Description

Achieving food security and improved nutrition for all depends on biodiversity and ecosystem services as the basis of sustainable production across the agriculture, forestry, aquaculture and fisheries sectors. However, despite efforts spanning several decades, biodiversity continues to be eroded. Recent global assessments confirm that biodiversity and ecosystem services are declining at an unprecedented rate, and the pressures driving the decline are intensifying.

In response to these challenges and recognising the central importance of biodiversity in the transition to sustainable agri-food systems, FAO’s Members have endorsed a Strategy for Mainstreaming Biodiversity across Agriculture Sectors and a 2021-23 Action Plan for its implementation. The Strategy and Action Plan aim to support Member countries to reduce the impacts of agricultural practices on biodiversity, to promote sustainable agricultural practices, and to conserve, enhance, preserve and restore biodiversity.

This project contributes to the first key outcome of the Strategy and Action Plan – to provide support to Members, at their request, to enhance their capacity to mainstream biodiversity. Specifically, the project supports the first phase of development of a Blended Learning Programme on Mainstreaming Biodiversity across Agriculture Sectors. The learning programme focuses on building capacity at country level to integrate biodiversity at each stage of the policy cycle.

The first phase of development, which is covered by this project, includes the full development and publication of part 1 of the blended learning programme (the e-learning component), and additional deliverables that are required for the planning and initial development of the learning programme as a whole (the design of the framework structure and learning pathway, and draft guidance material).