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CONSUMER INFORMATION Most of the information consumers receive about their choices is provided through labeling. However, it would be desirable to encourage greater proximity between producers and consumers so that the flow of information is more direct and transparent. It is desirable that there be greater restrictions on healthy food and WHO standards, promotion of education in school and intervene on the lack of coordination between farmers and consumers maybe through direct contact and selling (local market). Consumers want to know the origin of products and not be misled by marketing and ... قراءة المزيدadvertising (online or on television). Therefore, legislative action is needed to limit marketing restrictions, especially to children and control marketing about healthy food in packaging and in media channels. قراءة القليل

The starting point of this dialogue is that farmers are consumers, but it is not always possible to say the opposite. For this reason, this Summit can help to connect them, possibly at a local level. The reason for supporting such a position lies in the complexity of food systems, which differ from region to region. The complexity of the food system also emerges with respect to its interconnection with other systems, such as health and educational system. In this regard, governments and policy makers play a key role. Dialogue participants emphasized the importance of promoting healthy food cho... قراءة المزيدices through regulations, government policies that really facilitate access to more affordable food, but always do it in a fair way. Above all, they focused on education about healthy, balanced diets beginning in early childhood through school-based programs. Children, in fact, are exposed to what is offered to them and the government has a responsibility to enable them to purchase nutritious and unprocessed food. A coherent legislative framework that supports farmers in the transition to more sustainable production is, therefore, crucial. Farmers need to be placed at the center of the food system as they are not only providing safe and nutritious food, but also providing a whole bunch of ecosystem services for which they are not rewarded. Education also proved to be an indispensable factor for the farmers themselves. It can help in the adoption of innovative techniques that contribute to protecting the environment and reducing the use of agrochemicals. قراءة القليل

The dialogue produced a rich and stimulating debate. Participants were excited to be able to engage with each other on certain burning issues that they normally have no chance to address. The opportunities for the two sides to meet are rare and this has inspired a high and active participation. The dialogue was divided into two parts. The first part dealt with broad and general issues, while the second part explored more specific topics. Participants were divided into 3 break up sessions, each discussing how cooperation between these two groups can help in the transition to a more sustainable ... قراءة المزيدand fair food system. Two rounds of break up sessions were organized. The first one under the following themes: 1) What do farmers and consumers need this summit to deliver? 2) How can farmers and consumers contribute to food systems transformation? 3) What can other stakeholders, including Governments, Private Sector, Civil Society and Science, in the global food system do to help achieve these goals? The second round of break up sessions focused on: What should farmers and consumers expect from the summit in areas such as 1) Consumer information 2) Trade and supply chain 3) Food standards At the end of this discussion, in the plenary session, strategies and visions were developed with respect to future steps that could be leveraged through the process. قراءة القليل

All panellists and participants agreed on the positions expressed and elaborated during this first dialogue. Although there was an emerging need to establish practices that can enhance trust between producers and consumers in the food systems, globally.

RESILIENCE TO VULNERABILITIES In this group, what emerged with respect to resilience and recovery following the pandemic is the imperative of third-party support. Investments are needed, both public and private. All constituencies should be represented and find a voice in this Summit, even more so those who normally enjoy little visibility such as small farmers. In addition, the outcomes need to be reported at the national and regional level, so that what is established here is reflected and turned into action.

FOOD STANDARD Participants expressed undisputed consensus regarding the need for clarity in the information provided to consumers. Although the existence of standards regarding safety or low environmental impact help to encourage a transition to healthier and more sustainable diets, it is not always appreciated by consumers. Sometimes, in fact, the existence of too many labels such as environmental, nutritional, and health claims can be misleading and confusing. In addition, it is worth noting that the existence of different legislative frameworks in different countries can be a barrier for pr... قراءة المزيدoducers to market their goods. Finally, it is desirable that the required standards are achievable and prevent the creation of a market dominated exclusively by large companies. At the same time, farmers need to be flexible and able to adapt to what consumers demand in terms of nutrient values. قراءة القليل

TRADE AND SUPPLY CHAIN According to the participants, the assumption is that producers and consumers present differences that must be taken into account when it comes to trading. In this regard, it is important to find a balance between the needs of both and to avoid the loss of traceability in trade. In fact, traceability also serves to increase consumer awareness and explain to them what are the impact on the environment, on the health, on their own well-being, and try to make the trade in the supply chain less harmful as possible and leaving no one behind.

