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The third and last pathway addresses an underlying issue. We must increase the power of food SMEs within sector planning. Small businesses have quiet and isolated voices. Compared to government or large businesses, they are relatively under-powered in their ability to collectively influence decision-making, regulations, resource allocation, and cultural values within food systems. Only once power dynamics change can we expect to make progress on rebalancing food systems in favour of the SMEs pioneering good food for all. This is especially true for the women entrepreneurs and those from other ... Leer másmarginalised groups who both face additional barriers and are some of the most fervent champions of change. Again, there are clear opportunities to act to address this power dynamic. • Cross-sector actors must all elevate the voice of SMEs. Make sure they are consulted as, for example regulations get changed, as sector programmes get designed, or financial products are taken to market. • Then, help structure SMEs into dynamic networks. In places like Belgium, where food SMEs organise together, they are better able to influence and respond to national planning. • Finally, and this is really a cross-cutting issue, plan and invest in food SMEs according to their context-specific priorities. The changes needed by entreprenuers in Singapore versus Tanzania, or indeed in those in alternative proteins versus regenerative livestock, are different. Leer menos

The second pathway aims to incentivise businesses to provide “Good Food for All” The best businesses are not always the most competitive, so they struggle to scale up. Most consumers currently prioritise price above all other factors, and good businesses cannot out-compete those who deliver their products whilst externalising their cost to public health, natural capital, or social equity. The food system will continue to fail us until these incentives change. Here, cross-sector actors also have opportunities to act: • We must ensure prices reflect the true cost of food, while also safegu... Leer másarding the affordability of food to poor consumers. The Summit’s Scientific Group has an excellent paper on how this might be achieved. • There is cultural shift required to create consumer demand for “good food”. Until we value food for how it nurtures the health of our bodies, our landscapes and our communities; then the preference for cheap calories will dominate market signals. • Lastly, fast-track the innovative entrepreneurs that promise positive disruption of our food systems. The ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship is essential to the pace of change needed over the next decade. Leer menos

The first pathway focuses on simply creating a business ecosystem in which food SMEs thrive The food sector is often burdensome for SMEs. Running a food SME is hard, and market elements are frequently wrong-sized for them. When food entrepreneurs have a business environment which gives them a fair chance to compete in the market, they then thrive to the benefit of consumers, producers, communities, nature, and investors. We heard numerous opportunities for cross-sector actors to strengthen the business ecosystem for food SMEs. • We must reduce the cost of doing business for food SMEs. This i... Leer másncludes improving physical and digital infrastructure, regulations, and the ensuring rule of law. • We must improve access to finance, which was by far the most common request by SMEs who felt financial products rarely met their needs. • Governments can ease the graduation of informal businesses into the formal sector. • At their best, large market actors like supermarkets or governments, can use their buying power to lift small businesses, by intentionally sourcing from and supporting them. • And lastly, we can target business support at food SMEs through initiatives like incubators and offering business development services. Leer menos

Whilst they may individually be small, SMEs manage at least half of the multi trillion-dollar global food economy. Often overlooked, we have come to understand these SMEs as hidden heroes, who tirelessly ensure food gets on our tables, and collectively they have enormous influence over the future of food. They are also quiet revolutionaries, passionately pioneering better food in every corner of the world – whether that means making our food more nourishing, more sustainable, more equitable or more resilient. We learned that SMEs are change-makers in five different ways. Firstly, they integr... Leer másate markets, strengthening supply chains where they are weakest. Most obviously they are linking smallholder farmers to markets, and in doing so provide services that improve farm productivity and profitability. Evidence clearly shows that this market integration reduces poverty and hunger, especially in rural areas where it is most persistant. Secondly, food SMEs create opportunities that improve equity. There is something about the universal nature of food that makes it an economic gateway for women, for youth, for indigenous and minority groups. These groups are a higher proportion of entrepreneurs and employees within food SMEs than you would expect compared to the average business in any country. Thirdly, SMEs are innovators, pioneering and scaling solutions for nutrition and sustainability – from zero-waste packaging, to alternative proteins, to regenerative farming practices. Often their role is to tap into known technology or business models, but then they make these work in a very specific context where they have nuanced understanding and local connections. Fourthly, they embody resilience. The SME response to COVID showed us that emphatically. Embedded within communities and landscapes, they have no option but to deal with shocks. But they are agile enough to pivot their business models and sustain services in the toughest of situations. Finally, SMEs and especially the entrepreneurs who run them, are influencers. Passionate about their products, their customers, their land, their staff, they are constantly advocating for better food and they are close enough and trusted enough to be changing hearts and minds all across our food systems. Leer menos

