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Nusa Tenggara With its unique ecosystem and climate, Nusa Tenggara has a wide range of local food sources from beans and corn to different cereals (sorghum, barley and barley). However, the participants mentioned that climate change has led to more extreme droughts, changing rain patterns and more intense pest and disease problems, which ultimately has caused a decrease in production. The shift in farming practice, such as the use of hybrid seeds, is threatening local seeds with extinction. In addition, the use of government-provided chemical fertilizers and pesticides has slowly eroded the co... Leer másmmunity’s organic farming practices. The conversion of agricultural land and mangrove areas was also mentioned as one of the factors disrupting the ecosystem. As in other regions, the younger generation in Nusa Tenggara is no longer interested in agriculture due to the lack of economic incentives. Consumption of rice is also increasing among the people in the region. They also prefer instant food since it is considered more practical and cheaper compared to local food. It is ironic that an area with such high biodiversity and fisheries potential is still dealing with malnutrition, stunting and child mortality due to the lack of food literacy. Producers tend to sell their high-quality food products to buy rice or instant food. The participants agreed that food literacy should be prioritized by involving informal and religious leaders using cultural approach. Leer menos

Sulawesi Sulawesi is the largest island in the Wallacea Zone that houses the greatest land and marine biodiversity in Indonesia. However, similar with other regions, rice consumption has been increasing for source of carbohydrate instead of their local food. Awareness on the importance of consuming diverse and nutritious food is also very low. To lessen people’s dependence on rice, the participants suggested the "2 days no rice" program, in which rice is substituted by local food (sago, taro, cassava, sweet potato, banana). Policies for the protection of local food production zones (land and... Leer más coastal) are also needed to prevent further conversion for various purposes. Decreased quality of agricultural lands due to the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides as well as the use of various hybrid seeds was also mentioned by the participants as a contributing factor on the production side. Leer menos

Maluku and Papua Maluku and Papua's local food systems are traditionally propped up by non-rice commodities. Sago and tubers, which naturally grow in the forest, are the main sources of carbohydrate apart from bananas. For some of the people living in this region, the forest serves as a “supermarket”, where they also catch animals as sources of protein. Maluku is an area that is rich in fish resources as a main source of protein. However, resources extraction, especially by large-scale fishing industries, has caused damage. Even with the rich biodiversity and local food in this region, inc... Leer másreasing rice consumption is also seen in this region, contributed by government rice subsidy for poor households (‘Raskin’). In addition, lack of infrastructure and logistics has made local food prices more expensive. Low demand for local food has demotivated farmers to grow such crops. The shift in consumption patterns due to low food literacy has caused nutritional and health problems in the region, especially among children. The participants believed that support and political will from the government are key to mainstreaming local food through policies as well as promoting innovation by considering social and cultural aspects of the local people Leer menos

The participants agreed that to establish a sustainable food system, Indonesia must embrace the diversity of local food systems and acknowledge the unique complexity of each region, which requires unique solutions. Food systems in Indonesia are unique due to diversity in environment, biodiversity, tradition and food culture among the country’s communities. Food policies should also integrate many aspects such as social, culture, health and environment, in line with the spirit of the Sustainable Development Goals. Some of the main findings from the independent dialogue are: Consumption aspect... Leer más There is a shift in the consumption of rice. Rice has become the main carbohydrate, which is partially contributed by the government’s program Raskin. Imported wheat, along with its by-products has become widely consumed in different regions, replacing a variety of local ingredients. Reliance on only one or two types of (imported) food makes us vulnerable to crisis in the event of global food price fluctuation. Low food and nutrition literacy are considered as the main contributors to this. Food producers prefer to sell the high quality food products and consume the low quality ones instead, including instant food. Children and youth, particularly, tend to consume fast food and ultra-processed food. This phenomenon also occurs in rural and indigenous communities. There is a lack of information on the diversity of local foods and their nutritional value to help the communities meet their nutritional needs. Even though the Indonesian government has issued the national dietary guideline “My Plate”, its dissemination has been limited. Massive campaign and education on local foods and their nutritional value as well as regulations and policies to support local food consumption and biodiversity protection are needed to address these issues. Production aspect Several issues discussed in relation to this aspect were: - Land conversion for various functions threatens food production. The conversion of a mangrove area not only threatens food security for coastal communities but also causes natural disaster - Crop failure due to climate change as well as biodiversity loss and environmental damage due to unsustainable production practices - Food and agricultural development in Indonesia remains limited to certain types of food, namely rice, corn and soybeans, which restrains the diversity of the food available at the local level - Land conflict: indigenous communities in particular face difficulties in accessing forests as their source of food - Low demand for local food in addition to logistical issues demotivates producers to preserve and grow local foods, which will lead to the loss of biodiversity Therefore, it is recommended for food policies and programs to consider the characteristics, potential and culture of the region. Producers should also be strengthened while climate change adaptation capacity needs to be improved. Meanwhile, national data should cover the availability of local food instead of focusing on certain commodities. The dialog participants also emphasized the importance of a marketplace, both modern market and traditional market, as the center for the direct marketing of local food products to the local communities. Leer menos

