IUCN and CGIAR join forces to drive Nature-Positive transformation of Global Food and Agricultural Systems

IUCN and CGIAR will work together on nature-positive production landscapes, land restoration and food and agricultural systems transformation. Globally, an estimated  billion people rely on nature for their livelihoods, through farming, fishing, and forestry. Food security and rural economies are inextricably dependent on thriving biodiversity. As such, this partnership represents an essential step in the transition towards food and agricultural systems that value and conserve nature, while safeguarding human wellbeing and societal benefits.

The MoU highlights the shared commitment of both organisations to scale-up and accelerate action on multifunctional landscapes and ecosystem restoration, sustainable farming and livestock systems, climate change resilience and mitigation, as well as water resource management. It will also guide joint action on policy advocacy, biodiversity-friendly value chains, knowledge generation and support the implementation of the Rio Conventions. 

Upon signing the MoU, Dr. Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General, said: “Nature is the foundation of our food systems and of human wellbeing itself. Every meal we eat, our livelihoods, and the resilience of our economy depends directly on healthy ecosystems. As we confront the intertwined challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security, this partnership with CGIAR is more important than ever. It reflects a shared commitment to advance nature-positive agriculture – where production works with nature, not against it – ensuring that people, biodiversity and food systems thrive together for generations to come.”

Dr. Ismahane Elouafi, CGIAR Executive Managing Director, similarly reflected on the importance of this partnership. She said: “This MoU underscores the importance of cooperation in addressing the complex and increasingly interlinked global challenges we face today. By combining our strengths, we can accelerate the adoption of integrated and holistic approaches to sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation.” 

This partnership builds on strong complementarities and a shared ambition for systemic transformation. CGIAR’s scientific leadership and field-based innovation capacity complement IUCN’s convening power, policy reach and Commission-based expertise. Together, the two organisations are better positioned to bridge science, policy and practice, and to move beyond project-level collaboration toward more coordinated, scalable impact.   

At the 2025 World Conservation Congress, IUCN members approved a new 20-Year Strategic Vision and, as part of it, the mandate to support the transformation of Food and Agricultural Systems. This recognition underscores the central role of sustainable agriculture and food systems in addressing biodiversity loss, climate change, and sustainable development, and signals IUCN’s commitment to advancing systemic change in this critical sector. IUCN Members also adopted seventeen resolutions related to Food and Agricultural Systems showing a strong interest in advancing policies and practices on the topic. Most notably, Resolution 002 calls for “Accelerating action for nature-positive, sustainable agriculture and food systems”. 

Established in 1971, CGIAR is the world’s largest global agricultural innovation network. It provides evidence to policy makers, innovation to partners, and new tools to harness the economic, environmental and nutritional power of agriculture. CGIAR’s mission is to deliver science and innovation that advance the transformation of food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis.