Category: News

Volker ter Meulen, President of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), introduced a set of updated studies by the world’s alliance of 140 academies on science, technology and innovation for transforming food systems. The studies offer clear recommendations, including setting up a process similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) with a focus on food which could function as a structured science-policy interface. Studies on science for a sustainable food system in Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia were also presented.  

Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See, highlighted the Vatican’s expectations of the Summit, including a focus on small-scale producers and attention to conflict resolution for food security.

FAO Director General, QU Dongyu emphasized the role of science and innovation in the transformation of agri-food systems and the need to increase investment in science. UN Special Envoy for the Food Systems Summit Agnes Kalibata stressed the importance of using science, policy and innovation to end hunger and improve livelihoods in the food system. She underlined the important role of the Scientific Group for the science- and evidence-based Summit agenda.

Cardinal Turkson from Ghana, also quoting Pope Francis, requested that we must not forget that hunger is unacceptable. He stressed that finance for the action agenda to end hunger must be mobilized through the Summit.

The program of the workshop is available here. The deliberations will be shared in due course on the PAS youtube channel.

 

Photo credit: Gabriella Clare Marino

Today (April 8th ) Prof. Joachim von Braun and Prof. Mohamed Hassan – Chair and Vice Chair of the Scientific Group, met with leaders of the G77 countries and the G77 Secretariat to brief them about the role and insights of the Scientific Group for the UN Food Systems Summit.

The Chair of the G77 H.E. Ambassador Aly Diane welcomed and appreciated the briefing by Scientific Group. Following the presentation from Scientific Group the discussion focused on opportunities of G77 science systems involvement, partnerships, capacity building for food and agriculture, gender, youth, trade, instability and risks in food systems, water, as well as the connection to the climate agenda and other global agendas.

Shift to Healthy and Sustainable Consumption Patterns: Read here.

Boost Nature Positive Production: Read here.

A virtual meeting of the members of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), members of the Scientific Group (ScG) of the UN FSS, the Global Hub of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and members of the scientific community of indigenous peoples was held on March 31, 2021. Chairperson ScG Joachim von Braun, Vice Chair Kaosar Afsana, and members Ismahane Eloufi and Maximo Terero attended the meeting. This exchange between the Scientific Group and the knowledge communities of the Indigenous peoples was very much appreciated by both sides who so far rarely exchanged their perspectives.

The meeting was held to discuss the draft white paper “Acknowledging indigenous peoples’ knowledge and practices as game-changing solutions” or “The Whipala” paper prepared for the UN FSS. The participants summarized the key messages of the Whipala paper including, the demands for the recognition of indigenous knowledge, recognition of the rights of indigenous people on their land and natural resources and amplifying indigenous voices. The speakers noted the diversity of indigenous food systems and their significance as game-changers for the transformation of the food systems around the world.

Chair of UNPFII, Anne Nuorgam, Indigenous Leader in the Advisory Group of UN FSS, Dr. Myrna Cunningham, UNPFII North America Expert, Geoffrey Roth, FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit Chief, Yon Fernández-de-Larrinoa, and Asian Indigenous Peoples Pact Executive Director, Gam Shimray were among the speakers at the event. Dr. Tania Martinez Cruz of the University of Greenwich and Bak Phrang Roy, the coordinator of Indigenous Partnership for Agrobiodiversity and Food Sovereignty also spoke at the event. The meeting was facilitated by Anne Brunel, co-coordinator Global-Hub Indigenous peoples´ food systems.

Members of the ScG gave their remarks on the draft Whipala paper. The potential of indigenous knowledge in solving problems faced by global food systems was acknowledged and a need for highlighting this was stressed. Moreover, the importance of highlighting the contribution of indigenous food systems in attaining the SDGs was also noted.

The Chair of Inuit Circumpolar Council, Dr. Dalee Sambo Dorough and Joachim Von Braun presented the way forward on the Whipala paper. von Braun emphasized the importance of connecting traditional knowledge and new science for innovation, even in urbanized contexts. Detailed comments on the paper will be shared with the authors.

Researchers from public institutions and researchers from the private sector for the first time had a structured meeting to explore science and innovation opportunities that may enhance UN Food Systems Summit objectives. The Chairperson of the Scientific Group (ScG) of the Food Systems Summit (FSS), Joachim von Braun, the Vice Chairperson Mohamed Hasan, and other members of the ScG held a meeting with scientists affiliated with the food and agriculture related private sector industries. The two-hour virtual meeting was held on March 29, 2021. ScG members Rattan Lal, Uma Lele, Lynette Neufeld, David Zilberman, Elizabeth Hudson, and Kaoru Kaitajima also attended the meeting. More than 30 scientists working in the food and agriculture related private sector and public-private partnerships were in attendance. Representatives of large corporations including Nestle, Meiji Food, Cargill, Corteva as well as those of start-ups, small-scale companies, and digital platforms were present. The meeting was chaired by Robynne Anderson, the Director General of the International Agro-Food Network, and the Private Sector Mechanism of the UN Committee on Food Security.

The Chairperson ScG Joachim von Braun briefed the participants on the FSS processes highlighting the tasks of the ScG. Representatives of the private sector presented the focus areas of the research undertaken by their respective companies. The focus of these presentations was on creating inclusive value chains and the environmental outcomes. Presentations were followed by open discussion, including the scope to tackle property rights issues for food systems transformations.

Chairperson ScG Joachim von Braun emphasized that innovation of food systems would benefit from engagement of academia in both, the public and the private sectors. Further meetings of the ScG with the scientific community of the private sector are planned. The speakers were also invited to submit short briefs to the Scientific Group on the innovations shared during the meeting. Detailed notes on the meeting will be shared on the website of the Scientific Group sc-fss2021.org.

Ensuring Access to Safe and Nutritious Food for All Through Transformation of Food Systems: Read here.

The Scientific Group has assembled most relevant recent publications that can inform propositions for actions in food systems. The data base will be continuously updated with new sources.

» Read publications

On March 17^th, 2021 Joachim von Braun – Chair of the Scientific Group for the Food Systems Summit – and Maximo Torero – Chief Economist of FAO and member of Scientific Group – presented to the “Group of Friends of the Food Systems Summit”, i.e. the Ambassadors and delegates of countries to the Rome based UN food organizations on “cost of ending hunger and the true / hidden cost of food” as well as progress in the Scientific Group’s work for the Summit. About 130 Ambassadors participated in the 2-hour session.

von Braun highlighted that Food Systems Summit actions need to focus on an optimal mix of investments adjusted to country circumstances “with a strong emphasis on science and innovation in agriculture, on women, and on social safety nets”.

Maximo Torero highlighted the important role of disaggregated global modelling that captures local contexts for priority setting of policy and program actions.

“Investment Costs and Policy Action for Reaching a World without Hunger (SDG 2)”
» Presentation of Joachim von Braun and Maximo Torero

Two papers prepared by the Scientific Group are available now after extensive external peer review. They provide information to facilitate discussion for transparent and evidence-based Summit preparations.

The paper “Food Systems – Definition, Concept and Application for the UN Food Systems Summit” provides a food systems concept that can be used for the UN Food Systems Summit.

[ Download ]

The paper “Healthy diet: A definition for the United Nations Food Systems Summit 2021” proposes a definition of healthy diets and related evidence, thus permitting the alignment of terminology for the Food Systems Summit.

[ Download ]

Read further Scientific Group Reports here.