The UN Food Systems Summit asked Wasafiri Consulting to engage SMEs all around the world to answer one big question – How to boost their role in providing good food for all? More than 2500 entrepreneurs completed a survey, with representation from 135 countries. Most of those entrepreneurs also went on to submit entries to the Summit’s Best Small Business competition where we heard more depth about their stories. We ran 11 dialogues in 7 languages with over 1000 participants, plus many of the other summit dialogues explored issues related to small businesses. Dozens of experts provided ins... Leer másights, and we undertook a comprehensive literature review with the help of FAO. The focus of the dialogue was to present the findings of the Draft Report “A Small Business Agenda for the Food Systems Summit” which synthesised results of all that effort. The report highlights the essential role that SMEs must play in strengthening food systems, the constraints they face in elevating their positive impact, and offer recommended pathways to boost their contribution. The desired outcome of the dialogue was a joint statement presenting a collective SME voice to put forward to the pre-Summit and to continuing gathering endorsement up until the Summit in September. Leer menos

To change the conversation, we must change who is sitting around the table. We convened and conceived of the event in an unconventional way from the offset so, in that sense, we had already diverged from the status quo. Who did we bring who are not normally in the room? Resiliencers sharing their own experience instead of a representative from an organisation Artists sharing their perspective in their language of choice - art Youth - engaging the younger audience - need to see the participant split What did we do that diverged from the dialogue template? We started with a discourse to allow pe... Leer másople who do not usually have a voice in forums like these to take the stage, and we allowed for questions and answers before bringing in the dialogue. What surprised us? How self-determined our protagonists are and how intentional they are about owning and leading their future, and empowering those around them. Leer menos

Three ingredients of building resilience through Social Entrepreneurship 1. Clear vision to give you purpose and priority; 2. Inclusion- businesses and entrepreneurs have a responsibility to include people in the conversion 3. Mindset and awareness- building an education network based on hope and open-mindedness

Three ingredients of building resilience Food Justice & Community Education 1. Commitment to a cause and commitment to finding solutions TOGETHER 2.Empathy for yourself and your community. 'We instead of me.' Empathy is the ingredient you find within yourself: finding empathy for others makes you more resilient too 3.Knowledge: also goes into empathy, as you first may have to learn about the problems others are facing. Also includes knowledge about food and nutrition (ESP) El Liderazgo Comunitario (Community leadership) 1. The fight is worth it. If you can, fight for hope. 2. Create networ... Leer másks that care for and empower leaders. 3. We can all be leaders from the experience of our realities. Leer menos

Three ingredients of building resilience through Food Security & Social Cohesion 1. Confidence in our ability to recover. Nobody is born with resilience but it does go inside of us: going through difficulties makes us stronger 2. A support system to help us get up in the morning when it becomes too difficult 3. The will to leave a trace and making life better for others, not accepting things as they are

“WHAT ARE THE KEY INGREDIENTS OF BUILDING RESILIENCE?” Top takeaways from each breakout below. Full outputs https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_l_NW9YE=/ (ENG): Inclusive Learning & Labour 1. Continuous learning and a community that supports and allows for it. Having a role model, sharing vulnerability, and feeling a sense of belonging also allows for organic growth Inclusive learning- which is much more a family than a traditional colonial/institutional model of education that is top-down. 2. Peer-to-peer learning and working within your community creates multipliers and fosters resilience... Leer más 3. The move from fear to strength. Being self-taught and creative problem solving out of necessity and a desire for a better future for yourself and those around you. (ESP): El Aprendizaje y Trabajo Inclusivos (Inclusive Learning & Labour) 1. The power of the collective: we lift each other up by doing so we become stronger together 2. Giving chances, to everyone, especially for those who need the opportunity 3. Helping others reach their truest potential and empowering them to grow Leer menos