CONSUMER INFORMATION Regarding this issue, the participants have expressed the desire to deliver, prior to the Food Systems Summit, a document that contains a series of points agreed upon by both parties involved and which lists best practices that regulate the production process. The hope is that this document (e.g. a shared manifesto) can be included the Summit outcome, as a special recommendation to the Governments. Specifically, it is desirable to identify the correct criteria and information for setting prices in order to avoid price fluctuations that harm both consumers and producers. Th... قراءة المزيدere can often be an incorrect perception about the profitability obtained by producers and it is, therefore, important to find solutions that break down the existing boundaries between farmers and consumers..It is one of the key priority that brings farmers and consumers together at this Summit. قراءة القليل

The key point that clearly emerged during this Dialogue is the need expressed by both parties to fill the knowledge gap between farmers and consumers. The importance of strengthening the collaboration between the two actors was reiterated several times, so that they can understand the process behind the food they eat and appreciate its quality. This should apply both in short and in long food value chain. In fact, it was reiterated that both parties share the same interests: healthy and nutritious food produced in a way that protects the environment and biodiversity for future generations and ... قراءة المزيدrespectful of safety standards. Direct selling in market places also solves many of the inefficiencies present in the current food system such as food waste and loss, unfair remuneration of farmers and the need to increase awareness and information among consumers. In this regard, one of the most burning issues raised by consumers was precisely that of receiving guarantees about the transparency and traceability of food products and this can be remedied through clear regulatory processes that can grant fair and transparent information to consumers, allowing free choices when buying food products. قراءة القليل

The Dialogue was focused on identifying connections and a spirit of collaboration between farmers and consumers on which to build an alliance, and exploring common priorities and how they intertwine. Participants were divided into 4 break up sessions, each discussing how cooperation between these two groups can help in the transition to a more sustainable and fair food system. Two rounds of break up sessions were organized. The first one under the following themes: 1) What do farmers and consumers need this summit to deliver? 2) How can farmers and consumers contribute to food systems transfor... قراءة المزيدmation? 3) What can other stakeholders in the global food system do to help achieve these goals? 4) What can governments do to enable an environment where farmers and consumers can better co-operate? The second round of break up sessions focused on what should farmers and consumers expect from the summit in areas such as 1) Consumer information 2) Trade and supply chains 3) Food standards 4) Resilience to vulnerability At the end of this discussion, in the plenary session, strategies and visions were developed with respect to future steps that could be leveraged through the process. قراءة القليل

No critical divergences emerged between participants’ views and opinions, although some potential areas of conflict/trade-off were identified: • Discussions on actions are driven by political concepts, preventing their translation into on-the-ground actions, and not shaped to real priorities and challenges specific to the Mediterranean context. • The challenge of the diversity of Mediterranean countries, the variety of their food cultures and systems, and how dietary patterns differ across dimensions (environmental, economic, socio-cultural, health) and countries emerged strongly. Devisi... قراءة المزيدng a single, common label that addresses all sustainability dimensions was also acknowledged to be a challenge. • Decision-making processes were felt to not always be inclusive of all stakeholders, in particular the most vulnerable. For example, it was noted that while sustainable development is linked to innovation and there is a general need for new ideas, there are possible trade-offs in terms of social inclusion. We need to be vigilant in order to avoid that technology fosters exclusion in the most fragile parts of society. Women can lead on this process. Exchanges and peer to peer interactions were recognised as providing a way to bridge the skill gap in this regard. • How to overcome the limited interaction between SMEs and R&I Centres was debated. To manage this aspect, it was recognized that it would be useful to promote innovation-transfer pathways, co-creation experiences (e.g. living labs), knowledge-exchanges, and greater recognition of different professional development for researchers and academics. قراءة القليل