Big Cities The participants in this group agreed that low food and nutrition literacy are a few of the key contributing factors in big cities. The lower-middle class opts for foods in the lower price range, while the upper middle class’s choice is based on trends. Neither of these groups pays attention to the nutritional aspect. This is reflected in the consumption patterns of children and youth age 15-29, who tend to consume low fiber and high calories, sugar, salt and fat. This is exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which further reduces access to food, especially for marginalized groups... Leer más. On the other hand, the pandemic has increased awareness on the importance of a healthy diet. This can be seen as an improvement opportunity. Massive campaign and education programs on the right platform for different target audiences are needed along with innovation in processing and serving local and nutritious foods. In terms of production, urban farming will play an important role in food and nutrition security in big cities. In addition to policy and technological support, rebranding is needed for millennial farmers to attract the involvement of youth to sustaining the initiative. Several initiatives on food waste have been implemented by communities in urban areas. An example of the best practice is the food recue program, which collaborates with hotels, restaurants, bakeries and event organizers to distribute decent food to marginalized groups. Leer menos

Java and Bali Java and Bali are suitable for rice cultivation. More than 50% of Indonesia's rice is produced in this region, which only makes up 7% of Indonesia's total land area. However, massive land conversion continues to occur along with expanding urban and industrial areas. Rural areas have been dealing with the issues of land conflict, environmental degradation and water crisis for a long time. Meanwhile, mangrove conversion into large ponds by companies has contributed to ecosystem damage in coastal areas. In addition, climate change, diseases in fish farms and policies unfavorable to ... Leer mássmall scale fishers contribute to decreased income of coastal communities. This situation is worsened by the lack of income diversification among producers. On the consumption side, participants highlighted the shift in the consumption of rice, wheat-based food products, ultra-processed food and fast food as the main issues in this region. Improved awareness and education on the potential and nutritional values of a variety of local foods along with local food processing innovations were some of the recommendations mentioned by the participants to address these issues. On the production side, strengthening the producers’ organization, improving the capacity of producers (including women and youth) and improving the use of ecosystem services were considered key to improving the livelihood of producers. Several best practices that have been implemented, such as agro-ecology, zoning-based farming system, integrated farming and consumers’ shift to local, healthy and sustainable food, need to be supported, promoted and replicated. Leer menos

Sumatra The main issue being discussed in the region is massive conversion of agricultural lands into oil palm plantations and mining areas, which threaten the food system. The participants recommended for government policies not only to focus on certain commodities (rice, corn, soya bean), but to also consider the local potential. The Riau Province in Sumatra is known as one of the biggest sago producers on peatlands. However, low demand for the product has made it difficult for the producers to market their products, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Ironically, the local community, i... Leer másncluding the producers, does not consume sago as their staple food. Rice remains their main source of carbohydrate as it is subsidized by the government through community food assistance. The participants also pointed out that ecological farming models need to be strengthened and a strong regulatory framework and campaign is needed to promote the shift to local food (sago). Leer menos

The independent dialogue aimed at compiling stories and lessons learned from successful and less successful practices in the field as well as discussing potential solutions that suit Indonesia for the realization of a sustainable, healthy, fair and resilient food system. The dialogue provided a medium for food actors and stakeholders, especially at the grassroots level, including youth, women and indigenous communities, to share their experiences. Recognizing the complexity and diversity of local food systems in Indonesia, we divided the dialogue participants into several groups based on food ... Leer mássystem regions and/or characteristics e.g. big cities, Java and Bali, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Papua and Maluku and Nusa Tenggara. The discussions covered many aspects of the local food systems from biodiversity to food waste. Experiences and stories on practices and lessons learned in the local food systems in Indonesia were discussed, specifically covering the prerequisites or conditions for success and the recipe for failure. Some of the stories shared will be compiled in a book as short stories. This dialogue was also intended to complement the results of the member state dialogues organized by the National Convenor in April and August 2021. Leer menos