“Resilience is not an ability one actively decides to acquire. It stems from a place of discomfort. In difficult times, empathy for our community sparks something within ourselves. By caring for each other and nurturing each other we strengthen our sense of community which in turn strengthens our individual resilience. But resilience should be thought of as a communal strength rather than an individualistic one.” ~ quote from a young artist at our Dialogue Watch summary: https://youtu.be/OJompq3IFPE&t=1783s The findings of this dialogue center on the human element of building resilienc... Leer máse to inform and complement other efforts of solution-building. Here, we focused on the common patterns, insights and takeaways that emerged as a whole. The outputs of the breakout discussions are included in the next section. I. The value of dialogue and power of inclusion to create change 1. Shift in dynamics: The speakers participated in the breakouts as equals rather than as beneficiaries, speaking with authority. We observed a different level of engagement when it is the changemaker representing themselves sharing their reality, their definition of success and their dream. Bringing resilience leaders and role models to the table is essential to shift the narrative and the power relations. 2. Shift in language: The vernacular changed from “they” to “we” when we bring the resiliencer and the community to the table to join the conversation. 3. Keeping the problems and solutions real. It's just as important to have ears as well as voice to input, create the right options, and make decisions. Not to mention enabling efficiency and transparency. How can we enable this level of engagement consistently? 4. "I am not alone" was a sentiment expressed by more than one of our seven changemakers during the dialogue. This dialogue actually turned out to be an opportunity for them to learn from each others’ journeys. 5. Who are we actually inspiring? An unforeseen outcome of the dialogue was that one of our speaker’s stories was shared on national TV in Chile, reaching millions. Melyna Montes won a “Mujeres que Inspiran” (Inspiring Women) Award by Banco de Chile. Sharing each other's stories and learnings is a source of inspiration not just for organisations but for the communities and individuals as well. II. Art to inspire action (Full artwork https://www.socialgastronomy.org/sgm-stories/2021/6/18/at5-artwork Art, like food, builds bridges of understanding and can inspire feeling, imagination and creativity which in turn generate further dialogue and action. Our artists listened to the diverse opinions, contexts and languages to channel their equally diverse visual representations of their learnings. Creativity was named an important factor for achieving resilience. This factor can lead to different, innovative solutions that deviate from the norm. How can we cultivate a complementary space? III. The needs and "key ingredients of building resilience" 1. Resilience is as much about the mindset as the actions: Consistently, each speaker had a clear sense of purpose, the drive to pursue their mission and belief in themselves. Leaders also need support and care in return. 2. Feed the desire for learning and education that include: - Opportunities to learn, to gain employment and being given a fair chance. - A nourishing, supportive environment with role models and peers that uphold important values such as empathy, collaboration, courage, initiative, solidarity in order for leaders and multipliers to grow into their potential. 3. “More than the delivery of help is the delivery of possibilities''. Cultivate a partnership mindset: "Accompany us", "walk in our steps" to build the capacity for resilience together no matter if it’s a charity, NGO, business or individual. 4. Community and a sense of belonging are central to building resilience no matter the setting (restaurant, neighbourhood, refugee camp, rural village, etc). While self-determination is a foundational quality of those who shared stories of overcoming challenges, a solid support system, role models and a safe space for expressing vulnerability allows us to grow organically and find a place where we not only survive, but we thrive. 5. At a systemic or intersectional level, there were commonalities that encompassed many crucial values and principles. Cultivating empathy is key for building capacity for resilience. It can be found within ourselves, and when we have empathy for others, we become more resilient by proxy. When we do something to better the lives of those around us, it becomes easier to continue fighting for their futures. IV. Barriers and challenges 1. Basic access to participate and connect is limited for many vulnerable communities and local leaders who are often not well connected externally, relying on their partner organisation as an interface. Not all leaders (decision makers) provide transparency to guide the end group to help them find a way and join the system actively. Facilitating the route for communities is key. This includes tech barriers, access to utilities and resources, the right networks, knowledge and language. 2. Focus on what’s in front of us: Reinforcing our basic human rights and ethics is key to creating the environment for building resilience: equal opportunities, labour laws, upholding agency and dignity, food security as a human right. 3. How can we conduct inclusive multi-lingual, multi-regional, multi-stakeholder experiences better to facilitate connection, collaboration and participation. Leer menos

