Himalayan Agroecology Initiative represented at GIZ’s Indo-German Partners for Change (P4C) Conference

Between 9 - 10 September, the Indo-German Partners for Change (P4C) Conference organised by GIZ India, titled "Contributing to Viksit Bharat 2047: Indo-German Pathways Towards Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems", took place at the National Agriculture Science Complex in New Delhi.

Focusing on Indo-German Contributions to India's vision for Viksit Bharat 2047, the event brought together key bilateral partners, policymakers, civil society leaders and private sector innovators. The two-day programme featured plenary sessions, keynote speeches, thematic breakout sessions and stage pitches.

What is Viksit Bharat?

The Himalayan Agroecology Initiative (HAI), coordinated by World Future Council and IFOAM-Organics International, was featured during the stage pitch on Day 1 of the conference. In a 40-minute session, Madhur Gandhi, Project Coordinator of HAI, outlined the need to shift away from the top-down, agriculturally centric model towards a holistic food systems approach.

He emphasised the importance of adopting multi-sectoral, participatory, and systems-based processes that prioritise nutrition security, livelihoods and functional ecosystems. Gandhi presented HAI as a strategic initiative that empowers local stakeholders through capacity building and the co-creation of roadmaps to influence policy and public schemes in support of agroecological food systems

One of the key highlights of his presentation was the ongoing development of an Indian Himalayan Roadmap, a tool that can pave the way for the widespread adoption of sustainable and inclusive practices across the region. Successful implementation of the roadmap could strengthen governance, coordination and landscape approaches, considerably increase investment in direct producer-consumer relations, territorial markets and short supply chains, which would in turn enhance producers' livelihoods, restore agroecosystems, foster local economies, empower women and decrease youth outmigration. Gandhi positioned the roadmap as a direct contribution to the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, as it fosters the importance of pursuing holistic development, and of measuring ecological and social outcomes at the same level as economic ones to secure the livelihood of producers, local food sovereignty and economies, as well as restore vital ecosystem services such as soil, water, air, biodiversity and climate.

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