Global food systems face converging crises: climate change, land degradation, biodiversity loss, and rising inequality. The RAA, launched at UNCCD COP16, calls for coordinated, cross-sectoral action to deliver integrated outcomes for land, nature, climate, and food systems. Agroecology and soil health emerge as strategic levers to respond to these challenges from the ground up.
Transforming food systems through agroecology and soil health can halt and reverse land degradation, strengthen drought resilience, regenerate ecosystems, and deliver co-benefits for climate action, biodiversity conservation, food security, nutrition, and resilient livelihoods—contributing directly to the SDGs. These challenges are especially acute in drylands and rangelands, where soil degradation and desertification disproportionately impact pastoralist communities and smallholder producers.
Despite growing global recognition, these approaches remain underrepresented in national food systems pathways, investment frameworks, and accountability mechanisms. A persistent gap remains between global ambition and grounded implementation. Food systems actors have shown how evidence, innovation, inclusive implementation, and policy coherence can accelerate the adoption and scaling of regenerative and equitable food systems approaches.
Session Objectives
Strengthen coordination across sectors and align national efforts on NDCs, NBSAPs, LDN targets, and food systems pathways.
Identify mechanisms for scaling investment and multi-stakeholder implementation through agroecology and soil health.
Explore how the Riyadh Action Agenda can support national food systems transformation through integrated, outcome-based approaches.
Expected Outcomes
The session will highlight the potential of agroecology and soil health as cross-cutting enablers of climate, biodiversity, land, and food systems goals. It will showcase country experiences and inclusive approaches to strengthen policy coherence, scale implementation, and support investment in integrated solutions. Discussions will build on a joint outcome-based policy brief and inform a youth-led statement, outlining priorities and practical entry points to advance transformation through the Riyadh Action Agenda. The session will foster cross-sector collaboration and shared commitment toward UNCCD COP17 and beyond.
Speakers
Moderators
Dr. Leigh Winowiecki, Soil and Land Health Research Lead, CIFOR-ICRAF, Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH)
Mahathi Aguvaveedi, Steering Committee, UNCCD Youth Caucus
Panellists
Mongolia UNCCD Presidency
Saudi Arabia UNCCD Presidency
Oliver Oliveros, Executive Coordinator, Agroecology Coalition
Nancy Rapando, Global Lead African Food Future, WWF International
Fiona Flintan, Senior Scientist, International Livestock Research Institute
Gonzalo Muñoz Abogabir, Co-Founder, Ambition Loop
Nicolás Domke Venegas, Youth Representative, SENA Group UN Food, Systems Coordination Hub, Coordinator General, Chilean Youth Biodiversity Network
Emeline Fellus, Senior Director, Agriculture & Food Pathway, World Business Council for Sustainable Development