GACSA Annual Forum: IAFN Chair Michael Keller Speaks, Along with Several Other Speakers from the Network

Michael Keller, Chair of the Agri-Food Networks (IAFN), highlighted the importance of inclusiveness in CSA. He stressed the importance of bringing innovation and best practices to farmers and ensuring space to share their practices with researchers, policymakers and themselves. He also pointed out that public funding in agriculture research is reducing while private sector innovation is heavily increasing (two-fold since 2000). He stressed the need to work with the private sector to increase innovation where it is most needed, in vulnerable countries. The inclusion of agriculture at COP (Conference of theParties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC) discussions proves that agriculture is now seen as a solution to climate adaptation and resilience, rather than solely a problem, and must continue to ramp up the engagement and recognition of CSA moving forward.