NOW Partners Foundation

NOW Partners Foundation is honored to be included in Food Tank's "125 Food and Agriculture Organizations to Watch in 2025" alongside many inspiring and impactful organizations.?Thank you Food Tank for the recognition! ?? From Food Tank: "The momentum to transform food and agriculture systems has never been more urgent—or more inspiring. Around the world, organizations are driving change through initiatives designed and led by farmers to build climate resilience. They are creating bold partnerships that bring together visionaries and amplify new perspectives." "These organizations are advocating for people- and farmer-centered policies that will make healthy, delicious, and regeneratively grown food more affordable and accessible and more economically sustainable for producers. These leaders are addressing the crises of today. And they are building the systems that communities need for tomorrow—those that nourish, sustain, and unite us all." ?? Read the full piece: https://lnkd.in/eEgwZezV ?? Learn more about NOW's work in Regenerative Agriculture and Land Use: https://lnkd.in/gUs5BQ4g GrowNYC Green Bronx Machine Heifer International Harlem Grown IndigeHub Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture ICIPE - International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) @International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems The James Beard Foundation Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future Just Food Justice for Migrant Women Kids In Nutrition (KIN) La Via Campesina Landesa Milken Institute Modern Farmer @Movimento de Pescadores e Pescadoras Artesanais National Smallholder Farmers Association of Malawi (NASFAM) National Young Farmers Coalition Native Farm Bill Coalition Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) @New African Society Niman Ranch Next Generation Foundation @North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NāTIFS) Noosa Environmental Education Hub NOW Partners Foundation One Fair Wage @Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Practical Farmers of Iowa Project Drawdown ProVeg International Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) Rainforest Alliance re?generation ReFED Regen10 @Rescatemos El Valle Rodale Institute Rythu Sadhikara Samstha Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement SDG2 Advocacy Hub SEKEM Group Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) - Kerala Senegalese Ministry of Microfinance and Social and Solidarity Economy Association for the Promotion of Development at the Base (Asprodeb) Sicangu Food Sovereignty Initiative (SFSI)

“There is one thing we know for sure and that is that times are changing” We talk about System Change and Systems Thinking a lot, but what does that actually mean? In Brussels, we asked friends and partners who joined us on their take on our current transition and system complexities. To Merijn Dols, Managing Partner at NOW Partners Foundation it’s crucial to understand that large system shifts happen from the fringes. What he also emphasized? The critical role of pioneering farmers in transforming agrifood systems towards greater resilience and decentralization. For too long, economies of scale and resource efficiency have justified a push toward centralized food systems—but at what cost? An increased system fragility due to the immense distance between food sources and consumers, making the whole system more vulnerable to disruptions. ?? Unlike centralized models with fewer production hubs, decentralized systems reduce single points of failure and strengthen food security at regional levels. ???? By bringing farmers’ voices into the discussion, we can co-design a system that is less fragile, more adaptive, and better equipped to face future challenges. Each actor in the food system—farmers, policymakers, businesses—has a role in shaping resilience, contributing unique knowledge, experiences, and strategies. The EARA Regenerating Europe Tour will be a key moment to foster dialogue, collaboration, and shared vision among farmers, policymakers, and stakeholders. It aims to build a strong consensus for a systemic transformation—one that is resilient, adaptable, and capable of meeting the evolving challenges of the future. Articles used to support this post: - https://lnkd.in/euu4MuBr? - https://lnkd.in/eEYcRRu9?

NOW Partners Foundation wishes you a Happy New Year! Towards a regenerative economy together in 2025. ?? Stay tuned for more information about NOW's regenerative agriculture, finance, industry and leadership initiatives. #RegenerativeValueCreation #RegenerativeEconomy www.now.partners

At COP16Riyadh, Walter Link, CEO of NOW Partners Foundation, was honored to speak at the invitation of HH Princess Mashael AlShalan and HH Princess Noura bint Turki Al-Saud, at the session hosted by AEON Collective. The event, "Voices from the Land: Documenting Traditional Knowledge for Sustainable Land Management" was held in the Science-Policy Interface Pavilion, and featured colleagues from the @Oman Botanical Garden. ?? Learn more about the AEON Collective's recently launched 'Tree Library': https://lnkd.in/gFgryxzv ?? More about the Future Economy Forum events at COP16:?https://lnkd.in/gwiRnGaC

