Who We Are
The Just Rural Transition puts people at the centre of global efforts to transform food and land use systems to meet climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development goals.
We foster a community of purpose of public and private sector stakeholders designing, implementing, and scaling integrated and inclusive approaches that contribute to the objectives of the JRT Vision Statement– through their own commitments and by forging new partnerships.
The Challenge
While more food is being produced today than ever before, food systems are failing to deliver for people, nature and climate.
- Two billion people lack access to sufficient, nutritious food.
- Agriculture workers and their families make up two thirds of the 740 million people facing extreme poverty.
- Over a billion tonnes of food is wasted each year.
- Rural and indigenous communities, food production and key ecosystems are under growing stress from climate change.
Providing nutritious food to a growing global population while protecting vital natural systems which sustain life is a key challenge of this decade.
The Opportunity
The Just Rural Transition promotes solutions that recognise and reward people for the actions they take to protect the environment and promote access to healthy, safe, and nutritious food.
Food producers are at the heart of our food systems. They play an essential role in shaping solutions to scale up sustainable agriculture and a just rural transition that enhances resilient livelihoods and rural communities.
Launched at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit, the JRT aims to transform food and land use systems by:
- Building an action-oriented evidence base
- Mobilising stakeholders and catalyse partnerships
- Strengthening collective purpose
Vision and Endorsers
A wide range of countries and organizations endorse the work and vision of the JRT: transforming the way we produce and consume food to be healthier, more sustainable, and more equitable.
International Engagement
The JRT helps forge a common vision and collective leadership. We engage leaders at national, regional, and international levels to increase awareness and accelerate action by a broad range of stakeholders.
The JRT will highlight sustainable agriculture and the principles of a just transition within the United Kingdom’s COP26 Presidency, as a key focus of its 2021 Nature Campaign, as well as through the UN Food Systems Summit (FSS).
Funders
We are grateful for the support of our funder(s), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and ClimateWorks Foundation. We also recognise and welcome the valuable in-kind contributions of members of the JRT community. To discuss opportunities to support our work, please contact jrt@merid.org.