“Poor people are the world’s greatest entrepreneurs. Every day, they must innovate in order to survive. They remain poor because they do not have the opportunities to turn their creativity into sustainable income.” ~ Pr. Muhammad Yunus Too often, those most affected and most vulnerable to shocks and stresses in our food system are left out of the conversation and excluded from decisions that affect them. In this Dialogue, we wanted to share first-hand accounts and learn directly from the frontline of resilience. We focused on sharing and learning from stories of people, resiliencers, who... Leer más have been affected firsthand by food insecurity and came up with radical solutions to feed themselves and their loved ones. The possibility this Dialogue offered was to listen and learn from examples of community resilience to food insecurity that renew hope and the way we work together to replicate the success globally. In addition, we made art an integral part of our Dialogue. By bringing artists together with our storytellers and changing the people at the table, we allowed diverse opinions and different languages to tell and translate stories of resilience. We wanted to prove that creativity and art can lead to different solutions that deviate from the norm. Leer menos

Through discussion, several points emerged as areas in need of further exploration, including: How can we build more political commitment to agricultural R&D, recognizing it as a key success factor in agriculture-led transformation and agriculture itself as a core component of economies? How can governments and international organizations invest in NARS capacity building while also leveraging the capacity of the international research community, private sector, and CGIAR system? How can modern agricultural R&D be compatible with, and incorporate, traditional and indigenous knowledge? W... Leer máshat needs to be in place to foster these exchanges? Additionally, emerging from conversations during the planning of this event and from comments shared by at least one panelist and one participant, there was discussion about the importance of inclusivity and ideas on creating space for all kinds of knowledge, both modern and traditional. Views were expressed that technical innovation should not be limited to lab-based science, but also incorporate indigenous technologies and knowledge. Recommendations were made for future discussion with invitation to a broader panel, including agroecologists, to speak to the places of collaboration and overlap to avoid foreclosing on views, disciplines, or stakeholder groups. The co-organizers of this dialogue—the World Bank, the African Development Bank/African Development Institute (AfDB/ADI), the Regional Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes (ReNAPRI), the Alliance for African Partnership, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and BIFAD—are committed to championing and broadly disseminating these important themes and messages to policymakers, including at the UN Food Systems Summit, and in pursuing opportunities to continue and expand this dialogue with particular focus on inclusivity and seeking diverse stakeholder engagement for solutions-oriented discussion. This continued dialogue, exploration of evidence, and convening of stakeholders are expected to influence informed policy changes to increase strategic and targeted investments in agricultural research and development, including recommitment to existing policy frameworks. In the longer term, increased strategic investments in agricultural research, development, and extension are known to have catalytic and transformative impacts on food systems and broader development outcomes. Leer menos

