CFS Policy Convergence Products Database

Governments and other appropriate stakeholders are encouraged to review biofuels policies - where applicable and if necessary - according to balanced science-based assessments of the opportunities and risks they may present for food security, and so that biofuels can be produced according to the three pillars of sustainable development.

FAO is invited to inform CFS of the progress made in building capacities in member states with respect to biofuel policies in coherence with food security and initiatives on biofuel policies at multiple levels. This would be based on existing works and material e.g. the GBEP sustainable bioenergy indicators, the FAO BEFS Approach; as well as the VGGT, which governments and all stakeholders are encouraged to promote, make use of and to support their implementation.

FAO, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and in consultation with member states as appropriate, is invited to propose a programme of work aimed at strengthening the capacity of interested countries and operators to assess their situation with regards to biofuels, taking into account food security concerns at global, regional and national levels, legitimate land tenure rights, to manage the related risks and opportunities, and to monitor impacts. This could take advantage of the GBEP capacity building programme.

Food security, smallholder and gender concerns should be integrated as appropriate in the design, monitoring and evaluation of R&D on biofuels. R&D is important in improving the efficiency of biofuels regarding both resources and processes, and in exploring new technologies including biofuels of the second and third generations. Research partners are encouraged to devise solutions adapted to the needs of all stakeholders, especially those in least-developed countries and of women and smallholders who are most in need of access to modern energy services.

International cooperation (including south-south cooperation), and public sector, and public-private partnerships have an important role to play in supporting these research topics. It is important to ensure that lessons learned from these partnerships are reflected in future cooperation.

R&D, as appropriate, should strengthen capabilities to adapt biofuel production and processing units so that they can modulate their supply chain between food, feed and energy.

Stakeholders are encouraged to support more energy and other resource use efficiency, increased use of sources of renewable energy and improved access to sustainable energy services, including among others in agri-food chains, according to each country's specificities.

Governments and operators should support the participation of farmers, in particular smallholders and women, in food-energy security programmes (including on biofuel production and consumption), as appropriate on the basis of fair and equitable conditions.

integrate climate change concerns in food security policies and programmes and to increase resilience of vulnerable groups and food systems to climate change, emphasizing adaptation to climate change as a major concern and objective for all farmers and food producers, especially small-scale producers, including through:

increase public and private investment and international cooperation for enhancing food security in the face of climate change threats, in particular for adaptation to the adverse effects of climate change, sustainable use of natural resources, water management and soil conservation;

develop national and local capacities to deal with food security-related climate change challenges, including improving extension services, and making available and accessible, weather and climate forecasting and risk management tools, in support of farmers' and small-scale food producers' networks and organizations (Member States, International Organizations)

conduct assessments of risks, vulnerability and capacities, giving due consideration to gender and nutrition-sensitive perspectives, and improving and implementing early warning systems, especially in a coordinated manner (Member States, International Organizations)

develop integrated land-use policies for food security and adaptation to climate change and, where appropriate, contributing to climate change mitigation considering the 'Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security' in accordance with nationally defined priorities; (Member States);

integrate climate change adaptation and disaster risk management in food security policies and programmes (Member States, International Organizations)

implement relevant initiatives, such as for example FAO-Adapt, as appropriate, to strengthen support to countries' efforts toward climate change adaptation (International Organizations).

to create conditions to facilitate access to genetic resources for food and agriculture and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from their use for example by:

FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture to continue and strengthen its work on climate change and genetic resources including conservation and use of genetic resources for adaptation to climate change (Member States);

develop agricultural strategies that take into account: the need to respond to climate change and to safeguard food security; the diversity of agricultural conditions and systems; and the countries' and regions' specific levels of development, needs, contexts and priorities

take into account gender-sensitive and participatory approaches that enable both men and women to gain equitable access to land use, information, and resources when addressing food security in the context of climate change

encourage farmers in adopting good practices, including, inter alia, farming and grazing practices to prevent land degradation and loss of soil carbon, increasing the efficiency of nitrogen use, improving livestock productivity and the use of manure, improving water management, and increasing the use of agro-forestry