On November 4, 2020, Ban Ki-moon Centre CEO Monika Froehler moderated a breakout session during the “Priorities at the Farm Level” session of the Vienna Energy Forum “Food Systems Track” online series. This year the sessions serve as a platform to discuss pathways to better align the energy transition with the food systems transformation, focusing on opportunities in developing countries.

The “Enablers for Progress” discussion welcomed: Fiona Hoffman-Harland – Shell Foundation, Manssor Ahmad – Agribusiness Impact Investment of The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of UK, Camile Andre Bataille – ANKA Madagascar, Joseph Kienzle – FAO, and Lowell Randel – Global Cold Chain Alliance. 

The session (starting at 1:47:10) focused on the enablers for food systems transitions, especially for enabling opportunities when considering #farm-level priorities. The panelists discussed what is needed as a helping hand for smallholder farmers and how to effectively involve women and youth in food system processes. 

Joseph Kienzle – FAO, emphasized: “We need transportation, access to modern technology, and capacity building incentive packages. We need to make the private sector understand what smallholder farmers need.”

On how to integrate and reach women and youth on these opportunities, Lowell Randel – Global Cold Chain Alliance recommended that “We really have to pay close attention and provide them with training on, farm and the value of the cold chain. It is educating the youth and women that is critical to keep the cold chain and extend product life”.

Fiona Hoffman-Harland – Shell Foundation called for a need to focus on the entrepreneurial side of women, reasoning that “We must address social barriers and not just provide women tailored products. Women spend more money on their families than their businesses. Both men and women struggle with time poverty. But women struggle more than men with subsidized time, child-care, which go hand in hand with social norms.”

To conclude the session CEO Monika Froehler put together a list of recommendations to provide opportunities for smallholder farmers, she continued: “The full chain value approach needs to be taken into consideration. The three-legged-stool is key; we need training, technology, and finance.”