Agroecology & Local Food Markets: A Climate Solution

Co-hosted by Agroecology Fund, Grassroots International, Thousand Currents, American Jewish World Service, 11th Hour Project, Hopper-Dean Family Foundation, McKnight Foundation, and WhyHunger.

• 3:30 to 5:00pm, reception to follow from 5:00 to 6:00pm
• Midtown Manhattan

Speakers:

• Anna Lappé, Executive Director, Global Alliance for the Future of Food
• Landless Workers Movement (MST) Brazil
• Mamadou Goita from Mali, member of the IPES-Food panel, and Executive Director of the Institute for Research and Promotion of Alternatives in Development (IRPAD)
• Qiana Mickie, Executive Director, NYC Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture

Conventional food systems and the global markets built around them are wreaking havoc on our climate. It’s not only the dependence on fossil fuel pesticide and fertilizer inputs, but the enormous greenhouse gas emissions caused by global food supply chains and market operations. The current wars in Eurasia further demonstrates the fragility of these food systems – food, fuel and fertilizer price hikes and shortages are leading to rising costs, creating impossible choices for communities and threatening food production around the world. It’s a trainwreck for the environment, food production, nutrition, and local economies.

The event will explore the crucial role that local and territorial agroecological food markets play as a key solution to addressing the global climate and food insecurity crises. Agroecological food markets, in contrast to global supply chains that are concentrated within a few corporations, favor food sovereignty and the rights of farmers to dignified livelihoods and the rights of consumers to healthy foods.

The discussion will explore how innovation and investment in agroecological market development, both locally and in the Global South, is an important lever for catalyzing local economic development and regenerative economies in ways that strengthen community wellbeing and climate resilience. Much of this work is done in close coordination with forward-thinking municipal and local governments. Speakers will include high-level researchers and policy experts on agroecological territorial food market development, as well as local leaders from New York City, Mali, and Brazil sharing insights from their on-the-ground experience of the impact and potential to scale local, territorial food markets.

The objective of the session is for participants to gain an understanding of the crucial link between local, territorial food markets and climate resilience. For donors, we will highlight concrete types of investments in agroecology and local food markets that mitigate the climate crisis.

A reception with light food and refreshments will be held after the event, from 5-6pm.

Please RSVP to confirm your interest in this event. Due to limited space, an RSVP does not guarantee admittance. We will follow up with more information closer to the event.