To address the food system’s significant contribution and vulnerability to climate change, agriculture must move away from intensive and industrialised approaches towards food systems based on agroecology and less and better meat. A just transition approach is needed to enable this transformation.
This briefing is ActionAid’s contribution to emerging conversations, to identify key “Principles for a Just Transition in Agriculture.”
We find that a just transition must address- and not exacerbate - inequalities in the food system. The transition must be done in a way that works for farmers, farmworkers, processors and marginalised communities; and must provide them with the support, safety nets and social protection required to make these shifts.
Governments must act as midwives for just transitions in food and agriculture. The term “just transition” does not only define WHAT the new system will look like, but it also defines HOW that transformation is carried out. Processes must be genuinely inclusive and participatory, giving farmers, workers, women, communities and those that are usually marginalised, a seat at the table and opportunities to shape their own future. Comprehensive policy frameworks must provide joined-up solutions, social protection and positive opportunities for a better food system that works for farmers and the climate.
In this way, many communities who might otherwise resist climate action can become powerful advocates for change. To address the food system’s significant contribution and vulnerability to climate change, agriculture must move away from intensive and industrialised approaches towards food systems based on agroecology and less and better meat. A just transition approach is needed to enable this transformation.