New report released: Outcomes from the EUFIC-FAO UN Food Systems Summit Independent Dialogue
Last Updated : 17 March 2021More than 100 stakeholders from academia, governments, policymaking, private sector, and civil society gathered today for the first independent Food Systems Summit Dialogue co-organized by EUFIC and the Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) Liaison Office in Brussels.
The report is now available and has been transmitted to the UN Secretariat, feeding into the preparatory process towards the UN Food Systems Summit in September. The Summit Secretariat will synthesize the outcomes of the dialogues being organized around the world and make them available for the pre-summit event in Rome in July 2021.
The event, “Walking the talk: healthy and sustainable food systems through aligned evidence-based communication and policy”, was held in the context of the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS). Following the synergies of the EU Farm to Fork Strategy and CFS Voluntary Guidelines for Food System and Nutrition, the summit dialogue connected often-fragmented nutritional and environmental conversations to agree on an aligned vision. High-level speakers and participants proposed targeted and accountable actions that would lead to better policy coherence in the food system, and to a food environment that is inclusive and benefits all citizens and the planet.
After a welcome by curator and EUFIC Head of Food and Health Science, Milka Sokolović, participants were introduced to the goals and ambitions of the UN Food Systems Summit by Deputy to the Special Envoy for the UN Food Systems Summit, Martin Frick, and Senior Advisor on the Food Systems Summit Dialogues, David Nabarro.
In welcoming the speakers and participants, EUFIC Director-General Laura Fernández Celemín and FAO Brussels Director Rodrigo de Lapuerta highlighted the power of aligned communication and partnerships in achieving better nutrition and sustainable food systems.
EUFIC Director-General Laura Fernández Celemín said: “Engaging different actors of society as agents of change, through aligning communication from a food systems perspective, brings mutual benefits and increases our chances to mobilize society into change.”
FAO Brussels Director, Rodrigo de Lapuerta, commented: “From Brussels, we are working closely with so many partners to empower all countries around the world to do their part to build more inclusive and sustainable food systems, in keeping with their national priorities, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.”
The opening remarks were followed by a plenary meeting with contributions from several high-level speakers:
- Jamie Morrison, Director of the FAO Food Systems and Food Safety Division
- Carla Montesi, EU Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) Director for the Green Deal and Digital Agenda
- John Bell, EU Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) Director for a Healthy Planet
- Isabel Carvalhais Member of the European Parliament and the European Parliamentary Alliance against Hunger and Malnutrition
- João Breda, Special Adviser at WHO Regional Office for Europe
- Barbara Pesce-Monteiro, Director of the UNDP office in Brussels and the UN Secretary-General’s representative to the EU
Later, dialogue participants met for virtual conversations in breakout sessions, where experts exchanged views on specific questions ranging from policymaking on food-policy choices to sustainable production and food waste. Facilitators of the breakout session shared their findings in the plenary session.
The Food Systems Summit Dialogues are a global series designed to encourage collective action for transforming our food systems as an official platform for discussions within the UNFSS.
The recording of the opening session is available here.
