2016: A seed to be sown
The idea of a coalition focused on food and land use systems emerged when a group of individuals and organizations from the New Climate Economy and the Business and Sustainable Development Commission gathered to discuss why the world needed a detailed economic roadmap for food and land use systems transformation – something that did not exist at the time.
2017: Building bridges
An initial FOLU secretariat was formed at SYSTEMIQ. A small team began developing close relationships with both global and national stakeholders. Eight organizations joined as core partners and platforms were created in Colombia, Ethiopia, and Indonesia. The Food and Land Use Coalition was established.
In 2018, Melissa Pinfield stepped in as the coalition’s first Program Director.
The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, with its Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Land Use and Bio-Energy (FABLE) Consortium, became a partner.
2019: Growing Better
The case for global change in food and land use systems still needed to be made. In late 2018, experts from across the coalition began work on a reform agenda centered on ten transition areas that would help deliver the change that was urgently required. Published in September 2019, this reform agenda became known as the ‘Growing Better’ report and has since become a reference document, with its findings cited far and wide.
China and India joined as new national platforms and the World Farmers’ Organization became the Coalition’s ninth core partner.
2020: Paving the way
Guided by Growing Better, FOLU developed its new strategy with a strong focus on country efforts.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, FOLU monitored its impact on food and land use systems and issued a call to action for world leaders.
2021 - 2022: Forming roots
In the early part of 2021, FOLU’s global secretariat moved from SYSTEMIQ to the World Resources Institute (WRI). Morgan Gillespy joined as the new Executive Director the same year and the coalition began to implement its new strategy.
Today, country platforms continue to grow their teams, and the coalition is now a community of over 200 people.