NOW Partners Foundation in the Blue Zone at COP16Riyadh: Regenerative Agriculture and Nature-based, Science-backed Innovation: Empowering Farmers as Stewards. Covered for the International Institute for Sustainable Development by Delia Paul. Side event co-hosted with Future Economy Forum, EoL Global, Natural Capitalism Solutions, and SEKEM Group. ?? Speakers: Walter Link, President and Founder of NOW, Co-Founder of Economy of Love Global. (moderator) Professor Hunter Lovins, President and Founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions , Author of 19 books, Professor at Fordham University Merijn Dols, Co-Founder of the Future Economy Forum, former Head of Global Innovation and Circularity at Danone Professor Ahmed Elshazly, CEO of Heliopolis University , SEKEM Group Laura Santucci, former Chief of Staff UN World Food Programme WFP and President Obama's White House political operations. ?? Key Insights: “Regenerative agriculture combines traditional and new practices to create benefits for people and nature, resulting in increased yields, more nutritious produce, higher household incomes, and increased biodiversity. Speakers and participants at this event cited examples from India and Egypt to illustrate the benefits to farmers: first, from applying regenerative principles; and second, from sale of carbon credits from soil carbon sequestration.” Walter Link: “Desertification occurs not only over large land areas, but also on parts of farmland that are no longer productive, because of the over-use of chemicals. This can be reversed using combinations of traditional methods with new innovations” Hunter Lovins: “Peer-reviewed scientific research shows livestock grazing increases mycorrhizal fungi and promotes soil carbon—a process that is “driving climate change back at a profit”—whereas chemical-based agriculture poisons the fungi and leads to decline in the nutritional value of crops.“ Laura Santucci: “Change happens, not only because of data and evidence, but because science and storytelling together can win over the hearts and minds of policymakers.“ ?? Read the full piece: https://lnkd.in/gwC_tEnS Photo by IISD/ENB | Angeles Estrada Vigil

NOW Partners Foundation is honored to collaborate with Imar, Engineering Consultants and Climate Solutions at COP16Riyadh. NOW's CEO Walter Link shared the stage with Eng Khalid Al Othman, President of Imar, Engineering Consultants and Climate Solutions, Helmy Abouleish, CEO SEKEM Group and Thoraya Seada, Economy of Love . In the session "Shaping a Greener Future through Carbon Sequestration and Land Rehabilitation" speakers discussed the important potential of whole system carbon credits for financings of climate solutions and as a systemic model of solutions that support carbon sequestration and reversal of desertification globally. ?? Heartfelt thanks to Eng Khalid Al Othman and the Imar team for their partnership and collaboration. ??Upcoming in week 2 of COP16 join NOW's Blue Zone official side events: Mon 9 Dec, 11:00-12:30 (room MET-01) Regenerative Agriculture and Nature-based, Science-backed Innovation: Empowering Farmers as Stewards Tues 10 Dec, 18:00 - 19:30 (room MET-07) Regenerative Agriculture vs. Mechanistic Farming: Building Resilience and Nourishing Communities Wed 11 Dec, 09:00 to 10:30 (room MET-06) Regenerative Agriculture and the Private Sector: Meeting Demand, Combating Food Loss & Waste Wed 11 Dec, 13:00-14.30 (room MET-07) Regenerative Agriculture and Financing the Transition: Mainstreaming Investment for Resilience ?? Full NOW & Future Economy Forum Schedule: https://lnkd.in/eRZjgxYx #COP16 #RegenerativeValueCreation

NOW Partners Foundation at COP16Riyadh advancing Regenerative Agriculture and Nature-based, Science-backed Innovations: Empowering Farmers as Stewards. Join us Monday Dec 9 for this session in the Blue Zone co-hosted with SEKEM Group, Future Economy Forum, Natural Capitalism Solutions and Economy of Love . ?? Session Details: Location: Blue Zone - MET-01 (Area A) Date: Monday, Dec 9 Time: 11:00-12:30 Moderated by Walter Link, NOW Partners Foundation Speakers:? Hunter Lovins, Founder, Natural Capitalism Solutions, Author of 19 books Ahmed Elshazly, @Heliopolis University , @SEKEM Group Laura Santucci, fr. Chief of Staff UN World Food Programme WFP and Obama White House political operations. Merijn Dols, Co-founder, Future Economy Forum, fr. Danone Head of Global Innovation and Circularity Full Future Economy Forum Schedule: https://lnkd.in/eRZjgxYx

