As Parties convene at COP17 for the first global review of progress towards the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), the focus has shifted from ambition and commitments towards implementation and measurable results. Emerging findings from the review process underscore the importance of mainstreaming biodiversity across sectors and highlight the critical role of collaborative approaches that bridge policy, science and practice to accelerate progress.
 

Food systems are among the most powerful yet underutilized levers for achieving the KMGBF. While current food systems are a major driver of biodiversity loss, they equally represent one of the greatest opportunities to halt and reverse this trend. They directly influence biodiversity outcomes and are central to the delivery of multiple KMGBF targets, while also shaping food security, livelihoods, ecosystem services, sustainable consumption patterns,  and climate resilience. Increasing evidence from around the world demonstrates that biodiversity-positive food systems approaches can generate benefits across these agendas simultaneously. The challenge is therefore no longer whether biodiversity-positive food systems approaches exist, but how to create the enabling conditions that allow them to accelerate and scale. Although many biodiversity-positive approaches are already being implemented around the world, scaling their adoption requires supportive policies, knowledge exchange, inclusive governance, long-term investment and, above all, effective partnerships that connect actors across sectors and scales.
 

Hosted by the Netherlands Food Partnership and partners from the Biodiversity & Food Systems Partnership, this session will explore how cross-sectoral food systems partnerships can help translate biodiversity commitments into practical action. The Biodiversity & Food Systems Partnership is a growing global community of more than 175 organizations working across government, research, civil society, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, farmer organizations, development organizations and the private sector to advance biodiversity-positive food systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
 

The relevance of such collaboration across sectors and scales is increasingly recognized within the KMGBF implementation process. The Biodiversity & Food Systems Partnership has been included as a potential case study in the draft Global Review of Collective Progress towards the KMGBF under Target 14, illustrating how multi-stakeholder collaboration can support the mainstreaming of biodiversity across food systems.

The session will build on two practical resources developed through the Partnership and that build on the findings of the IPBES Values, Nexus, Transformative Change and Business & Biodiversity Assessments. The Shared Messages on Biodiversity and Food Systems synthesize emerging common ground across disciplines and sectors on the key shifts needed to accelerate transformation, while the Food & Biodiversity in Action Use Case Bundle showcases practical examples of biodiversity-positive food systems approaches from different countries, sectors and scales. Together, these resources provide both a shared narrative and practical implementation experiences that can inform action under the KMGBF.
 

Through an interactive dialogue, speakers and participants will explore how partnerships can help shift mindsets, unlock opportunities and reshape power dynamics to accelerate biodiversity-positive food systems transformation. Drawing on real-world experiences, the discussion will examine how enabling policies, inclusive governance, knowledge exchange and long-term collaboration can support implementation across landscapes, value chains, national food systems and more.
 

Participants will identify practical pathways for accelerating KMGBF implementation through food systems, including opportunities for biodiversity mainstreaming, NBSAP implementation, partnership development and coordinated action. The dialogue will demonstrate how local initiatives, landscape approaches and food systems transformation can collectively contribute to achieving multiple KMGBF targets while strengthening food security, livelihoods and resilience.
 

By focusing on practical implementation, collaboration and solutions, the session aims to contribute to a broader shift in the biodiversity narrative, from recognizing challenges to mobilizing collective action that bends the curve from biodiversity loss towards biodiversity recovery. Participants will leave with practical implementation lessons, partnership opportunities and concrete ideas that can help advance both biodiversity conservation and resilient, sustainable food systems.

Expected Format (90 minutes)

The session will be organized as a high-level, interactive dialogue focused on accelerating implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework through food systems transformation. Bringing together policymakers, scientists, practitioners, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, farmers and private sector actors, the event will showcase how partnerships can translate biodiversity commitments into action on the ground.

The format is designed to align with the participatory and action-oriented nature of CBD COP side events, moving beyond presentations towards dialogue, knowledge exchange and identification of concrete pathways for implementation.

Indicative Program

1. Welcome and Scene Setting (5 min)

   • Moderator: Amanda Harding, Convene

   • Framing the session within COP17 priorities and the implementation of the KMGBF

   • Introduction of speakers and partners

2. Keynote Address: Biodiversity, Food Systems and the Future of Food (15 min)

   • Proposed keynote speaker: Dan Saladino, to be confirmed

   • An inspiring reflection on the importance of biodiversity for resilient and sustainable food systems and the need to move from communicating evidence towards enabling collective transformation pathways.

3. Multi-Stakeholder Panel Dialogue: Accelerating KMGBF Implementation Through Partnerships for Biodiversity-Positive Food Systems (35 min)

   • A moderated dialogue bringing together representatives from government, research organizations, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, farmer organizations, civil society, finance sector and the private sector.

