We appreciate all our speakers for their insightful presentations and for sharing their contributions to sustainable livelihoods and alternative enhancements:

• Orsolya Nyàrai, IUCN (Food and Agriculture Systems Team)
• Mercedes Muñoz Cañas, IUCN (Food and Agriculture Systems Team)
• Charles Tah, Farm Radio International
• El Hadji Faye, SUCO

Orsolya highlighted two key tools developed by IUCN to strengthen NbS in agriculture: the Agriculture NbS Guidance and the Common Ground Dialogues. The Agriculture NbS Guidance translates the IUCN Global Standard for NbS into actionable steps within agricultural contexts, addressing the unique challenges farming communities face. She explained that the guidance ensures a balance between environmental, economic, and social sustainability, preventing overemphasis on one aspect at the expense of others.

The Common Ground Dialogues, she noted, bring together diverse stakeholders—including agricultural and conservation actors—to identify barriers to sustainability and co-create solutions. These dialogues facilitate collaboration across national, regional, and international levels. Reflecting on the session’s theme, Orsolya emphasized:

“In development, it is important to enhance, restore, and work with existing ecosystems to make them more biodiverse and resilient to external shocks.”

Mercedes presented the Land Health Monitoring Framework, a comprehensive tool for assessing biodiversity and ecosystem health across agricultural landscapes. This framework fills a critical gap by offering a globally applicable methodology to measure agrobiodiversity at field, farm, landscape, and national levels. She explained that the framework is essential for evaluating the functional and habitat diversity within agroecosystems, directly linking healthy biodiversity to sustainable livelihoods. Mercedes detailed how the framework underpins IUCN’s step-by-step guidance for monitoring land health, making it a cornerstone for sustainable agricultural practices. She remarked:

“For us, it is key to measure biodiversity and let people understand how linked it is to sustainable livelihoods […] sustainable biodiversity at different levels most probably means healthier land.”

Charles discussed Farm Radio International’s innovative On-Air for Gender-Inclusive Nature-based Climate Solutions project, which leverages radio to promote NbS adoption and community resilience. He outlined the project’s three key strategies:

• Overcoming Barriers: Addressing challenges that prevent communities from adopting NbS.
• Narrowing the Policy-Implementation Gap: Facilitating dialogues between rural communities and policymakers.
• Raising Awareness: Partnering with Canadian organizations to amplify NbS initiatives in SSA.

Charles emphasized the power of radio as a tool for mobilizing communities and fostering local ownership of NbS initiatives:

“As a radio organization, we are trying to mobilize communities to break those barriers [to adopting NbS] and take actions that will help them adapt to the effects of climate change. Once communities understand the relationship between biodiversity and livelihoods, they will take the lead to do it.”

El Hadji highlighted SUCO’s Feminist Climate Action in West Africa project, which empowers rural women and youth in coastal and island regions to adopt climate-resilient agroecological practices. He shared examples of interventions, including agroforestry, oyster farming, and market gardening, designed to enhance biodiversity while providing sustainable income sources. Key activities include training programs on climate policies and technical assistance for implementing micro-livestock systems, beekeeping, and solar energy technologies. El Hadji stressed the importance of engaging youth to ensure the sustainability of these practices, as well as their role in promoting gender equality and biodiversity protection.

Conclusion

The NAbSA Dialogue on “Sustainable Livelihoods and Alternative Enhancements” provided valuable insights into integrating biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods through NbS. Panellists showcased innovative tools like the Land Health Monitoring Framework and shared strategies for community engagement through dialogue and media. From facilitating collaborations among agricultural stakeholders to empowering women and youth in rural regions, the session emphasized the potential of NbS to address climate change and support vulnerable communities.

To gain a deeper understanding of these discussions and additional insights from the panelists, listen to the full dialogue recording.