The group has reiterated the multi-faceted aspect of innovation, intended to be technological, organizational, social and ecological. The different dimensions have been highlighted, including frugal innovation and those experiences that enhance a stronger connection between farmers and consumers. Political and institutional stability is much needed in the region and it is considered a pre-condition for innovative ecosystems. Therefore, adequate support by relevant organizations is required, as well as more coherent and ambitious investments plans towards research and innovation. A first concre... قراءة المزيدte action to be considered is an incentive for researchers to opt for innovation with specific rewards and recognition for their professional advancements. Too often, in fact, academia requires researchers to mainly focus on publications and theoretical knowledge disregarding applied research, with the consequence that oftentimes researchers do not engage in confronting challenge-based solutions, or market-oriented innovations, since these experiences would have a very limited impact for their professional career. Bridging the gap between University and Business might be beneficial in favouring an innovative ecosystem. An important legal framework and support concerning the protection of Intellectual Property is also considered useful in promoting innovation. The current mechanisms are perceived as inadequate and unfriendly for researchers and innovators in the region. To strengthen further innovation, a suggested action entails putting in place or strengthening existing financial mechanisms to de-risk the costs related to innovation. Specific insurance schemes or financial support for early stage innovation could be expanded and mainstreamed, thanks to the relevant public and private alliance. Considering the multi-dimension of innovation and the specificities of the Mediterranean area, it is worth emphasizing that specific profiles and expertise are required. To that end, it would be impactful to invest in education and learning activities meant to create those competences and professional figures, such as innovation brokers, that could facilitate the uptake of innovation, promote access to it and implement scaling-up tracks. Investing in those competences and profiles would enhance the transfer of knowledge from research centres to applied fields. In this perspective, in addition to innovation brokers and innovation managers as key figures to be valorised, a pivotal role is also attributed to those centres such as living labs, characterized by a multi-stakeholder, where a co-creation experience can take place, oftentimes with a specific challenge-based approach. The debate has also put together innovation and Mediterranean Diet. The latter is well aligned with the different dimensions of sustainability (economic, social, environmental) and it has a positive contribution in terms of health. Therefore, the valorisation of the Med diet can constitute a lever for innovation for the business sector, which is progressively called upon to adopt sustainable models. In that transition, innovation is a fundamental instrument. قراءة القليل

• Youth and women constitute a huge resource as agent for change and the future of each country’s development. They are and can be a catalyst for positive change and a source of creativity and innovation, if an enabling environment is provided. • In the MENA region, the female labour force participation rate is about 20% - the lowest in the world. • There is a general need to invest in processes that boost gender equality, breaking silos training, building professionalization pathways and avoiding “itemising” youth and women empowerment, instead pushing for horizontal integration i... قراءة المزيدn Food Systems. In order to this, co-creation and co-design is key. Particularly, women need to be fully recognized as agents of change. • Innovative approaches, such as social economy based on social inclusion and right based agriculture are also their role to play in job creation for all. • Other risks of exclusion are brought by skill mismatch, which risks leaving behind youth whose skills are not responding to the labour market or are unable to create enterprises. There is therefore a need for fostering employability and entrepreneurship in the region using SFS as a lever (e.g. targeting food production for improving child nutrition). • Innovation and communication systems easily involve youth. ICT can be used for increasing information about agriculture through participatory systems. • We need to increase awareness of Food systems through all sectors, including social, climate change, food security, ITC for rural women, which are the majority in rural areas (60%). Awareness contributes also to shaping consumer demand, which in turn influences the economy. Pilot actions should also be considering approaches on a sub-region level. • We need to improve data gathering in rural area and also do a proper recognition of existing funding instruments. • There is a need to understand how to minimize trade-offs, e.g. in the case of innovation (see below). • Research and academia can contribute significantly more to development and a systemic effort should be done in order to explore how to ensure this connection. Additionally, most efforts are done on startups and established initiatives, while more should be done for investing in transition, from startup to stability. Research needs to be more connected to the field, and pilot actions can help on this regard. • Research bodies in earth and maritime sciences should integrate gender studies. At the moment this is insufficient, and this is important because trained students are tomorrow’s policymakers. قراءة القليل

