The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for Agriculture and Food (TEEBAgriFood) initiative recognises that transforming our food system is one of the most important challenges we currently face. The food system is deeply dependent on the health of nature, and the current degradation it suffers from impacts hugely on agri-businesses, workers, local communities, biodiversity, food security, public health, the economy and the climate.
The TEEBAgrifood Project, a global UNEP Project supported by the EU, has seen Capitals Coalition working with businesses across the world with the overall goal of building resilience, mainstreaming best practices, protecting biodiversity and contributing to a more sustainable agriculture and food sector in 7 EU partner countries: Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and Thailand.
In March 2023, the TEEBAgrifood team hosted workshops in Mexico and Brazil to bring together organizations and individuals involved with the project, as well as those working in the agri-food sector. These events enable in-person relationship building and sharing of knowledge through the presentation of pilot applications of the draft TEEB Agrifood Operational Guidelines for Business.
The events were hosted in collaboration with Reforestamos (Mexico), CEBDS (Brazil), FGV (Brazil) and UNEP TEEB (both). Further capacity-building events will be held in Thailand and Indonesia in August and September 2023.
The TEEBAgrifood Project is now able to share videos showcasing two organizations, Liv Up and APEAM, who completed training with the TEEBAgrifood team and have begun to conduct an assessment within their business to work towards a pilot application of the TEEBAgriFood Draft Operational Guidelines for Business.
These videos also provide an insight into the events hosted and a wider reflection on the project, the collaboration fostered and results achieved, and an introduction to the capitals approach.
Brazil – Liv Up
Liv Up is a food tech providing consumers with healthy and practical pre-prepared meals. They aim to partner with local producers to source fresher ingredients and use high-end tech to continually improve their processes and provide better quality, more affordable products for their customers. Liv Up completed the TEEBAgrifood training process between September and December 2020, before taking part in the pilot applications process.
More than ever, we need organizations -and companies especially – to take action and actively participate in the challenges that we face. So considering human and natural capital within our decision-making is a very important process in order for companies to accelerate the change that we need and also the change that consumers expect the companies to have.
Pedro Martins – Head of Sustainability, Liv Up
Mexico – APEAM
APEAM is a Mexican civil association of avocado growers, packers and exporters. APEAM is the largest representative in Mexico for the export of avocados and aims to offer top-quality products in terms of flavor, safety, and traceability. Their goal is for all products to be produced efficiently and sustainably, so providing financial benefits to associates and the communities in which they operate, live and work. APEAM completed the TEEBAgrifood training process between September and December 2020, before taking part in the pilot applications process.
‘The message I can provide to you is to take care of the environment if you want to have a future in agriculture’
Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada, Environmental Advisor, APEAM
The TEEBAgrifood Project will close in 2023, with the launch of the final TEEBAgriFood Operational Guidelines for Business and supplementary documents coming in September. The TEEBAgriFood Draft Operational Guidelines for Business can be read here.
For more information on the TEEBAgrifood Project, please head here.
