Hosted by the German Embassy on World Earth Day, the second edition of the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership chalked out a roadmap for the Indo-German partnership to achieve their Sustainable Development Goals
On World Earth Day, the German Embassy in Delhi hosted the second edition of the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership (GSDP) Conversation Series. The GSDP is a significant platform that underscores the importance of the Indo-German partnership in the context of sustainable food systems, a crucial aspect of India's sustainable development.
Titled 'India's Growing Strength in Sustainable Food Systems', the event took place in Bengaluru and delved into crucial topics of food system sustainability and agroecology.
According to a release issued by the German Embassy in Delhi on Monday, during the welcome address, Achim Burkert, Consul General of Germany to Karnataka and Kerala, talked about the India-German partnership in achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
India is set to face significant challenges in agriculture due to climate change, being first on the list of the world's largest milk producers and second among the world's largest producers of wheat and rice. The loss is projected to be over US$7 billion by 2030 in India alone.
The German Embassy highlighted that the recent heat wave, low rainfall, and diminishing water resources in Bengaluru and across Karnataka underscore the criticality of sustainable food systems. The GSDP, through its Conversation Series, aims to address these challenges and promote sustainable solutions.
The event was designed to foster global and local interactions and find practical solutions for preserving our planet for future generations. It featured a range of activities, including insightful panel discussions, an engaging exhibition centre, and interactive sessions. The embassy noted that the panel discussion was a key highlight, where speakers analysed the emerging landscape of sustainable agriculture in India and its impact on nutritional security, environmental considerations, and socio-economic development, offering practical solutions for the challenges at hand.
Additionally, the embassy said in its release that the exhibition centre showcased captivating elements such as a diversity fair, a photo exhibition highlighting farmers implementing 1 principle of agroecology, a demonstration of climate cuisine, and an interactive session providing insight into climate adaptation strategies.
The diversity fair gave a glimpse of agricultural biodiversity with diverse traditional and local varieties that help promote resilience in farming systems. The Climate Recipes Archives offers a window into lived-and-tested knowledge in the form of recipes that transform our existing notions of climate change adaptability.
The Green and Sustainable Development Partnership (GSDP) is not just a platform for dialogue but a catalyst for change. It plays a crucial role in sharing people's daily life experiences and promoting the transition to more sustainable and resilient agricultural practices. Germany, in its cooperation with India, has made supporting this agroecological transition a key focus.
The Indo-German Lighthouse on Agroecology and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, a beacon of hope, is closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda, further reinforcing the GSDP's commitment to sustainable development.
It called for urgently needed progressive and transformative steps to contribute to the transition to a more sustainable and resilient path worldwide. It recognised that agricultural and food systems were deeply interconnected with economies, cultures, societies, governance, health, climate, natural capital, and the environment, including biodiversity.
They were uniquely placed to contribute to the achievement of most of the SDGs, India's vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' and India's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. The panel discussed India's achievements and challenges in sustainable agriculture, policies, initiatives and exploration of community-driven solutions.
It addressed key questions such as the evolution of India's approach to sustainable agriculture, the role of agroecology in addressing food security challenges, and the need for policy interventions to promote innovation and collaboration among stakeholders. During the Farmer Insights session, farmers shared insights on the adoption of agroecological farming in India, providing first-hand experiences on practical challenges and impacts.
The Green and Sustainable Development Partnership (GSDP) was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in 2020, marking a significant step in the cooperation between India and Germany. It provides a robust framework in line with the 203 Agenda, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets.
The GSDP Conversation Series, a key component of this partnership, plays a vital role in its development through regular networking and idea sharing. This commitment was reaffirmed during the 6th Indo-German Cabinet Consultations held in Berlin on 02 May 2022.
This year, the 7th Indo-German Cabinet Consultations will be held in New Delhi in the second half. On the German side, the implementation of this series is being hosted by the German Embassy, facilitated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and supported by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. Other German institutions involved in the GSDP are the KfW Development Bank and the German National Metrology Institute.