• The UN New Urban Agenda (2016) recognizes the centrality of food security and nutrition in planning for sustainable cities. Over 200 cities of the world have signed the Milan Urban Food Policy pact, pledging to «develop sustainable food systems that are inclusive, resilient, safe and diverse». The FAO has developed a framework for the Urban Food Agenda, and the CFS has developed Voluntary Guidelines on Food Systems and Nutrition. • Several actions were proposed as potential game-changers to support food systems transformation in the Mediterranean: • Promote integrated urban/local foo... قراءة المزيدd policies with a focus of territorial systems, considering the links between town and countryside, as a way to adopt a systemic approach. Examples include food procurement, school feeding, education programmes, food waste and circular economy, links with tourism, among others; policy support should also include actions to promote the inclusion of food systems in urban territorial planning in Mediterranean cities. • Support multi-stakeholder governance at local level, such as Food Policy Councils, food alliances or similar governance tools in Mediterranean cities to include all voices in the decision-making related to food in cities, as well as to facilitate alignment among different levels where food policy is developed and/or implemented. • Promote and support food systems networks in the Mediterranean, involving cities from all shores (Northern, Southern, Eastern). These may include networks of cities (e.g. possibly within existing networks, such as the MUFPP) and networks of practitioners (e.g. within existing platforms, such as the SFS-MED Platform). Such networks have a critical role not only to raise awareness and exchange experiences and knowledge, but also to push the change in policies, legislations and consumers perceptions. • Improve availability and quality of data and information on food systems at local level to inform the development of local policies, including through food systems assessments, mapping of food systems and stakeholders at local level in the Mediterranean, assessment of the impact of policies on sustainability dimensions (including nutrition), and others. • Promote knowledge sharing, in particular of innovative practices on citizen-driven food system transformation and other existing good practices and local experiences in leveraging the role of cities for more sustainable food systems. A first step could be to map and consolidate what is known already (including from traditional systems, policy, governance, technologies, etc.) within a knowledge platform on Mediterranean cities and local food systems. Another channel is organizing city-to-city exchanges and knowledge sharing events. • Opportunities include digitalisation, as a way to facilitate a change of organizational patterns between consumers and producers, e.g. supporting the efficiency of short food supply chains, and to give small farmers more power and access to diverse markets and information. • Ongoing processes, such as the EU Farm to Fork Strategy, the Food Systems Summit at global level, and the SFS-MED Platform at regional level provide an opportunity to open-up to other countries and to link up initiatives at municipal level to higher levels (regional, national, international) in order to facilitate the implementation of the above actions. قراءة القليل

Consumer understanding of a sustainable diet is limited. Stakeholders need to raise consumer awareness on the value of the Mediterranean diet (MedD) as a sustainable diet, protecting it as cultural heritage, halting its erosion and harnessing its role in resilience. Any voluntary guidelines for a sustainable, healthy MedD need to be country-specific. Possible actions Country: •Study interactions between population groups and various food environments to identify facilitators and barriers for adopting a sustainable MedD. •Develop targeted MedD campaigns for diverse population groups. Messag... قراءة المزيدes should address prevailing food consumption patterns and country production, cultural identity, and aim to reduce less desirable eating habits and increase desirable ones. •Develop food-based dietary guidelines which are aligned with all MedD sustainability dimensions. Use them to guide actions along the production-consumption chain. Mediterranean region: •Develop a 3-year plan of action based on data-driven voluntary guidelines for a sustainable MedD to be piloted in select Mediterranean countries. •Organise regular conferences and produce a documentary on revitalisation of the MedD. Policies will need to be reviewed/introduced so that sustainable consumption and production are mainstreamed in Mediterranean food systems. Since food systems interface with different sectors, dialogue between policymakers for integrated policies and policy coherence is crucial. Possible actions Country: •Conduct a situational analysis sensitive to the political context as this impacts food systems policy priorities and implementation. •Develop structures for an integrated approach when reviewing/developing policy (e.g. involve agriculture, health, environment, trade, safety, education) due to potential synergies and trade-offs. •Organise for community engagement in policy drafting and implementation •Prioritise o Information and communication policies as these are central to the revitalisation of the MedD. o Education and training policies targeting different stakeholders (e.g. agriculture/fisheries, catering, mass/artisanal food producers) and age groups (e.g. children/youth as change agents) so that MedD adoption is facilitated based on desirability, accessibility etc. o Pricing policy to make a sustainable MedD affordable. o Regulatory measures on marketing in the agri-food and fisheries sectors. Improve transparency to foster the consumer trust needed for MedD adoption. Knowledge sharing and digital technology are crucial for innovation in the agri-food and fisheries sectors to promote and sustain the MedD. Bridging the gap between academia and the food industry is key. Possible actions •Set up platforms to promote collaboration between stakeholders: o Share research done in academic institutions (e.g. use government training or business incubation centres, co-operatives, farmer/fisher associations, online communities of practice) for food product innovation or marketing. o Organise transdisciplinary projects for tertiary students (e.g. sustainability, management, health, education) on real problems in the agri-food and fisheries sectors. o Offer opportunities for young people to become MedD innovators/entrepreneurs (e.g. contests, seed funding) o Conduct market research to reassure producers of the economic value of MedD revitalisation. o Establish country/regional food labelling or a quality seal for the Mediterranean agri-food and fisheries sectors, integrating sustainability dimensions as feasible. o Organise a travelling trade/consumer fair promoting MD قراءة القليل