Discussion 3) How can we ensure that “science” is not weaponized by powerful actors that foreclose sustainable and accessible approaches to technical innovation? Integrate inclusive, demand-driven, and adaptive agricultural research prioritization and technology development across all agricultural research and development efforts, including social sciences and policy research, ensuring R&D investments reflect choice and actively and meaningfully include smallholder farmers and innovators, women, and youth. Ensure that innovation systems are adaptive to environmental changes and local c... Leer másontext. Discussion addressed the need for the inclusion of the user community to understand what their needs are so that research can respond to these needs with emphasis on product life cycles, gender, and farmer choice. Emphasis on the entire product life cycle is important to respond to demand which leverages the whole innovation system and improves scalability. Women and men have differential perceptions, experiences, access to resources, and sources of information. Gender-responsive agricultural research, development, and extension systems are crucial to ensuring innovations meet the needs of women and men in the community. In the same way, inclusive agricultural R&D&E systems address the needs of youth and other communities that may otherwise be marginalized. Panelists also discussed barriers to farmer access and farmer choice. Inclusion in policy making and technology development should be at the center of agriculture R&D work and will be important as we look forward to the future of technology advances. Leer menos

Discussion Point 2) Investments in international CGIAR research and National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS), do we have the right balance? Panelists shared views and data supporting the idea that efforts to improve livelihoods across the board are now constrained by lack of progress in building national-level research and development capacity, particularly within NARS, and extension services. Given the highly varying farming conditions in the region, farm technologies and soil fertility management practices must be locally adapted to specific conditions. Strong NARS and extension systems... Leer más are needed to achieve this. Technical innovation that is adapted to specific smallholder conditions is a precondition for sustainable and inclusive transformation of food systems. Panelists also recommended that smallholder farmers themselves be active voices and participants in this process. The CG system has contributed and continues to contribute substantially to innovations in developing countries. However, these centers alone do not have the resources to reach millions of smallholder farmers with their specific and highly varied needs. Adaptive national level R&D&E is a crucial source of technical innovation of the food system. Consensus was reached around the need for increased local and international investments in locally relevant, adaptive national level agricultural research and development, including the investments in improved institutional and absorptive capacity and ownership at National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS), improved education for innovation actors, including on-farm actors, and incorporating indigenous knowledge and technologies. At the same time, discussion touched on the need to identify opportunities to further strengthen cooperation between national and international research systems, marrying best international practices with locally developed and relevant technologies, and partnerships with the private sector. Leer menos

Discussion Point 1) How to mobilize sustained political commitment in Africa for agricultural research, development, and extension Discussion addressed the need for governments to demonstrate sustained commitment for national agricultural research, development, and extension investments that leverage and build on international donor and CGIAR investments. Panelists called for national governments to fulfill current commitments to investments in agriculture and specifically agricultural research and development. One example cited is the Maputo Declaration, in which African governments agreed to... Leer más allocate 10% of government spending to agriculture, with targets for agricultural R&D. However, many are only at 2-3%. Additionally, discussion addressed the need for governments to prioritize rule of law, governance, and more favorable enabling trade, policy, infrastructure, and security environments to drive productivity growth and support private sector investments in agricultural research and development. As an example, at least one reference highlighted how the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) can provide expanded markets for African farmers and provide incentives for the adoption of farm technologies that increase productivity, noting also that those technologies need to be developed and adapted to the highly varied farming conditions in Africa in order to realize these benefits, again pointing to the importance of supporting the NARS. Leer menos

A review of recent evidence (see links provided at end of report) shows the importance of technical innovation driven by research, development, and extension as drivers of agricultural productivity growth, and further, the catalytic role of agricultural productivity-led growth in poverty reduction, food systems resilience, and economic transformation. Investments in agricultural research and development generate among the greatest impacts on agricultural productivity growth and poverty reduction per dollar spent, though many African governments invest less than 1% of agricultural GDP in agricu... Leer másltural research. Panelists from public and private sector, research, and development communities called for priority actions to ensure sustained support for agricultural research and development. Calls to action include: Demonstrate sustained government commitment for national agricultural Research & Development & Extension (R&D&E) investments, leveraging and building on international donor and CGIAR investments. Increase investments in locally relevant, adaptive national-level agricultural research and development, including the investments in improved institutional and absorptive capacity and ownership at National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) and improved education for innovation actors, including on-farm actors. Identify opportunities to further strengthen cooperation between national and international research systems and partnerships with the private sector. Prioritize rule of law, governance, and more favorable enabling trade, policy, infrastructure, and security environments to drive productivity growth and support private sector investment. Integrate inclusive, demand-driven, and adaptive agricultural research prioritization and technology development across all agricultural research and development efforts, including social sciences and policy research, ensuring R&D investments reflect choice and actively and meaningfully include smallholder farmers and innovators, women, and youth. Ensure that innovation systems are adaptive to environmental changes and local context. Each of these are further discussed in the next report section. Leer menos