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The Dialogue explored how current rule of law and governance gaps across food system in the Sahel undermine efforts to enhance food security and nutrition and the realization of the right to adequate food, in light of the most pressing constraints in the region: climate change, land degradation, access to land and other natural resources, and violent conflict. These include, for instance, the limited success of State and traditional institutions in ensuring equal access to land and other natural resources and providing effective and accessible dispute resolution pathways, with tensions escalat... Leer másing into violent conflict. Throughout the main panel discussion and the breakout sessions, the Dialogue examined the links between efforts to strengthen the rule of law across food systems in the Sahel (e.g. through policy and legal reforms, legal empowerment, and institutional capacity development), and strategies and actions to that contribute for a peaceful, equal and sustainable transformation of food systems that enhance food security and nutrition. Leer menos

-Food insecurity in the region is determined by intersecting factors, including poverty, insecure livelihood for vulnerable groups (such as smallholder farmers and pastoralist communities), poor access to agriculture technology, lack of financial resources and information, conflict and climate change -Representatives from national governments reported some ongoing initiatives and steps that are being undertaken to enhance food security and nutrition in their respective countries and highlighted the importance of undertaking revision of legal provisions to include the right to adequate food int... Leer máso national constitutions, and promoting agroecological practices. It was stressed that efforts to constitutionalize the right to food should be complemented by the set up of oversight mechanisms to monitor its implementation. -Human mobility and migration was cited as an important phenomenon to consider when addressing food insecurity and malnutrition in the region. -Access to justice, participatory processes, accountable and effective institutions were identified as crucial elements of the rule of law that can facilitate the implementation of Agenda 2030, while laying the ground for the fair and just transformation of food systems in the Sahel. -Participatory mechanisms were highlighted as crucial elements for transformation of food systems in the Sahel and to strengthen the right to adequate food for all. It was noted that fair and just transformation processes need the involvement of all stakeholders engaged in food systems, from production to consumption. -Concrete solutions were identified for rule of law-based approaches that can promote fair and equal transformation of food systems including: 1. Strengthening food systems governance through intersectoral and multilevel coordination- actors operating at local level have a determinant role in food systems governance since decisions affecting food systems are mostly implemented at local level. At the same time, it is important to build coordination at regional level in the Sahel. 2.Empowering local communities to actively participate and engage in food systems governance. In this respect, civil society organizations were highlighted as crucial target groups. 3. Land tenure and rights are crucial components of strategies to enhance food security and nutrition in the Sahel, while pursuing human security and climate change objectives. In this respect, both formal and informal institutions need to be involved in actions to strengthen land governance. 4. Integrating the right to adequate food in national Constitution and establish/strengthen oversight mechanisms to monitor its implementation Leer menos

Discussion Topic: Land rights, conflict and food security Challenges - the main challenges reported in relation to access to land and natural resources are: youth migration, climate change, discriminatory social norms affecting women and youth, insecure land titling. It was also highlighted that the human security agenda in Sahel countries is often inconsistent with food security objectives. Actors - State actors at all levels, traditional leaders, land owners were cited as the most critical stakeholders to involve in efforts to strengthen land governance Solutions proposed and actions needed:... Leer más 1. Build coordination between formal and informal tenure systems, by integrating traditional (customary) practices and norms into land governance and management plans (statutory regulations). The "Code Rural" in Niger, integrating traditional knowledge and norms, was reported as an example of best practice in this respect. 2. Legal empowerment targeting local communities and vulnerable groups on their rights to land. 3. Awareness raising for formal and informal authorities on the right to land of women and vulnerable groups Leer menos