Highlights from our first session ‘Shaping a Greener Future through Carbon Sequestration and Land Rehabilitation’ at #UNCCD #COP16_Riyadh, where we discussed groundbreaking topics like carbon markets, afforestation, and agricultural innovations. ?? #Imar_Engineering_Consultants

NOW Partners Foundation is honored to join forces with AEON Collective, partnering at COP16Riyadh to advance regenerative agriculture and forestry as key solutions to combat desertification, climate change, and food insecurity. Together, Aeon and NOW co-hosted a Solutions Dialogue Dinner focused on Carbon Credits and a Green Zone session: "Regenerative Agriculture and Forestry Solutions that Prevent and Reverse Desertification" ?? Key Insights: Princess Noura bint Turki Al-Saud (Aeon Collective): "As stewards of our planet, we have a shared responsibility to prioritize sustainable land management and resilient food systems... By investing in nature-based solutions and empowering smallholder farmers, we not only address critical challenges but also create a path toward equitable and sustainable growth." Princess Mashael AlShalan (Aeon Collective): “The outcome is quite clear: agriculture is front and center in what we need to address with land degradation, and regenerative agriculture is the only solution. Now it's just a question of how do we ensure that we have the frameworks around them that would enable us to do it and deploy it?” Dr. Eliane Ubalijoro (CIFOR-ICRAF): Dr. Ubalijoro emphasized the importance of connecting farmers to farmers, sharing evidence-based practices. "Science tells a story about what nature has gifted us. We need to quiet our own cleverness and listen to the 3.8 billion years of this beautiful experiment called life." @Aline de Paula (Rabobank): "We need to find innovative finance opportunities to support the transition towards regenerative practices, recognizing that 85% of our portfolio is dependent on ecosystem services." Helmy Abouleish (SEKEM Group): What we experience in Egypt is that organic agriculture is part of the solution of so many of the challenges, also providing better livelihoods and cares for people. What we have already now are solutions. And what we need is mechanisms to put these solutions in place in different contexts and apply them. Walter Link (NOW): "Successful agroecology innovations demonstrate on millions of acres how to prevent and reverse desertification. Combining this with market-based mechanisms such as EoL’s Whole System Carbon Credits, farmers are fairly compensated for their crucial ecosystem services and earn better incomes than with chemical ag." Hunter Lovins (NOW & Global Academy): "The global expansion of regenerative agriculture is a key solution to the desertification and climate crises. Only if we make regenerative agriculture into the new mainstream will countries and companies be able reach their ambitious carbon neutrality goals." Merijn Dols (Future Economy Forum):?“Our connection here is on the belief that bringing solution owners together in dialogue, holds a tremendous opportunity and actually is a key to solving these interconnected crises.” ?? Learn more: https://lnkd.in/guSsDBHs Fotos by Lobna elshoky and Gulin Olcer?

NOW Partners Foundation’s Co-founder and Chair Walter Link spoke this week for Land Day and Agri-Food Systems days at COP16Riyadh - the UN's Convention to Combat Desertification. The Blue and Green Zone events included “Combating Desertification, Food Insecurity and Climate Change in Arid Environments Globally,”?"Voices from the Land: Documenting Traditional Knowledge for Sustainable Land Management" and "Shaping a Greener Future through Carbon Sequestration and Land Rehabilitation" ?? Co-hosted by AEON Collective, Imar, Engineering Consultants/Climate Solution, SEKEM Group, Natural Capitalism Solutions, and the Future Economy Forum the events highlighted key points including: ?? Regenerative Agriculture is a fundamental solution capable of combating & reversing desertification. ?? With regenerative agriculture implementation, multiple crises are addressed: food security is improved, climate change is mitigated and climate resilience increased, in addition to many other benefits to biodiversity, community health and regional development. ??Frameworks exist - and are ready to be scaled - that can successfully finance and scale these needed innovations, such as market-based Whole System Carbon Credits as pioneered by the Economy of Love in Egypt and beyond. Thank you to the stellar speakers including: HH Princess Mashael AlShalan (AEON Collective) Eng Khalid Al Othman, Imar, Engineering Consultants / Climate Solutions Helmy Abouleish (SEKEM Group, Co-Chair EoL Global) Thoraya Seada (Heliopolis University) Banan Othman Aline Fernanda de Paula (Rabobank) ?? Check out the full Future Economy Forum Schedule: https://lnkd.in/eRZjgxYx Photo credit: Lobna elshoky