Himalayan Consultations Shape the Future of Sustainable Food Systems

In recent months, consultations across four Indian Himalayan states — Nagaland, Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh — were bringing together diverse stakeholders including government representatives, agriculture experts, academia, the private sector, and civil society. The discussions centered on how agroecology provides a comprehensive, multifaceted response to the region’s challenges and how to shape integrated policy frameworks addressing the interconnectedness of biodiversity, climate action, and socio-economic development. As part of the roadmap development process, these consultations offered critical insights into regional priorities, challenges and opportunities, and explored ways to promote agroecological practices and value chains that can benefit local communities.

The Himalayan region, with its unique ecosystems and traditional farming methods, serves as a living model of agroecology. The consultations also underscored the need for greater collaboration between India, Nepal and Bhutan to share lessons learned, particularly in the realm of policy. Such cooperation would considerably enhance respective actions to strengthen farming communities practicing resilient and sustainable agriculture, and accelerate the shift of others, reinforcing territorial markets and local food systems and supporting Himalayan economies, thus increasing food security and environmental sustainability in the region.

World Food Day 2024 is a powerful reminder that food systems must become sustainable and resilient to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. The Himalayan Agroecology Initiative is at the forefront of this transformation, with its efforts to develop agroecology roadmaps paving the way for a sustainable future in the Himalayas and beyond.