Showcasing Practical Tools for Promoting Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems

Background

The CFS Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI) are 10 principles that apply to all types and sizes of investment in agriculture and food systems. They recognize that all stakeholders have a role to play in promoting responsible investment.

Governments must create enabling environments for responsible agricultural investment and ensure safeguards are in place to balance the needs and interests of investors, smallholders, local communities, and other affected parties.

Investors and agribusinesses are responsible for mitigating and managing the risks associated with their investments and for maximizing their positive social and environmental impacts. They are also responsible for complying with relevant laws and regulations and conducting due diligence.

Stakeholders need guidance and support to apply the CFS-RAI principles effectively. This is why several organizations have come together to develop practical tools that governments, investors, agribusinesses, and other stakeholders can use to promote, support, and apply the CFS-RAI in practice.

About the Event

This side event—organized by IISD, the FAO, Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment, and the governments of Germany, Liberia, and Switzerland—brought together stakeholders to raise awareness about the range of practical tools that can support governments, investors, agribusinesses, and other actors to ensure investments in agriculture and food systems are responsible.

The event showcased a selection of these tools and explore how they can promote responsible investment in agriculture and food systems. It aims to start a conversation among those developing, rolling out, and supporting the use of these tools on how to improve coordination and encourage more actors to join forces on this.