groups on each of the action tracks of the Food Systems Summit. Also, there was a sixth English-speaking working group, which worked the 5 action tracks. Attendees were invited to register and select the action track in which they wish to participate. Each group has identified 3 concrete actions/solutions in favor of gender equality and the empowerment of women in the food systems of the region. Each working group had a moderator and a note taker. At the end of the discussion, the three game changing solutions of each group were presented in the screen for general comments. قراءة القليل

On the day the dialogue was to be convened, we noticed a gender disparity caused by tradition and culture in the coastal communities on arrival. The dialogue date coincided with the community fishing day; they are in their fishing season. All the men and youth were out in the thick forests leaving only the women at home. This calls for advocacy, awareness creation and sensitization on gender equality and inclusion of the indigenous women for a sustainable food system. In the course of the dialogue, the participants complained that prior before now, the perennial flooding that occur in their co... قراءة المزيدastal communities usually happens around August till October every year. But in this year 2021, it rained for three consecutive days non-stop between 10th and 12th of April and all their cultivated farmlands were washed away by floods. When this kind of thing happens, they don’t get any form of help or intervention from anywhere, majority of the farmers cannot afford to buy seeds and other farm inputs to replant or cultivate back their farms, causing greater danger to food insecurity and on their livelihoods. We took the remaining part of the discussions to the fishermen where they are carrying out their activities and captured them in pictures as shared in the official feedback form. قراءة القليل