Discussion Topic: Access to justice and the right to adequate food Challenges: In the Sahel, justice systems are often far removed from local communities and the most vulnerable groups, due to economic and geographical barriers. Impunity contributes to exacerbate tension at local level, which escalate into violent conflict. Actors: Traditional and informal authorities were cited as key actors to be involved in efforts to enhance access to justice in the Sahel. It was noted that, when working with such stakeholders it is important to address discriminatory and patriarchal norms and practices pe... Leer másrpetuated in informal systems. The role of women, as custodians of traditional knowledge and agricultural practices, was also stressed. Solutions proposed and actions needed: 1. Strengthen civil and administrative justice to prevent the escalation of tensions into violent conflict 2. Strengthen legal aid services to bring institutions closer to local communities 3. Constitutional reforms to integrate the right to adequate food into national constitution and establishment of national oversight institutions that monitor its realization. The right to seeds was also mentioned as a component of the right to food and the right to land. Leer menos

Discussion Topic: Impacts of climate change on food security and malnutrition Challenges: Climate change is affecting rainfall patterns in the Sahel, causing prolonged droughts, as well as floods, with negative impacts on agricultural yields. This is coupled by limited access to technology that could support adaptation to climate change. Solutions proposed and actions needed: 1. Establish national and regional platforms to foster bottom up and participatory approaches in policy and decision making related to early warning systems, climate change and sustainable agricultural practices, such as ... Leer másagroecology and nature-based solutions 2. Water and soil management was mentioned a key sector in addressing the impacts of climate change on agriculture and food security in the Sahel. 3. Land reform 4. Support agroecology practices Leer menos

Inappropriate marketing and UPFs in the diets of infants and young children Despite infant formula providing nutrition in the absence of breastfeeding, it is ultra-processed and has lower health outcomes than breastfeeding at a population level. Other ultra-processed formulas including “follow on milk” and “growing-up milk” are non-essential, expensive and contain a lot of sugar. An enormous array of snacks are also being marketed for babies, despite it not being recommended that babies under 12 months old are given any snacks. Pouches, jars and ready-meals for children are also market... Leer másed. Ultra-processed use in the early years is ubiquitous and has important health consequences, with formula-fed babies missing out on the protective properties of breastmilk. Ultra-processed foods may displace unprocessed and minimally processed food and drinks and poor quality diets in infants are associated with excess weight gain by school age. Commercial baby foods may encourage overeating and dental decay. A key driver of ultra-processed foods in the diets of infants and young children is inappropriate marketing by the baby food industry. Unfounded claims are made by the marketers of these products. Parents are being misled. Baby foods are marketed as being for use from four months, when public health guidance recommends introducing solids from six months. Processing also releases free sugars in fruit-based products. Stronger regulations were recommended on the labelling, marketing and composition of infant milks, foods and drinks marketed for 0-36 months old. Existing regulations should be meaningfully enforced and measures should be introduced to better support women to breastfeed. Leer menos

Front of Package Labelling of UPF products The food industry is confined by the need to make a profit. Front of package labels are a necessary but not sufficient way of restraining the industry. The obesity pandemic is a disease caused by UPF. A range of different labelling systems exist around the world. In the UK there is the optional ‘traffic light’ system based on the idea of nutrient profiling of sugars, salt and fat. There is enormous variation in portion size attributed to these nutrients on package fronts and consumption is often higher than the portion size listed, increasing the ... Leer másfigures attributed to each nutrient. Traffic light labelling is not helpful to parents or consumers. Nutritional information is mandatory but consumers should use the numbers displayed to guide food intake for it to be meaningful and humans don’t tend to eat by numbers. High fat, salt, sugar is a designation used by the UK broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, with no particular basis in public health. Chile has taken a very aggressive stance to its obesity pandemic. It’s Food Labelling and Marketing law requires front of package warning labels for foods that are high in sugars, saturated fat or sodium. This has resulted in profound changes in attitudes to food purchases. It also resulted in reformulation of many products such that the warning label could be removed, with other possible negative consequences such as the over-consumption of non-caloric sweeteners which may be as harmful as sugars. Tighter definitions of UPFs are therefore probably needed. Ultra-processed foods should be labelled according to the extent, level and purpose of its processing. Leer menos

