Bridging Climate Action and Food Systems: Reflections from the 16th FABLE Consortium Meeting in Istanbul

The FABLE Consortium gathered in Istanbul, Türkiye, for a three-day hybrid meeting that brought together an international group of 57 experts from research institutes, universities, international organizations, and the private sector. Hosted by the FABLE Türkiye team, led by Bahçeşehir University's Research Center for Sustainable Food Systems (BAU SUGAM), the event explored how participatory modelling can support countries in building sustainable food and land-use systems.

The FABLE Secretariat — co-led by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) — joined FABLE country teams in interactive sessions that captured the essence of what FABLE represents: a bottom-up, country-led approach driven by local researchers, innovation, and global collaboration.

Setting the Stage: Türkiye’s Climate Commitments and Agrifood Challenges

Prof. Ahmet Beşkese, BAU Vice-Rector, and Dr. Ayşegül Selişik, Assistant Representative of FAO Türkiye, opened the discussion with an overview of the country's food and land-use system, highlighting the key challenges ahead. They were followed by a diverse panel of food system experts representing the Turkish agro-food industry, research, farmers, and humanitarian aid, which unpacked the complexities of Türkiye’s agrifood landscape and explored opportunities toward greater resilience and sustainability.

Türkiye has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 41% by 2030, and the agriculture and land use sector accounts for 12% of emissions, offering great potential for carbon sequestration and climate resilience. As Türkiye faces intensifying drought and demographic shifts, its farmers, who make up one-fifth of the population, are feeling the pressure. Water-intensive crops like corn remain highly profitable, despite government incentives to shift away from corn cultivation. Water is largely sourced from underground, particularly for crops like corn and sugar beet, and only about 10% of farmers use modern irrigation systems. In addition, government attempts to regulate water use are undermined by illegal water extraction and the difficulty of monitoring long canals.

Despite national climate targets and policy reforms, Türkiye’s complex premium-based subsidies are not aligned with resilience goals, failing to protect farmers against income loss from failed climate-smart innovations. Extension services exist (each region has a Ministry of Agriculture office), but there is a large distrust among farmers against these engineers.

Food security remains a regional concern, with climate-linked conflict driving up food prices and vulnerability. WFP purchases food from Türkiye but distributes it to neighboring countries. 80% of WFP’s budget is spent on conflict-related issues, many of which are linked to climate change and water scarcity. Recently, climate change and conflict have raised food prices, while simultaneously increasing the number of vulnerable people needing assistance.

Against this backdrop, the private sector is emerging as a strong responder to fill the gap. Companies like Tiryaki Agro have adopted a “pragmatic sustainability” approach to their operations. They are taking measures to embed sustainability across the supply chain, providing certified seeds to farmers to trial agroecological practices and promoting plant-based proteins. They are also supporting women farmers and helping older rural populations stay in business through contract farming and technical support.

How Can Scientists Collaborate Better with Governments?

One of the most valuable exchanges at the FABLE Consortium meeting centered on policy engagement. Teams from Argentina, Colombia, Denmark, Ethiopia, Greece, Norway, Sweden, India, Nepal, and the UK shared insights from their experiences working with governments to turn research into action.

While political systems and priorities vary across countries, teams agreed that successful engagement relies not just on good science but on timing, trust, and strategic networks. The session offered practical lessons for researchers navigating the space between evidence and policy, where impact depends as much on relationships and responsiveness as it does on technical expertise.

Looking Ahead: Rethinking the Scenathons for Greater Impact

FABLE members exchanged on the latest innovations to advance the relevance and accessibility of FABLE tools and methods. These included approaches to compute bilateral trade flows and consumption-based footprints led by the Secretariat and FABLE Canada, as well as efforts to connect the FABLE Calculator to energy policy models, led by FABLE Greece. Teams like India and the UK led discussions on creating sub-national calculators, and teams from Denmark and Ethiopia shared their experience in calibrating GHG emissions with national inventories. Members also explored ways to explore links between agroecology, livestock systems, and nitrogen, as well as integrate health indicators into the model to estimate the impact of climate-friendly diets on non-communicable diseases.

Moving forward, FABLE members laid the groundwork for the Consortium's next phase and the future of Scenathons. Discussions focused on how to make these scenario modeling exercises more inclusive and accessible to policymakers through simplified online platforms, AI tools, and clearer framing around today’s most urgent policy questions. Country teams began translating these ideas into concrete proposals and outlining strategies to expand fundraising and engage new funding partners who could support and scale FABLE’s research and policy impact.