Second Regional Technical Dialogue on Amazonian Bioeconomy and Inclusive Rural Transformation

Background

A year after the signing of the Belém Declaration (2023), the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is organizing the technical event titled, “Second Regional Dialogue on Amazonian Bioeconomy and Inclusive Rural Transformation.” This event will take place in the city of Belém, state of Pará, Brazil, on August 7-8, 2024.

This event is the result of a technical cooperation agreement between ACTO and FAO aimed at fostering effective cooperation among the eight member countries of ACTO (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela) to strengthen food security and reduce poverty levels in the Amazonian population.

In this context, the second regional technical dialogue on Amazonian Bioeconomy and Inclusive Rural Transformation will identify opportunities, emblematic cases, and recurring challenges for the adoption of an Amazonian bioeconomy model that meets the need for an inclusive rural transformation where no one is left behind, as established by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Agenda 2030. This emphasizes the fulfillment of SDG 1 – End poverty, SDG 2 – Zero hunger, and SDG 10 – Reduced inequalities, in line with the Belém Declaration (2023) and following the Resolutions of the IX Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO).

Context

Numerous scientific studies highlight the essential role of the Amazon in the fight against the global climate crisis, while also indicating the multiple environmental risks and socioeconomic losses associated with the ecosystem's tipping point. Despite this, the potential loss of Amazon forests for the period 2015-2030 is the highest globally, and if these negative trends are confirmed, the economic losses for the accumulated GDP of the Amazonian countries could reach USD 230 trillion, according to preliminary estimates by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The Amazonian environmental crisis tends to overshadow the socioeconomic challenges and structural social inequalities affecting the local population. In all countries, the Amazon region exhibits higher levels of hunger and poverty compared to national averages. Currently, there are over 47 million inhabitants in the Amazon region, of whom 70% live in urban centers (Padoch, C. et al. 2008; Parry et al. 2014). Moreover, the Amazon is home to over 400 Indigenous Peoples (approximately 2.2 million), as well as numerous traditional communities, such as Afro-descendant communities (Maroons, Quilombolas, etc.), collectively managing nearly 30% of the Amazon and experiencing high levels of poverty, food insecurity, unmet basic needs, and increasing violence threatening their well-being and territories.

Given this complex scenario, the concept of an Amazonian bioeconomy centered on the sustainable use of forest and fishery socio-biodiversity could represent an opportunity to combat hunger and poverty, and to improve living conditions for both rural and urban populations.

To contribute to this goal, FAO will make available to the eight ACTO member countries the Hand-in-Hand Initiative (HiH), which employs advanced geospatial analysis and modeling, as well as a partnership-driven approach, to accelerate market-based transformation of agri-food systems, with the aim of increasing incomes, improving nutritional status and well-being of poor and vulnerable populations, and strengthening climate change resilience. Launched in 2019, the Hand-in-Hand Initiative is one of FAO's best exemplars and one of its main priority programmatic areas.

On the Concept of Bioeconomy

Bioeconomy can be defined as the production, utilization, conservation, and regeneration of biological resources, including related knowledge, science, technology, and innovation, aimed at providing sustainable solutions (information, products, processes, and services) in and for all economic sectors, thereby enabling a transformation towards a sustainable economy” (International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy, 2020). The cross-cutting nature of bioeconomy offers a unique opportunity to comprehensively address interconnected social challenges such as food and nutritional security, dependence on fossil resources, scarcity of natural resources, and climate change, while achieving sustainable economic development (FAO, 2022).

FAO leads international work on sustainable and circular bioeconomy through the International Sustainable Bioeconomy Working Group (ISBWG) and actively participates in global debates on sustainable bioeconomy as a member of the International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy (IACGB). Although there is no single, consensual definition of this concept in the Latin America and Caribbean region, it has gained special importance both globally and regionally. While this presents some challenges, this conceptual diversity also means opportunities for regional and global collaboration and integration, especially when considering the alignment and contribution of bioeconomy to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Agenda 2030, the Belém Declaration (2023), and particularly the following Resolutions of the IX Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO):

RES/XIV MRE-OTCA/11 - Amazonian Strategy for Food and Nutritional Sovereignty and Security;

RES/XIV MRE-OTCA/23 – Development of a regional cooperation framework in the areas of certification and valorization of Amazonian products and incentives for the recognition of environmental and ecosystem services/functions in the context of an economy for sustainable development;

RES/XIV MRE – OTCA/04 - Institutionalize the Regional Amazon Observatory (ORA) within the ACTO structure, strengthening its different modules on economic, social, environmental, and cultural issues.

Objective

Identify opportunities, emblematic cases, and recurring challenges for the adoption of an Amazonian bioeconomy model that responds to the need for inclusive rural transformation where no one is left behind, as established by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Agenda 2030, emphasizing the fulfillment of SDG 1 – End poverty, SDG 2 – Zero hunger, and SDG 10 – Reduced inequalities, in line with the Belém Declaration (2023) and following the Resolutions of the IX Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), particularly the resolutions RES/XIV MRE-OTCA/11, RES/XIV MRE-OTCA/23, and RES/XIV MRE – OTCA/4.

Specific Objectives

Generate technical inputs for the development of an Amazonian Strategy for Food and Nutritional Sovereignty and Security in line with resolution RES/XIV MRE-OTCA/11;

Identify favorable investment plans for the creation of strong and catalytic partnerships for the adoption of an Amazonian bioeconomy through the application of the Hand-in-Hand Initiative (HiH) in line with resolutions RES/XIV MRE-OTCA/23 and RES/XIV MRE – OTCA/04;

Generate technical inputs for the preparation of a study on Amazonian bioeconomy in line with resolution RES/XIV MRE-OTCA/23.

Participants

• ACTO focal points
• Ministries of Agriculture and/or representatives of governmental institutions related to Food and Nutritional Security
• Ministries of Environment
• Ministries of Social Development
• Representatives of Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendants, and Local/Traditional Amazonian Communities organizations
• Organizations of Amazonian rural youth and women
• Representatives of academic institutions with a focus on Amazonian research
• Representatives of financial institutions and development banks
• Representatives of the private business and cooperative sectors
• Officials from Amazonian Non-Governmental Organizations
• Officials from United Nations System Agencies and Organizations