Miller Magazine Issue: 127 July 2020

46 NEWS MILLER / JULY 2020 FAO and Rabobank's new partnership focuses on helping make food systems more sustainable, including through innovative investments. Joint projects aim to lower greenhouse gas emissions, improve land and water use, and empower smallholder farmers to reduce food losses and ad- dress the challenges of climate change FAO and Rabobank to work for more sustainable food systems The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has signed a new part- nership agreement with Rabobank, a Dutch co- operative bank, with the intention of helping targeted rural communities benefit from more inclusive, sustainable food systems. It also envi- sages jointly exploring the use of innovative fi- nancial instruments to bridge financing gaps in emerging markets and to promote sustainability in food systems investments. FAO and Rabobank will work with key food and agriculture sectors on a series of projects designed to help lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improve land and water use, and em- power smallholder farmers to address the chal- lenges of climate change and reduction of food losses. Special attention will be paid in ensuring the inclusion of poor, vulnerable and marginali- zed groups, including women and youth. The collaboration will begin with a review of the dairy sector in two pilot countries, India and Kenya, with a view to reducing food losses in the sector and promoting a transition to more sustainable food systems. The dairy sector has an important role to play in food systems trans- formation, as it contributes to food security and nutrition and provides livelihoods for a number of actors along the food value chain. Though dairy production also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, it holds huge potential for im- provement. The projects undertaken in the context of the partnership will support FAO's Hand-in-Hand initiative, which matches donors and recipients to support tailor-made, country-led efforts to assist the most vulnerable populations. The private sector is a key partner in the initiative, and Rabobank, as a global leader in food and