As an invited side event to the U.N. Food Systems Summit Science Days, this event gathered leaders across the private and public research and development sectors to identify and discuss the key actions needed to advance adaptive agricultural research and develop an enabling policy environment to support the steady stream of technological innovations necessary for resilient and sustainable food systems. The discussion reviewed evidence of evolving economic transformation and progress towards resilience in sub-Saharan Africa from the Board for International Food and Agriculture Development (BIFA... Leer másD)-commissioned Agricultural Productivity Growth, Resilience, and Economic Transformation in Sub-Saharan Africa report; the World Bank publication Harvesting Prosperity: Technology and Productivity Growth in Agriculture; and the African Development Bank Group publication, Building Resilience in Food Systems and Agricultural Value Chains. Together, panelists and participants identified lessons learned from countries in which substantial investments in adaptive agricultural research and development and extension systems have shown the catalytic role of productivity-led agricultural growth in contributing to employment, resilience, and economic transformation. Panelists were asked to present recommendations for actionable steps towards addressing three key questions: 1) Investments in international CGIAR research and National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS), do we have the right balance? 2) How do we best mobilize sustained political commitment in Africa for agricultural research, development, and extension? 3) Whose science counts, and how can we ensure that “science” is not appropriated by powerful actors that could potentially foreclose sustainable and accessible approaches to technical innovation? Leer menos

Tema #2: Sistemas Alimentarios Robustos, Equitativos y Sostenibles. Todos tenemos un rol y ponemos de nuestra parte para crear sistemas alimentarios robustos, equitativos y sostenibles que provean ingresos justos para los agricultores y trabajadores del sistema, y que aseguren la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional de todos, con atención especial hacia las poblaciones más vulnerables. Es necesario tener un plan y estrategia para la resiliencia y la transformación de los sistemas alimentarios a nivel nacional, con la participación del gobierno y los varios grupos de interés. Para prevenir ... Leer másun efecto fuerte de las crisis para los productores y empresas es necesario diversificar tanto la producción como los actores dentro del sistema. Preparar a facilitadores y entrenadores de destrezas y tecnología que ayuden a estas mejoras. Promover leyes que protejan a los productores, no de forma paternalista, sino en asociación. Incrementar no sólo la seguridad alimentaria, sino también la soberanía alimentaria. Leer menos

Tema #1: Lecciones Aprendidas en Tiempos de Crisis. Las crisis recientes han probado la resiliencia de nuestros sistemas alimentarios, mostrándonos áreas débiles que necesitan inversión y transformación, áreas fuertes que necesitan protección y crecimiento, y cómo los diversos actores del sistema pueden unir esfuerzos y trabajar hacia la reactivación, la resiliencia, y la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional de todas las poblaciones. Durante la pandemia se observó falta de apoyo a los productores y una desconexión de los mercados. Hubo producción agrícola, pero fallaron las cadenas... Leer más de distribución. Hubo bastante contagio en los lugares de abasto, y también se observó presión poblacional en algunas zonas rurales, ya que muchas personas regresaron durante la pandemia y no estaban preparadas estas zonas para este cambio. Algunas de las soluciones presentadas incluyeron incrementar la diversidad de cultivos a nivel local, e incluir especies nativas o subutilizadas para mejorar la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional en general y durante tiempos de crisis. Crear un mejor apoyo y acompañamiento para los productores con educación, capacitación y acceso a la tecnología, para promover la innovación y diversificación de producción e ingresos y así fomentar la resiliencia. Leer menos