• Strategic level: o Sustainable land and water management (SLWM) become strategic priorities for the Mediterranean. o Immediate multi-stakeholders and multi-sectors action to enhance resilience governance that sustains water and land resources and to achieve livelihoods and communities well-being. o Establish a regional platform to support SLWM, invest in north-south and south-south cooperation, knowledge exchange, best practices sharing and capacities building for all. o Use of costs/benefit analyses for implementing resilience activities. o Enhance entrepreneurship in innovative solutions... قراءة المزيد for SLWM and improve investment environment for MSMSE, Micro, Small and Medium Size Enterprises, that de-risks the business of farming. o Define Standardized/harmonized indicators for monitoring of land and water degradation at region level. o Review policies at national/regional levels relevant to SFS transformation, including financial incentives. o Provide evidence of cost/benefit resilient solutions to advice investors/policy makers on sustainable choices on water, soil, markets, incentives, as current policies and markets incentives push for cereal mono-cropping, leading to food insecurity, imports and prices inflation. o Properly consider the correlation between environment governance schemes and appropriate technologies in the design of land and water management policies or interventions. o Mainstream WEFE Nexus approach in the national and regional LWM strategies, as in the sustainable growth planning processes. o Better understand WEFE within the same context of integrated ecosystems approach and systemic approach, to improve socio-economic-ecological systems response to climate change and maintain a satisfactory services delivery. o Harmonise farming strategies with values: tackle the ethical concerns on food production. o Highly consider small farmers concerns regarding the SFS: i) Need to access to financial solutions: innovative, equitable and sustainable ii) Better control the value chains to enhance the marketing potential of local products, iii) adopt encouraging pricing policies to produce sustainably while having reasonable benefits, iv) provide and apply relevant political support at on economic , private investment boosting or climate resilience solutions. o Apply Economic evaluation of food systems approaches and trade-offs: cost/benefit analysis help decision making to identify appropriate action on water/land management for food systems. o Highlight the role of agriculture in the human well-being, as well the potential of farmers in food production. • Operational level o Highlight the grassroots responses to climate change effects on land and water resources. o Strengthen diversified and combined farming systems to revive indigenous crops and diets. o Implement the circularity principle in the farming systems i.e. recycling of water and products. o Invest in technical solutions for productivity with less water i.e. grey water reuse, water harvest, etc especially in the Southern Mediterranean countries that are more fragile to climate hazards. o Scale up technologies and local knowledge to enhance SFS implementation and transformation. o Scale-up available cascade of tools, mechanisms and best practices at regional level. o Use of friendly and low-cost technology, that is available, relevant and context tailored, and that have benefits in more in one area of WEFE. o Farming systems need to allow to balance sustainable consumption with sustainable production and promote better relationship between urban and rural sectors. قراءة القليل

