UN DPI/NGO Conference
September 5, 2007
New York
As a NGO with special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Shumei sponsored its first workshop at the 60th Annual DPI/NGO Conference, which took place at UN Headquarters in New York from 5 to 7 September 2007. More than 2,000 representatives of NGOs from over 80 countries attended the 3-day event. The conference focused on addressing the threat posed by climate change and inspiring participants to take action to mitigate – and in some cases – reverse the effects of this environmental crisis.
Shumei’s workshop “Exploring Organic Solutions to Climate Change and Food Security” was held on the opening day of the conference. It was moderated by Patrick Holden, Director of the Soil Association, a leading organic certification organization in the United Kingdom. With changing weather patterns, rising temperatures, drought, and flooding and other factors threatening food security, the workshop highlighted the role of sustainable agriculture in feeding a growing population while mitigating climate change and the depletion of our natural resources. Setting the stage for this discussion was the acknowledgement that agriculture produces approximately 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The view among most development institutions is that modern agri-business – based on high fossil fuel input – is the only way to feed a burgeoning global population, yet this will perpetuate agriculture’s negative contribution to climate change.
Professor Richard Heinberg, a senior fellow from the Post Carbon Institute in California, presented the current pattern of peak oil and recommended moving away from large-scale farms that are highly dependent on fossil fuels to smaller, local farms that use a more natural approach to agriculture. Alice Cunningham, Shumei’s director of International Affairs from Japan, introduced the principles of Natural Agriculture, an approach to farming based on an overriding respect for nature. This means working in harmony with nature and the natural growing process. Barbara Hachipuka, the director of the Mbabala Women Farmers’ Cooperative Union from Zambia then provided a practical example of how this approach was being implemented to help poor rural farmers in Africa feed their families and generate income. Natural Agriculture encouraged not only the use of natural, more weather resistant native seeds, but it also enabled them to grow crops without expensive or harmful chemicals or fertilizers thus reducing their impact on the environment. Their local knowledge of the land was revived and reapplied alongside environmentally sustainable practices, such as reforestation, water harvesting and the use of cover crops.
For the full report, link to pdf of DPI Workshop 2007.
The 16th Commission on Sustainable Development
May 5-16, 2008
Shumei representatives attended the 16th Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from May 5-16, 2008. CSD-16 was a review session focused on agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification, and Africa to explore long-term solutions for issues such as sustainable agriculture and rural poverty. This was an especially important CSD for Shumei because of the Natural Agriculture activities in the developing world.
Civil Society Forum on the Global Food Crisis http://esa.un.org/coordination/ngo/new/index.asp?page=food
May 16, 2008
The NGO section of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) organized an emergency civil society forum on the world food crisis on May 16th followed by special meetings of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSCO). The Forum provided a global perspective of the food crisis bringing together experts from civil society organizations to debate on the issue. Participants included, Tracey Draper, Executive Director of Pro-Natura International (Nigeria), Ms. Asma Lateef, Director of Bread for the World Institute, Mr. Alan Imai, Co-Director of Shumei, Mr. Vicente Garcia-Delgado, Esq at Civicus, Bill Freese and Science Policy Analyst at Center for Food Safety. Mr. Bruce White, Strategic Food Aid Advisor for Catholic Relief Services moderated the discussion and Mr. Nikhil Seth, Director of the Office of ECOSOC Support and Coordination gave the closing remarks. Shumei presented specifically on an integrated Natural Agriculture approach to the current food crisis that involved hunger and poverty eradication strategies. The recommendations from the panel, which included short to long-term solutions ranged from increased agricultural education to rural infrastructure, were presented at the Special Meeting of the Economic and Social Council on the Global Food Crisis.
Links:
Civil Society Forum on the Global Food Crisis: Outcome Document
Statement of the President of Economic and Social Council on the occasion of the Special Meeting of the Council on the Global Food Crisis on May 20th, 2008
Program of the Special Meeting of the Economic and Social Council on the Global Food Crisis
ECOSOC High Level Segment:
“Promoting an integral approach to rural development in developing countries for poverty eradication and sustainable, taking into account current challenges”
June 30 – July 3, 2008
On June 30, 2008, the ECOSOC High Level Segment opening session on achieving sustainable development began with remarks by H.E Mr. Leo Merores, President of Economic and Social Council followed by a statement by H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary-General delivered by Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General. A keynote address was given by Mr. Rajendark Pachauri, Chairman of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) based on the IPCC’s 4th Assessment Report, which provided a clear conclusion by scientists that based on data and scientific evidence, global warming is “unequivocal” and caused by human activities. The second speaker, Lord Nicholas Stern, urged government representatives to take immediate action. He presented the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change emphasizing the reports conclusion that “the benefits of strong and early action far outweigh the economic costs of not acting.”
The 2008 ECOSOC High-Level Segment continued with several events in the proceeding days, including a development cooperation forum, an annual ministerial review, thematic discussions, and an innovation fair. Shumei’s co-director of International Natural Agriculture programs participated in the Ministerial Roundtable Breakfast, co-chaired by H.E. Frank Trumpale Mwenifumbo, Deputy-Minister of Agriculture and Food Security of the Republic of Malawi and Mr. Themba Masuku, Director of the FAO Liaison Office in New York. Several senior representatives from Japan, Haiti, Iceland, France, Poland, Lima, Niger, Sudan, Cape Verde, and Malawi attended along with the heads of UND P regional bureaus, representatives from UN agencies FAO, DESA, UNEP and UNIFEM. Shumei was among only two other civil society/private sector organizations at the meeting and shared its experience working with Zambian farmers to find local solutions to their problems while applying the principles of Natural Agriculture.
The Zambia Natural Agriculture project was also showcased at the Innovation Fair. Only 14 non-governmental organizations were selected to showcase their projects at the fair and on the UN IRENE website during the High Level Segment. The Innovation Fair was organized to present the most innovative, best practices among a wide range of sustainable development activities on “Implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to sustainable development.” Many people visited the Fair and were able to earn about Shumei’s Natural Agriculture activities in Africa and other parts of the world.