Written by Jessica Morgan
"The Global Landscapes Forum is a platform where we can interact with different stakeholders and also learn about the way they see this movement," said Juan De Mattos, IFAD’s Regional Climate and Environment Specialist for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Today is the first day of the 2014 Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) which takes place over the weekend outside the main UN climate summit agenda here in Lima, Peru.
It explores the role of sustainable landscapes in the new climate and development agenda. Topics such as agriculture in a new climate regime, land use, climate resilience, vulnerability and climate-smart agriculture are major topics for the GLF.
IFAD is very interested in the issues being raised and the different stakeholders participating at this event. Representing IFAD at the GLF were Estibalitz Dimas Morras and Juan De Dios Mattos:
Q: Why is the GLF an important event for IFAD?
JDM:I think it's important for IFAD to participate because lots of grass roots organisations, communities, indigenous groups, producers and local NGOs are all taking part. It's kind of a different angle for the climate conversation and negotiations than we have at COP20. Here is a platform where we can interact with different stakeholders and also learn about the way they see this movement. I guess we can learn more about what has been going on in different parts of the world. This event is important for us because we need to know and differentiate different players and groups and target our projects and research towards the right people.
Q: So what is IFAD actively doing at this event?
JDM:We want to share our knowledge and projects with other agencies. At this event we are going to distribute our materials, with a focus on IFAD's Adaptation for smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP. We will explain to participants what our goals are and the growing needs of smallholder farmers for climate change adaptation. There's a lot going on here for IFAD.
Q: Building from Juan's answer, what do you think IFAD can share at this event?
EDM:I think this event can give us a space to connect with participants of many different communities and local and regional governments. What IFAD can share is its ASAP programme and its knowledge for smallholder farmers adaptation strategies. There are many organisations here that are working at a community level so I think the ASAP programmes will have a lot of relevance for them.
Q: So what can IFAD take from this event back to Rome?
JDM: Contacts and relationships built at this event. I think we can take these back to Rome and continue working with them. It's difficult of course to see and forecast how it's going to work out in the future, but I think we're closer to relationships with more local NGOs and grassroots organisations. As we continue working with small farmers and climate change adaptation it is essential to have good partners and this Forum and ones like it can help us identify them.
COP20 runs until 12 December in Lima, Peru. IFAD is working throughout the conference. Keep up to date with our Twitter and read more about IFAD’s events taking place at COP20 in Lima.