CGIAR Initiative on Low-Emission Food Systems (Mitigate+) supports the International Forum of Low-emission Agrifood Systems launched in Beijing

By Ziqian Song

On July 4, 2023, the launch meeting of the International Forum of Low-emission Agrifood Systems (IFLEAS), jointly initiated by China Agricultural University, the CGIAR Research Initiative on Low-Emission Food Systems (Mitigate+), and the Beijing Representative Office, was held in Beijing.  Xin Xian, vice president of China Agricultural University; Qian Keming, research fellow of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and former vice minister of commerce; Qin Hu, vice president and chief representative of the Beijing Office of EDF, delivered the opening speeches.

The launch meeting was hosted by Kevin Chen, Qiu Shi Chair professor at Zhejiang University, senior research fellow of the International Food Policy Research Institute, and China lead of  Mitigate+. Louis Verchot, principal scientist of the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture and lead of Mitigate+, is a member of the Academic Committee of IFLEAS.

Wei Zhang, senior research fellow of the International Food Policy Research Institute and co-lead of CGIAR Mitigate+, introduced the innovative approaches of CGIAR to supporting science-based low-emission food system transformation. She stressed the critical role of co-developed socio-technical innovations in mitigation and sustainable development and the need to adopt a systems approach to food systems transformation.

Zhang also highlighted the core work of the CGIAR Mitigate+ Initiative, which includes transformation strategy development and planning, closing evidence and data gaps to improve food system GHG emission monitoring and UNFCCC national communications, supporting the co-development and advancement of low-emission food system innovations through the “Living Labs for People” in selected jurisdictions, promoting innovations for achieving multi-dimensional development goals, scaling low-emission, climate-resilient solutions, and enhancing knowledge dissemination and learning and contributing to global agenda setting on low-emission food system development.

IFLEAS will hold seminars on low-carbon food system transformation, assist collaboration on the research, help implement surveys and build a database on low-carbon food system transformation, and publish China and Global Food Policy Report every year. It partners with universities, research institutes and other organizations, including China Agricultural University, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Renmin University of China, Zhejiang University, Wageningen University and Research, the International Food Policy Research Institute, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, the World Economic Forum, the World Resources Institute, and the Environmental Defense Fund.

See more information on the CGIAR Initiative on Low-Emission Food Systems.

Photo credit: Kevin Chen, Qiu Shi Chair professor at Zhejiang University, senior research fellow of the International Food Policy Research Institute, and China lead of  Mitigate+, hosts the meeting launching the International Forum of Low-emission Agrifood Systems / Ziqian Song / IFPRI-Beijing