Here we list recent conferences, research and studies of importance for the Food Systems Summit.
(this section is in progress and to be augmented and made more systematic)
Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems
by Prof Walter Willett, MD, Prof Johan Rockström, PhD, Brent Loken, PhD , Marco Springmann, PhD, Prof Tim Lang, PhD, Sonja Vermeulen, PhD, et al.
THE LANCET COMMISSIONS | VOLUME 393, ISSUE 10170, P447-492, FEBRUARY 02, 2019
Food systems have the potential to nurture human health and support environmental sustainability; however, they are currently threatening both. Providing a growing global population with healthy diets from sustainable food systems is an immediate challenge. Although global food production of calories has kept pace with population growth, more than 820 million people have insufficient food and many more consume low-quality diets that cause micronutrient deficiencies and contribute to a substantial rise in the incidence of diet-related obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases, including coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Unhealthy diets pose a greater risk to morbidity and mortality than does unsafe sex, and alcohol, drug, and tobacco use combined. Because much of the world’s population is inadequately nourished and many environmental systems and processes are pushed beyond safe boundaries by food production, a global transformation of the food system is urgently needed.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31788-4/fulltext
Food Systems Transformations toward what? Bioeconomy
Food systems need to transform, but what should be considered the vision of that transformation? One answer is, toward a circular, sustainable bioeconomy in which the food system is embedded as a central component.
The Global Bioeconomy Summit #GBS2020 https://gbs2020.net/ addressed this and other sustainability challenges.
Of significant strategic relevance for the UN Food Systems Summit is the vision and communique
https://gbs2020.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GBS2020_IACGB-Communique.pdf
About 3000 participants discussed in 12 interactive workshop sessions. The plenary agenda on the 19th and 20th of November2020 focused on innovation and a sustainable bioeconomy. Many high-level speakers shared insights on the latest dynamics in global bioeconomy development and the bioeconomy’s role in addressing global crises, discovering bioinnovations, markets and consumer approaches. Five official GBS2020 partners, representing the European Union, Japan, the ASEAN region, Eastern Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
The conference report see at https://gbs2020.net/conference-report/
Reduction of Food Loss and Waste: Recommendations by international researchers and policy advisors
Proceedings of an international conference by Pontifical Academy of Sciences the Vatican and Rockefeller Foundation (Book published 2020) http://www.pas.va/content/dam/accademia/pdf/pas_sv147.pdf
The conference took note of new reports on FLAW problems, such as the State of Food and Agriculture Report (2019) by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and Reducing Food Loss and Waste: Setting a Global Action Agenda (2019) by World Resource Institute (WRI) and a coalition of partners. The findings of these, and other reports, provide a basis for action. The key objectives of the conference are to: (1) share the latest scientific evidence on how to reduce food loss and waste (FLW) and thereby contribute to global food security; and (2) provide recommendations for expanded global and national action by citizens, corporations, governments, and international organizations, and (3) broaden the alliance of actors for more significant impact.
Statement for actions: http://www.pas.va/content/accademia/en/events/2019/food_waste/statement_food.html
Food Safety and Healthy Diet – Recommendations by international researchers and policy makers
Proceedings of an international conference by Pontifical Academy of Sciences the Vatican and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (Report 2018) http://www.pas.va/content/accademia/en/publications/scriptavaria/food.html
Statement for actions: http://www.pas.va/content/accademia/en/events/2018/food/statement.html
Chicago Council on Global Affairs: “Centering Global Food Security for Global Prosperity”
Catherine Bertini, Executive Director, UN World Food Programme (1992 – 2002); Visiting Scholar at the Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University; Executive Director, UN World Food Programme (2012 – 2017) and
Ertharin Cousin, Visiting Scholar at the Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University; Executive Director, UN World Food Programme (2012 – 2017):
“The Biden Administration has the opportunity to build on a strong foundation of work. To strengthen this programming in the next decade, key considerations should include: Creating a more resilient and healthful food system that is capable of absorbing shocks and stressors. Systems thinking— especially the integration of food, nutrition, health, climate, and agriculture—can drive sustainable outcomes. Building inclusive partnerships from the beginning to create sustainable and resilient communities. Investing in agricultural economies beyond US borders should be understood as an investment in critical infrastructure that stretches back to our own heartland.” And Chicago Council’s Policy Recommendations
Deciphering the Biodiversity–Production Mutualism in the Global Food Security Debate
by Ralf Seppelt, Channing Arndt, Michael Beckmann, Emily A. Martin and Thomas W. Hertel, Trends in Ecology & Evolution TREE 2713
“We develop an analytical framework to unpack this biodiversity-production mutualism (BPM), which bridges the research fields of ecology and agroeconomics and makes the trade-off between food security and protection of biodiversity explicit.”
Expert Panel Report “Socio-Technical Innovation Bundles for Agri-Food Systems Transformation”
A Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability/ Nature Sustainability Expert Panel Report
https://www.nature.com/documents/Bundles_agrifood_transformation.pdf
The food systems approach in practice: Our guide for sustainable transformation
Discussion Paper by Koen Dekeyser, Francesco Rampa, Cecilia D’Alessandro and Paulina Bizzotto Molina, ECDPM paper, July 2020
https://ecdpm.org/publications/food-systems-approach-in-practice-guide-sustainable-transformation
About the Sustainable Agrifood Systems Strategies (SASS) project: https://ecdpm.org/dossiers/sustainable-agrifood-systems-strategies/
OECD Reports
OECD (2021) Making Better Policies for Food Systems, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/ddfba4de-en
On policies to encourage healthier food choices, see Giner, C. and J. Brooks (2019), “Policies for encouraging healthier food choices”, OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 137, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/11a42b51-en
Regarding the costs of overweight and obesity, see OECD (2019), The Heavy Burden of Obesity: The Economics of Prevention, OECD Health Policy Studies, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/67450d67-en
OECD Food Systems portal: https://www.oecd.org/food-systems/
Report “Resilient Food Systems”
Transformations within reach: Pathways to a sustainable and resilient world
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and the International Science Council
Lead Authors: F. Sperling, P. Havlík, M. Denis, H. Valin, A. Palazzo, F. Gaupp, and P. Visconti
http://pure.iiasa.ac.at/id/eprint/16822/
A world without hunger is possible. Conference October 13th, 2020
Program: https://www.weltohnehunger.org/what-must-be-done.html
Policy Brief and research papers: https://www.zef.de/fileadmin/downloads/SDG2_policybrief.pdf
www.bmz.de/zef-fao_publikation
www.bmz.de/Ceres2030-Studie
CERES2030
https://ceres2030.org/about/
Sustainable solutions to end hunger (summary report) Oct 13, 2020
https://ceres2030.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/ceres2030_launch-summary-report.pdf
3rd global conference of the One Planet network’s Sustainable Food Systems (SFS)
(25th November to 3rd December 2020)
1) The Outcome Document of the conference
2) SFS Programme “Towards a Common Understanding of Sustainable Food Systems”
“Promoting youth engagement and employment in agriculture and food systems”
The HLPE’s e-consultation on the V0-draft of its 16th report
CONSULTATION Open until: 07.01.2021
Bold Actions for Food as a Force for Good (Conference and consultations: November 23-24, 2020)
https://www.weforum.org/events/bold-actions-for-food-as-a-force-for-good-2020/
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/11/how-to-create-sustainable-food-systems/
The Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition
https://www.glopan.org/
Report ‘Future Food Systems: For people, our planet, and prosperity’ 29th September 2020
https://www.glopan.org/foresight2/