Set in place instruments, mechanisms, programs/projects for the development of greener and circular food systems: • Improve the efficiency and sustainability of resources use in agriculture and food-processing industry in order to minimize biodiversity losses, climate change impacts and pollution generation; • Promote circular business models and value chains to maximize the economic value of material, energy and waste flows in food production and consumption, including valorisation of the biomass residues into bio fertilizers and bioproducts within other industrial sectors, while preventi... قراءة المزيدng food loss and food waste; • Minimize the carbon and water footprint of food production, processing and distribution systems by employing more sustainable and resilient food production practices, technologies and renewable energy sources and taking into account also the WEFE (Water Energy Food Ecosystems) nexus perspective; • Sensitize consumers through awareness raising and ecolabeling for food products to foster demand, acceptance and competitiveness of sustainable products and quality standards; • Revise regulatory frameworks and adopt appropriate fiscal measures, remove harmful subsides and mainstream economic incentives; build capacity of local financial institution to boost sustainable financing for SFS in the Mediterranean in order to support transformative, structural changes of food systems; • Strengthen skills and training across different actors of the value chain, creating communities of green entrepreneurs, foster innovative solutions in the agri-food sector; especially for women and youth; • Promote organic farming to protect biodiversity, minimize use of chemical fertilizers and enable carbon sequestration while contributing to the supply of sustainable and healthy food; • Value and promote local markets, shorten food value chains, promoting producer-to-consumer networks as well as food public procurement that promotes fair and sustainable food production. قراءة القليل

• Improving the sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture practices in the Mediterranean basin In spite of positive changes, the sustainability of fisheries in the region remains a critical issue. On the other hand, the continuous growth of aquaculture provides sustainability issues related to the farm models and their practices. o Supporting research on organic aquaculture o Supporting research and private investments on low trophic species, and new seafood products (i.e.: algae) o Supporting the adoption of fisheries management plans at local level – Technical assistants by scientific ... قراءة المزيدresearch centres o Regional Platform for the digitalization and data collection on fisheries and aquaculture o Promoting research on low-impact fishing and aquaculture practices (i.e.: bio-plastic nets for mussels, selectivity of fishing gears) o Regional Network on Best practices for a sustainable fisheries and aquaculture • Increasing the added value of seafood products Low income and losses in the seafood value chain as well as the unequal distribution of economic returns among different actors is too high and interventions are needed to balance o Research on nutritional properties of new species and improving the general awareness – Basket of new seafood products o Design and promote a label or recognition system for Mediterranean seafood (diet) products integrating all sustainability dimensions (also enhancing origin) o Design of innovative landing site for the proper management of the seafood value chain and marine litter management on land o Design of Community Lab for processing the SSF products (not highly valued fish, overfishing, commercial value fish) respecting the seafood quality and safety standards o Technical assistance program for supporting innovation in the seafood industrial development: zero waste, better exploitation of by-catch and by-products. o Structuring of social security system for SSF operators o Traceability and control of origin of seafood products (fighting IUU fishing) • Negative impacts of pollution (plastics and contaminants) and anthropogenic activities on environmental quality of the sea The Mediterranean Sea is one of the areas most affected by marine litter. Impacts vary: entanglement and ingestion, bio-accumulation and bio-magnification of toxins, introduction of invasive species, damages habitats, etc. The achievement of the conservation goals is hampered. o Promoting Regional Network and supporting actions and plans for the monitoring activities on marine litter (on the sea and biota) and anthropogenic activities impacts o Supporting the decarbonization and maritime activities more eco-friendly o Promoting and drafting regional recommendations for improving the national legislative frameworks for the marine litter collection by fishermen o Design of innovative landing site for the proper management of the seafood value chain and marine litter management on land. • Supporting skills and entrepreneurship of fishermen and aquaculture operators Human resource development needs to be carried out thoroughly, directed and integrated in various fields, especially when the main activity fishery, is a high-risk business which needs to promote the diversification of income, generational change, and gender inclusion. o Improving and providing proper capacity building pathways for SSF operators aimed at increasing added value of seafood products and promoting diversification of economic activities, multi-functionality, direct sale, entrepreneurship. قراءة القليل

