Concept Note & Tracks

Objectives and Context

After the success of the 2009 International Conference on "The Integration of Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Development, and Ecosystems in the Context of Food Insecurity, Climate Change, and the Energy Crisis", the North-South Center for Social Sciences (NRCS)and  German Technical Cooperation(GTZ), in partnership with the Institute of Research for Development(IRD) and the Faculty of Law, Economics and Social Sciencesat Ibn Zohr University of Agadir, are organizing a second, related meeting entitled "Climate Change, Agri-Food, Fisheries, and Ecosystems: Reinventing Research, Innovation, and Policy Agendas for Environmentally- and Socially-Balanced Growth" (ICCAFFE2011). This conference will convene May 19-21, 2011, in Agadir, Morocco.

​

ICCAFFE2011 is organized within a global context marked by: 

​

• the putative failure of the Copenhagen Summit to reach a binding agreement to deal with climate change;

• the fragility of the Earth's food security, the seriousness of hunger's consequences, and the inefficiency of the range of policies and programs devoted to achieving sustainable food security; 

• the decreases in global marine biodiversity and fish stocks due to pressure by overfishing, environmental degradation, and  impacts from human-induced climate change; and

• the growing loss of biodiversity and degradation of forest ecosystems, as a result of climate change and human activities impacts, despite a global convention committing governments to halt the decline.

​

Targeted Participants

​

Researchers and experts from institutions in Northern and Southern countries and from a wide spectrum of disciplines (including: social sciences, ecology, meteorology, agronomy, economics, , engineering sciences,  marine sciences, etc.) are invited in order to enrich and widen the scientific exchanges. Decision and policy-makers are the second part of the Conference’s target group. Stakeholders from all spheres (especially ministries and other national and territorial institutions, professional organizations, development institutions, advisory and support services, and NGOs) are important invitees. The exchange and interaction between the two categories of actors (researchers/decision-makers) are at the heart of the Conference objectives.

​

Since it’s time for action in order to urgently tackle many relevant challenges (such as climate change, food insecurity, depletion of natural resources), the ICCAFFE2011’s Steering Board particularly invites decision and policy-makers to actively take part in the event. A "Research-Policy Interaction Day” will be organized to foster exchange and interaction between two categories of relevant actors (that is, researchers and decision-makers) at the heart of the Conference's objectives. By organizing this event and bringing together researchers, experts, ministries, operating professional and development organizations, NGOs, advisory and support services, the Interaction Day aims to reinforce the collaboration between the scientific sphere and the practical sphere. To this end, decision-makers will benefit from a free access to Conference materials and sessions.

​

Key Themes

​

• Climate Change, Food Security and Agriculture

• Climate Change Adaptation in Food and Agriculture Perspective

• Innovation to Address Climate Change Challenges

• Sustainable Agriculture and Capacity Building

• Biofuel Linkages with Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security

• Sustainable Marine Ecosystems and Fisheries

• Contesting the Agro-Food System in the Context of Climate Change

• Food’s Climate Impact and the Need for a Green and Climate-Friendly Consumerism

• Climate Change, Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity Conservation

• Proactive and Coordinated Policy and Management Action Response and Communication to Relevant Stakeholders