Ultra-processed foods. Why do policies focus on nutrients and what can be done? The food system is ever pushing us to towards more packaged and processed food. They are hard to turn down for a whole host of reasons, including their affordability, the marketing that keeps us coming back for more and the fact they are so convenient. Dietary recommendations, meanwhile, tell us to eat more whole foods, fruits and vegetables, nuts and pulses. The entire food system needs to be realigned so healthier, more sustainable foods are the affordable, widely available option. Most policies to date have focu... Leer mássed on the nutrients in foods rather than the foods themselves for a number of reasons. Changing food systems would require a big, coordinated effort. Food companies hold a lot of power. Reformulation, where nutrients are reduced or changed in a product is easier to gain political support for than policies which aim to fundamentally change the way we eat. Reformulation allows business as usual. Reformulation has its limits. It depends on which nutrient is being reduced and what it’s being replaced with. There is good evidence that salt reduction has worked well but ingredients such as sugar and fat are going to be much harder to remove because they often play a functional and structural role in addition to taste. Substitutes used may not be much healthier and could be more damaging to the environment as the switch to palm oil in a lot of products has shown. Stark dietary inequalities exist in countries like the UK. Those on lower incomes are more reliant on ultra-processed foods and consume significantly fewer whole foods like fruits and vegetables. This has important negative impacts on health but also provides some important motivation for system change. Research with focus groups talking about the unaffordability of healthy food resulted in calls for the food system to work better for everybody and for government and big companies to be more fair. Policies should be reframed away from nutrients and towards whole system change, with a tax on ultra-processed foods, labelling ultra-processed foods, ensuring investment in fruit and vegetable production and consumption and in community food systems and support for low income households. Leer menos

Ultra-processed foods, social justice and agroecology La Via Campesina is a network of small family farms working across the world, a huge social movement representing civil society. Ultra-processed food is at the heart of what’s wrong with the food system, from the ground up. Agroecology is a term defined by social movements to define the food system we want to see. It encompasses diverse farming systems that don’t rely on pesticides, encourage good soil health, limit the destruction of biodiversity and work to mitigate climate change. It’s also about the social matrix. How power fits i... Leer másnto the food system is hugely important. Peasant farming uses local resources to produce whole grains within a diverse farming system connected to the landscape to feed the local community varied, nutrient rich diets. It also encompasses local markets and provides skills and livelihoods across the community. Industrialised farming for commodities destroys all of this. 80% of food security is provided by the peasant farmer web, while the industrialised food chain uses 70% of the agricultural resources. It is the industrialised system which creates ultra-processed foods, which people don’t actually need for their own good health and wellbeing. This system is highly wasteful. From the 1960s onwards, there has been a continuous destruction of local, diverse, traditional food structures and markets, knowledge and skills and our relationship with food. People used to eat so many different things. Now farmers are pushed into monoculture production to create products that are shipped all over the world. WTO rules means countries can’t protect their localised food systems. Corporate power has become more and more intrenched. Hard limits should be placed on corporate power with regard to their ability to influence policies linked to the right to food. The concept of free trade should be re-examined. Trade deals need to take into account their impact on small-scale farming. All countries should be able to have minimum support prices for products. They should have the power to influence corporate behaviour to protect the right to food. Leer menos

A diverse range of topics was discussed in relation to ultra-processed foods as a result of the varied fields of expertise from which the presenters came, as well as the questions and comments posed by attendees that helped informed discussion. While the focus of our Dialogue was on what the UNFSS should have done and what national governments should do to address the over-consumption of ultra-processed foods, our Dialogue presented concerns about the inappropriate marketing of UPFs and other snack products to infants and young children and how information on packages makes it difficult for co... Leer másnsumers to understand what they are buying and how they should be eating it. It addressed reformulation, food inequalities and the destruction of small-scale, traditional agriculture at the hands of corporates focused on profit-making. Overall, our Dialogue exposed how the ultra-processed food system impacts particularly starkly on vulnerable groups, including babies and young children, low-income households and peasant farmers. Priority should be given to addressing the risks posed to these stakeholder groups in particular and on the Earth’s climate and biodiversity, which are under such enormous strain. Leer menos

A growing body of evidence shows that ultra-processed foods can be detrimental to human and planetary health. As ultra-processed diets have become more prevalent globally, a wave of chronic disease has washed across the globe, and this health crisis has accelerated in parallel with the climate emergency and the destruction of the natural world. These crises demand an urgent response, but some food industry actors have sought to stymie such a response. The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food has warned that “corporate concentration of power remains the elephant in the room” at the UN... Leer másFSS, with critics warning that industry lobbyists have sought to sway the UNFSS away from a robust stance on ultra-processed foods. Our Dialogue outlined and considered whether fears of corporate capture at the UNFSS were founded, and proposed policies needed to fix our increasingly ultra-processed planet. Leer menos