Agroecological innovation and inclusive governance of agri-food systems

Current food systems are unable to meet the needs of millions of people who suffer from hunger, micronutrient deficiencies or diet-related chronic diseases and are highly vulnerable to environmental stressors. These conditions disproportionately affect the poor, notably women, girls and Indigenous peoples.
This project, implemented in Bolivia, Guatemala and Mexico, aims to promote inclusive governance of agri-food systems where small-scale farmers — mainly Indigenous, women, youth and vulnerable groups – lead the transformation of food systems by identifying and adopting social, technological and institutional innovations. Action-research tools will seek to identify conditions and territorial dynamics that enable and limit the inclusive, sustainable and healthy transformation of agri-food systems.
Social and institutional innovations will be guided by action plans designed and promoted by women, youth and Indigenous groups. The action plans will be implemented in coordination with an array of public and private actors that participate in multi-stakeholder territorial committees. To broaden the impact of the project, an information service jointly led by these groups will share knowledge on healthy diets, agroecological practices and enhancing resilience to climate change. The project seeks to work within ongoing territorial processes, advancing Indigenous and new practices and initiatives that can make food systems more inclusive, resilient and healthy.
This project is part of a cohort of seven projects supported under IDRC’s Transforming Food Systems Initiative in the regions of Central and South America and the Middle East and North Africa. This initiative aims to foster transformation toward equitable, sustainable and diverse food systems that build the resilience of communities vulnerable to climate change, pandemics and other critical pressures and shocks by understanding mechanisms through which equity-seeking groups can benefit from and drive the change process, both at the local level and at scale.