An IDF side event to be held during the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA6), aimed at exploring the diversity of contribution of ruminant production will take place on February 29, 2024, from 17:00 to 18:30 EAT/15:00 to 17:30 CET at the UNON Building in Nairobi, Kenya, specifically in the Green Room, Conference Room 14. The event will be also livestreamed on the UNEA6 website.
Under the theme “Sustainable Dairy Ecosystems nutrition security, women’s empowerment, climate-smart agriculture, action on nature and biodiversity enhancement”, high level panelists will focus on the positive and negative impacts of ruminant production on several aspects of sustainability, including environment. You can see the full programme here.
The side event is organized by IDF in partnership with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), National Dairy Development Board of India (NDDB), Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).
“Dairy animals are vital contributors to rural livelihoods and economies, playing a pivotal role in ensuring nutritional security. Ruminant dairy systems, often underestimated, can positively influence climate and environmental conditions, supporting biodiversity and contributing to human health. The event aims to shed light on the various ecosystem services provided by dairy animals and discuss strategies for building truly sustainable dairy production systems”, state the organizers.
Further aims of the event are to explore opportunities for positive ecosystem outcomes by identifying, mapping, and recognizing sustainable ecosystem services in ruminant farming systems and to explain how these services contribute to human and planetary health, biodiversity, climate change mitigation, education, and women’s empowerment.
The dairy sector, facing the challenge of nourishing a growing global population sustainably, is at the forefront of fostering resilient food systems and aligning with global climate goals.
