SIDS, food security and climate shocks – Episode 45

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are facing unimaginable challenges, including worsening food security and climate change. Join us and IFAD’s Climate change and environmental specialist Oliver Page to learn more about how to help the islands’ small-scale farmers and fishers strengthen their climate resilience. We hone in on IFAD projects in Haiti and Tonga as well as the Philippines – a larger island state battling similar issues to SIDS – before getting the latest on the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit from Stefanos Fotiou, the head of the Food Systems Summit Coordination Hub. Max Cotton in the UK updates us on how his self-sufficient lifestyle is treating him before ending with Nikita Eriksen-Hamel and the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development. 

 

Episode Content

• Oliver Page on the effects of climate change on SIDS – part 1
• Jessica Muñoz: reducing poverty in the Philippines
• Oliver Page: From hill to sea – part 2
• Paolo Silveri on protecting Haiti
• Long-lasting improvements in SIDS – part 3
• Crystal Ake on empowering rural communities in Tonga
• Stefanos Fotiou on the Food Systems Stocktaking Moment
• Max Cotton and self-sufficiency – a spring update from England
• Global Donor Platform for Rural Development series: Nikita Eriksen-Hamel
• Summing Up
• Similar Episodes to Enjoy

 

Oliver Page on the effects of climate change on SIDS – part 1

Oliver Page, Regional Climate Change and Environmental Specialist at IFAD

Oliver Page, IFAD’s Climate change and environmental specialist in Latin America and the Caribbean joins us from Panama to tell us about IFAD’s strategy in SIDS and the need to limit climate change and global temperatures if we want to help these vulnerable islands.

 

Jessica Muñoz: reducing poverty in the Philippines

Jessica Muñoz, Project Coordinator at FishCoral

FishCoral works to reduce poverty, improve food security and nutrition and increase incomes in coastal communities in the Philippines. Project Coordinator Jessica Muñoz tells us all about the programme and how it helps improve climate resilience. 

 

Oliver Page: From hill to sea – part 2

Oliver Page, Regional Climate Change and Environmental Specialist at IFAD

IFAD is using the ridge to reef approach to protect SIDS’ coastal areas and its communities. Oliver Page is back to tell us how this holistic intervention has helped to mitigate extreme weather and build resilience among farmers and fishers.

 

Paolo Silveri on protecting Haiti

Paolo Silveri, Country Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at IFAD

Land degradation, soil erosion, deforestation and overfishing are just some of the challenges the island of Haiti is up against. Paolo Silveri, the Country Director for Latin America and the Caribbean explains how the Inclusive Blue Economy Project is using innovative approaches to transform the ways coastal rural populations manage and protect natural and marine resources. 

 

Oliver Page: Long-lasting improvements for SIDS – Part 3

Oliver Page, Regional Climate Change and Environmental Specialist at IFAD

SIDS rely greatly on food imports, making them vulnerable to price volatility. In part 3, Oliver Page calls for more support, technical assistance and capacity-building, to help island communities achieve long-lasting self-reliance and resilience in sustainable ways.

 

Crystal Ake on empowering rural communities in Tonga

Crystal Ake, of the MORDI Tonga Trust

The MORDI Tonga Trust and IFAD work hand in hand to empower rural communities on the Tongan island of Eua. Crystal Ake, of the Trust, tells us about the programme and how it benefits locals, including through healthier eating habits and traditional fishing methods.

 

Stefanos Fotiou on the Food Systems Stocktaking Moment

Stefanos Fotiou, Director of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub

Stefanos Fotiou is the Director of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub. He talks to us about the upcoming Food Systems Stocktaking Moment, a key event for food systems transformation. This year the theme will be ‘sustainable food systems for people, planet and prosperity’.

 

Max Cotton and self-sufficiency – a spring update from England

Max Cotton

Max Cotton has lived off the land in rural southwest England for months. He updates us on his self-sufficient life – including his frustrations, successes and biggest challenges.

 

Global Donor Platform for Rural Development series: Nikita Eriksen-Hamel

Nikita Eriksen-Hamel, Deputy Director of Agriculture and Food Systems for Global Affairs Canada

Nikita Eriksen-Hamel is the Deputy Director of Agriculture and Food Systems for Global Affairs Canada and a long-time member of the Donor Platform. He details the importance of a farming system that is both sustainable and capable of keeping up with our population growth. Nikita highlights the need for donors to keep small-scale farmers in mind, as they are key to the wider development landscape.

 

Summing up

Many thanks to our producer in Rome, Francesco Manetti, reporter Nour Bona and co-hosts Michelle Tang and Brian Thomson.

Most of all, thanks to our listeners. Remember, we want to hear from you – tell us what you think about our stories, the issues covered and who you’d like us to talk to next. Get in touch with a voice or text message to [email protected] and we’ll play your message on our next episode.

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Previous episodes to enjoy

Learn more about innovation in agriculture in episode 42.

In this royal episode we spoke with the Head of Sustainability at the Duchy of Cornwall, episode 43.

In episode 44 we tackle water scarcity in the Near East and North Africa.