   • Drawing on insights from the Shared Messages on Biodiversity and Food Systems and the Food & Biodiversity in Action Use Case Bundle, the discussion will explore practical pathways for accelerating implementation of the KMGBF through food systems transformation.

   • The dialogue will be structured around three interconnected themes:

     1. Shifting the mindset: How can biodiversity be repositioned from a sectoral environmental concern to a foundation for resilient, productive and sustainable food systems? What narratives, evidence, policy and action approaches can help drive this shift?

     2. Unlocking opportunities: How can biodiversity-positive food systems approaches generate multiple benefits for nature, food security, livelihoods, sustainable, healthy diets, communities and climate resilience? What enabling conditions, partnerships, investments and policy frameworks are needed to scale successful approaches?

     3. Altering the power web: How can decision-making, resources and agency be distributed more equitably across food systems? What role do Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, farmers, women, youth and other underrepresented actors play in driving transformation, and how can their leadership be strengthened?

4. Biodiversity & Food Systems in Action: Use Case Spotlights (15 min)

   • Three short interventions highlighting inspirational examples of biodiversity-positive food systems approaches, demonstrating how science, policy and partnerships can drive impact on the ground on different scales and from different sectors and actors in relation to different targets of the KMGBF.

   • Partners involved in the use cases: Aguapan, HZPC, CIP, WWF Colombia, Habiba Community, WWF Netherlands, Alliance Bioversity & CIAT, SNV, School Meals Coalition, SHN Consortium, The Rockefeller Foundation, SAIL Investments, Nature's Pride, Foresight4Food Initiative, Nakuru County Government, the Results for Africa Institute (RAI), WBCSD, Commonland.

5. Audience Dialogue and Interactive Q&A (15 min)

   • Participants will be invited to share perspectives, identify partnership opportunities and reflect on key barriers and solutions for implementation.

6. Closing Reflections and Call to Action (5 min)
   Senior representatives summarize key messages and identify opportunities for collaboration and action beyond COP17.

Expected outcomes relevant for COP17 negotiations: 

1. Food systems are highlighted to be recognized as a strategic entry point for accelerating KMGBF implementation. This session thereby supports discussions on Target 10 (agriculture, fisheries), Target 11 (ecosystem services), Target 14 (mainstreaming), and  Target 16 (sustainable consumption) and reinforces the need for biodiversity integration across agriculture, food, trade, development policies and dietary guidelines.

2. Multi-stakeholder partnerships provide a critical enabling mechanism/model for implementation at scale. The session provides evidence for the Global Review that collective action and partnerships are key enabling conditions for implementation and can help operationalize Target 14 and broader KMGBF commitments. In addition the session offers opportunities for new and strengthened partnerships. 

3. Concrete examples from different settings illustrate how scaling biodiversity-positive food systems requires inclusive governance and addressing power imbalances. The session reinforces the KMGBF principles on rights-based approaches, equity, and inclusive governance while linking biodiversity outcomes to social justice and food system transformation. 

4. The Shared Messages and Use Case Bundle offer practical implementation resources. These resources can support Parties in moving from ambition to action during the next phase of KMGBF implementation.

5. A recommendation that the Global Review should explicitly recognize biodiversity-positive food systems as a strategic implementation pathway for achieving multiple KMGBF targets.

Contributing / co-hosting partners from the Biodiversity & Food Systems Partnership include, but is not limited to:

• Kingdom of the Netherlands
• The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, CGIAR
• ProVeg International
• Naturalis
• Commonland
• PBL, the Netherlands Environmental Assessment agency

In addition, our 175 members in the partnership are eager to support and contribute to this UNCBD side event. This includes further support to ensure the speakers and participants in the session reflect the diversity across actors and scales required to enable sustainable food systems transformation in an inclusive way. As well as scale the insights from the official side event through their respective networks across sectors and scales.

Partners from our partnership that have at this moment already indicated to plan to attend COP17 UNCBD:

• Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT
• AMPATH Kenya
• Association for Farmers Rights Defense (AFRD)
• Bwindi Community Hospital
• Commonland
• Fair and Sustainable Consulting
• Foundation for Sustainable Development
• GAURUDRA Sustainability Private Limited
• GIZ
• Green Harvest Organic
• Habiba World Foundation
• Makerere University
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
• National Nutrition Institute (Egypt)
• Naturalis Biodiversity Centre
• PELUM Kenya
• ProVeg International
• Rural Agroecology Network
• SNV Netherlands Development Organisation
• University of Belgrade
• University of Gondar