• Bottlenecks: o Need for holistic food systems policies, that are based on both science and local knowledge; o Need to address trade-offs among different sustainability dimensions and also among different food systems actors; o Overcome the silos of knowledge and disciplinary boundaries; o The need for reliable data both quantitative, and especially qualitative; o Counter power imbalances by participatory decision making; o Directing trans-disciplinary science to involve the civil society; o The overriding importance of political will; o The need for transformational changes in the whole sy... قراءة المزيدstem • Concrete Actions: o Include all relevant stakeholders, including science, civil society, and in particular also those that are the most vulnerable in our food systems, in the policy-making process. o Inclusive multi-stakeholder mechanisms to allow for participatory decision-making that address power imbalances among food systems actors; o Encourage “productive conflict” for problem solving together with mutual trust and respect, placing producers and vulnerable groups at the centre as co-decision-makers and co-innovators; o Ensure proper governance; o Develop the concept of local territories to shorten value chains and provide livelihoods. • Key examples (positive deviants) of success: o City level food councils o Examples from France, Morocco (generation green and zero pesticides) as well as local and national level food policy or advisory councils as new mechanisms for collaborative decision-making and implementation (e.g. Canada); o In Italy, school mealtime as an educative experience to learn about sustainability – eating fruits and vegetables, avoiding waste and develop social skills in eating behavior around the table (culture); o Agricultural transformation to work closer with farmer’s market and the local populations in order to shorten value chains and advance the 13 principles on agroecology and other innovations of the HLPE report. • Note: All of the discussions concerning Sustainable Food Systems have been overshadowed by the current COVID pandemic. While the health outcomes continue to be tragic, the economic fall-outs have yet to make their full impact and are likely to be a global problem in the coming years especially regarding small scale farmers, SMEs and livelihoods in the hospitality sector and more. Hence, resilience and coping strategies, as well as availability, accessibility, stability and agency dimensions to food security, must now be factored into all our deliberations towards the Food Systems Summit. قراءة القليل

One key outcome that emerged from this first SFS-MED Dialogue was the need to strengthen a common understanding of sustainable food systems and their complexities, through a holistic approach, specific for the Mediterranean context. It was recognized that the multiple challenges of the Mediterranean, further exacerbated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, are deeply interrelated. Food system transformation is a very complex and dynamic process that requires considering food systems in their entirety, linking production and consumption, and in a cross-sectorial as well as inter-disciplinar... قراءة المزيدy manner. The importance of the nexus approach, which allows to connect and valorise the connection among different aspects and areas related to food, was also acknowledged. To this effect, it was recognised that: green, blue and circular economy are pivotal to food systems transformation; mainstreaming biodiversity and sustainable land and water management are key issues to climate change resilience; sustainable fisheries and aquaculture are also central to improve the sustainability of food systems; cities and local food policies play a critical role in moving towards more sustainable food systems. Furthermore, the Mediterranean diet was highlighted as one of the levers of change for bridging sustainable consumption and production. Solutions alone, however, were recognized as not enough: they need to be taken up by stakeholders in a collaborative manner. Common, crosscutting aspects highlighted in all discussion groups include: • The need of multi-stakeholder dialogue on SFS among all shores of the Mediterranean. Platforms and networks were recognized by most of the groups as important mechanisms to raise awareness, share lessons and ideas, co-create solutions and approaches, foster action, etc. • Integrated policies and governance as key to promote the sustainability of food systems in the Mediterranean region. This emerged throughout all the entry points considered, e.g.: pricing, regulatory frameworks, voluntary guidelines, food procurement, school feeding, education programmes, food waste and circular economy, links with tourism, among others. • Finance and investment (public and private) for enabling the transformation of food systems towards sustainability, with a focus on inclusiveness. • The crucial role of innovation, sustainable technologies, digitalization and data, both quantitative and qualitative. These need to be inclusive and accessible especially to small-scale farmers, fishers and small-holders. • Education, training and awareness raising as potential game changers in transforming both production and consumption patterns. • Other crosscutting actions touching different entry points, such as shortening food value chains, food labelling, etc. as mechanisms to improve the sustainability of food systems as a whole. • Research and evidence generation to identify and upscale resilient and sustainable solutions and to advice investors/policy makers on sustainable choices. The inception of the SFS-MED Platform, under co-development by CIHEAM, FAO and UfMS as an affiliated initiative of the OPN-SFSP, was foreseen as a solution to integrate different entry points and networks/initiatives under a common sustainable food systems approach. قراءة القليل