The Canadian Cattle Association’s Trade Policy Officer, Daniela Lombardo, and Environment and Climate Change Coordinator, Mitchell Zoratti, attended the first ever Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation (GC-SLT), held from September 25-27 in Rome, Italy.
In the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ (FAO’s) 70-year history, this is the first livestock specific conference they have hosted.
The event represented a neutral forum for representatives of FAO members, producer organizations, research and academic institutions, development agencies, civil society organizations, and private sector bodies to engage in dialogues on innovations and pathways to efficiently produce more nutritious, safe and accessible animal source foods with a reduced environmental footprint, and contribute to vibrant local and diversified livestock systems that are more resilient to shocks and disruptions.
Among the representatives, there was a general consensus that livestock, livestock systems, and livestock-derived foods are essential to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and contributing to better production, better nutrition, better environment, and better life. There is a willingness and urgency among parties to have these contributions recognized at the international level.
And while the conference did not lead to an official negotiated document, there were several calls to issue declarations and letters to share positive livestock narratives at the United Nations Climate Change Conference -- COP28.
Happening in parallel to the FAO GC-SLT, was the Global Youth Dialogue on Sustainable Livestock Transformation (GYD-SLT), in which both Daniela and Mitchell were selected to participate in. The dialogue, co-created by youth, for youth, brought together people from around the world aged 21-35 from all areas of livestock production, research and policy. Representatives discussed key priorities and challenges for youth in the livestock sector and identified innovative and actionable solutions for sustainable livestock transformation.
Challenges for youth globally include access to funding, the rising cost of land, climate change impacts, age, succession, and more. The idea of Livestock Price Insurance was supported by many representatives globally to ensure the long-term sustainability of the livestock sector and as method for young producers -- who do not have equity built up to access loans -- to proactively manage the price risk of volatile markets.
Opportunities like CCA’s Canadian Cattle Young Leaders Mentorship Program, and Canadian Cattle Youth Council were shared up as exemplary models of youth engagement and support programs. In addition, films like Guardians of the Grasslands, and social media channels such as Raising Canadian Beef, were shared as impactful methods to raise awareness of sustainable livestock production.
The result of the three-day Youth Dialogue was the development of a Global Youth Statement on Sustainable Livestock Transformation, which among other recommendations, recognizes the positive contribution of livestock production systems to ecosystem services and the environment; calls for policies and investments to improve the financial sustainability of all livestock farmers and systems, particularly youth; and urges meaningful engagement of the next generation in cross-sector/multi-stakeholder partnerships to ensure full and effective participation of the next generation in decision-making. CCA’s involvement in these discussions helped ensure the acknowledgement of how raising beef cattle in Canada is part of the climate change solution.
To read the Global Youth Statement on Sustainable Livestock Transformation, click the link HERE.
CCA is appreciative of the opportunity to attend such a landmark event and to share the sustainability story of Canadian beef. The FAO GC-SLT was a momentous gathering, which will catalyze meaningful discussion of livestock and food systems at the upcoming World Food Forum (WFF), the 13th Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock Multi-Stakeholder Partnership (GASL MSP) meeting, COP28, and in future events. The world needs more Canadian beef, not less.
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