Peru promotes dialogue on how we produce food, what we eat, and its relationship to climate change

Climate change is already altering the way Peru produces food. Longer droughts, heavier rains, and the emergence of new pests are affecting agriculture, food prices, and the incomes of thousands of rural families. At the same time, the way we produce and consume food directly influences the climate.

Given this scenario, the country is promoting an approach that seeks to address both challenges in an integrated manner: the convergence between food systems and climate action in the agricultural sector. This approach recognizes that, even before it was formulated as a global concept, Peru was already articulating agricultural production, climate adaptation, nutrition, and community resilience. This was highlighted by Khaled Eltaweel, Senior Program Coordinator at the United Nations (UN) Food Systems Coordination Hub, who pointed out that "centuries before the term 'food systems' existed, the Incas were already practicing it here in Peru, integrating agriculture, climate adaptation, nutrition, and community resilience in one of the most challenging geographies on the planet."

This initiative, promoted by the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub with the support of the Netherlands, is based on the understanding that it is not enough to produce more food or reduce emissions in isolation. Decisions related to food systems, such as biodiversity, land and water use, nutrition, and climate change adaptation, must be addressed in an integrated manner, recognizing that they are deeply interconnected in territories and in people's daily lives.

In this context, Khaled Eltaweel also stressed that "Peru's food system is at a critical moment of transition, combining strong productive capacity and export dynamism with persistent challenges of food insecurity, climate risks, and access gaps that highlight the need for systemic solutions."

A recent analysis of Peru's agricultural sector shows that the country already has policies, plans, and investments in place that address both food security and climate change. However, it also reveals a key challenge: many of these actions continue to move forward in parallel, with insufficient coordination and no clear mechanisms for measuring their real impact on the territory.

As a result, despite the progress made, opportunities are being missed to maximize results with the same efforts and to ensure that solutions reach rural communities, family farms, and the areas most vulnerable to climate change in a coherent manner.

In this context, Mariana Escobar, FAO Representative in Peru, stressed that "for FAO, convergence is a key instrument for supporting the alignment of agri-food policies with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans, and for more efficiently directing public and private investments towards results that simultaneously benefit the environment, production, and people."

She added that "convergence must translate, in practice, into better living conditions, especially for family farming, rural women, Indigenous Peoples, and young people, strengthening their resilience and ability to adapt to climate change."

From the leadership of the State, Lizardo Calderón Romero, Director General of Agricultural Policies at MIDAGRI, pointed out that "in line with the commitments made under the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda, Peru has chosen to take on an active and strategic role, participating as a pilot country in the Convergence Initiative."

He also highlighted that this process seeks to advance better coordination between food and nutritional security and sustainable resource management – highlighting the role of family farming, one of the sectors most exposed to the impacts of climate change.

Against this backdrop, national, regional, and local government authorities, technical specialists, and representatives from various sectors are meeting to discuss and develop recommendations that will align food security policies with climate action. With the support of the UN system, this dialogue brings together the government, the private sector, civil society, academia, and international cooperation, with the aim of generating joint recommendations that will translate into concrete decisions.

In this regard, Rossana Dudziak, Resident Coordinator of the UN system in Peru, emphasized that "convergence only makes sense if it contributes to improving the lives of those who produce, process, and consume food, guaranteeing decent work, inclusion, and equity, and ensuring that no one is left behind in the transition to more sustainable food systems."

Promoting convergence between food systems and climate action is not just a technical agenda. It is a key condition for Peru to protect its territories, strengthen its family farming sector, and guarantee food security for millions of households, today and in the future.