Independent Dialogue
Geographical focus:
Nigeria, No borders
Major focus
Our Dialogue focused on identification of ways to reduce the risk of food production caused by climate crisis and the engagement of indigenous people’s knowledge and empowerment of marginalized and vulnerable people to create a sustainable food system. Indigenous people and smallholder farmers understand the environmental, climate, social, economic, and health impacts of our complex food systems. Participants suggested that to reduce the risk of food production caused by climate crisis, we need to diversify and sustain production strategies that is customized to our geolocations, cultures an
... Read mored different variety of crops. In shaping the transformation of food systems, indigenous peoples and smallholder farmers are to be given a place at the table with other key stakeholders to scale up their indigenous knowledge as recommendations are being developed and implemented. On the conservation of our food heritage: Challenges posed by the extinction of our various food varieties and the way forward and challenges to food systems sustainability caused by the impact of climate change on our environment in the coastal communities. The participants robustly discussed on the conservation of food heritage and ensuring food security for ecologically vulnerable and socially marginalized coastal communities of indigenous farmers and fishermen, concluded as follows: i) Customize technology innovations and solutions to fit into indigenous farmers geography and climate as a strategy for boosting nature positive production. ii) Also, detection of warnings and early or late planting of different crops to mitigate against floods, droughts and other threats/natural disasters building resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks and threats. While exploring indigenous people and small-scale fishermen knowledge and ideas in ensuring the long-term viability of our fish stocks and aquatics for sustainable food systems and indigenous people’s knowledge on sustainable management of our forests to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of our territorial ecosystems. Participants acknowledged that provision of irrigation facilities and small dams using our water-bodies littered all over the place to increase production capacity of smallholder farmers for food security will create a sustainable food system. Discussing the exploration of indigenous people’s knowledge, skills and experiences to halt biodiversity loss and create abundance of food varieties, it was noted that equipping the indigenous people with the technical know-how to increase productivity both in crop production and fishing in wild rivers and provision of quality and improved seed varieties on our alluvial soils to increase crop yields is of utmost importance to ensure access to safe and nutritious food for all. Provision of storage facilities and value-addition through processing to encourage the availability and affordability of food all year round; post-harvest handling and management to curb food loss, glut and wastage will also create a tremendous shift to sustainable consumption patterns. Provision of access roads to farm locations for easy off-take of produce to where they are needed was also mentioned. Access to finance and other project interventions by indigenous people in the disadvantaged and underserved communities. Women and youth participants also clamored to be engaged not only as producers but also as food processors; provision of localized support for them on access to funding and digital financial inclusion for processing and marketing will promote equitable livelihoods. Read less
Action Track(s): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Keywords: Data & Evidence, Environment and Climate, Finance, Innovation, Policy, Women & Youth Empowerment