Why Supporting Food Systems and Protecting Biodiversity Need to Go Hand in Hand

The document examines the conflict between current global food systems and biodiversity, noting that while food systems depend on natural capital, they are the primary drivers of biodiversity loss. It highlights that USD 700 billion in annual government agricultural support often incentivizes harmful practices like the overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. To address this, the author analyzes three national case studies: the UK's transition to paying for 'environmental public goods', India's support for organic 'clusters' to improve soil health, and Brazil's ABC+ plan for climate adaptation and low-carbon agriculture. The paper concludes that achieving the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework's Target 18 requires better practical guidance for policymakers and greater coherence between international frameworks, including the WTO, the Paris Agreement, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

• Global food systems are the primary cause of biodiversity loss, threatening 86% of at-risk species and contributing to approximately 70% of projected terrestrial biodiversity loss.
• Governments provide USD 700 billion in annual domestic agricultural support that often incentivizes environmentally damaging practices, with public support projected to rise to USD 1.8 trillion by 2030.
• The United Kingdom is transitioning from acreage-based direct payments to the Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELM), which will exclusively target environmental and animal welfare outcomes by 2028.
• India's Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), launched in 2015, provides up to USD 612/ha over 3 years to promote organic agriculture and reduce dependency on chemical fertilizers, aiming to convert 14 million ha by 2025.
• Brazil's ABC+ plan (2020-2030) focuses on increasing agricultural productivity sustainably through integrated landscape management, conservationist policies like intercropping, and sustainable production systems such as agroforestry.
• There is a critical need for greater coherence between international governance frameworks, specifically suggesting that World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations on agricultural support could help eliminate incentives harmful to biodiversity.

APA

Calvo,, C. M. (2023). Why Supporting Food Systems and Protecting Biodiversity Need to Go Hand in Hand. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/why-supporting-food-systems-and-protecting-biodiversity-need-go-hand-hand

Chicago

Calvo,, Claire McConnell,Facundo. Why Supporting Food Systems and Protecting Biodiversity Need to Go Hand in Hand. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2023. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/why-supporting-food-systems-and-protecting-biodiversity-need-go-hand-hand.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Calvo, |first1=Claire McConnell,Facundo |title=Why Supporting Food Systems and Protecting Biodiversity Need to Go Hand in Hand |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=6 November 2023 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/why-supporting-food-systems-and-protecting-biodiversity-need-go-hand-hand |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{calvo2023why, author = {Calvo,, Claire McConnell,Facundo}, title = {{Why Supporting Food Systems and Protecting Biodiversity Need to Go Hand in Hand}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/why-supporting-food-systems-and-protecting-biodiversity-need-go-hand-hand}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }