Explore Official Dialogue Feedback

1. All Rural Women committed to the summit by registering as Food Systems Summit Heroes (FSSH). 2. Established a CSAYN Global - Rural Women Forum hosted by Tabwan Support Network (TSN). 3.Mapped out Rural Women committed to translate the Global Goals and Summit documents into local languages . 4.Rural women committed themselves to scale up the Dialogue in their various communities . 5. Tabwan Support Network nominated a Liaison Officer for Rural Women to engage with the CSAYN Global Secretariat.

There was a Call to Action which stipulated the following components : 1. Need for a more structured capacity building and strengthening of the IDP from both English speaking regions in tailoring, food processing, agribusiness and establishing farmer field schools (FFS) in the various regions for youth. 2. More finance scheme should allocated to boost their production, transformation and buy storage facilities . 3. Participants unanimously agreed to commit to the 5 ATs to better contribute to the Summit Process.

There was a Call to Action which stipulated the following components : 1. Need for a more structured capacity building and strengthening of the IDP from both English speaking regions in tailoring, food processing, agribusiness and establishing farmer field schools (FFS) in the various regions for youth. 2. More finance scheme should allocated to boost their production, transformation and buy storage facilities . 3. Participants unanimously agreed to commit to the 5 ATs to better contribute to the Summit Process.

Participants were more concerned with the fact that instead of traveling from one region to the other , they would rather prefer to ensure the Food Systems Summit Dialogues (FSSD) is administered within their communities of residence if possible.

Hacia un sistema alimentario más saludable. La educación alimentaria es fundamental para desarrollar nuevos hábitos y prácticas de alimentación más saludable. Es necesario repensar las estrategias educativas: - Pasar de iniciativas centradas en proporcionar orientación alimentaria, con el uso de guías o materiales gráficos, al desarrollo de procesos educativos integrales, vivenciales y lúdicos. - Pasar de estrategias con un enfoque negativo (resolver problemas como el sobrepeso) a estrategias con un enfoque positivo (promover un estilo de vida saludable, fomentar la creatividad en la... Read more cocina). - “Cerrar el círculo” de las estrategias educativas, trabajando con los adultos además de los niños, los adolescentes y los maestros. - En el diseño de iniciativas y estrategias educativas, desarrollar iteraciones rápidas con la participación de la ciudadanía, para aprender lo que si funciona y lo que no. Las propuestas que surgieron sobre educación alimentaria son las siguientes: - Establecer una red de promotores comunitarios de salud, que lleven a cabo vigilancia nutricional y desarrollen actividades educativas y recreativas en las colonias y Comisarías de Mérida. - Utilizar redes sociales, nuevas tecnologías y estrategias de marketing para comunicar los beneficios de una buena alimentación, promover un estilo de vida saludable y un consumo consciente. - Desarrollar explicaciones sobre los beneficios nutricionales de los alimentos locales y las distintas formas de prepararlos. Comunicar mejor las ventajas de los alimentos producidos con prácticas sostenibles. - Llevar a cabo visitas guiadas para conocer a los productores de la región y sus prácticas de producción de alimentos. - Llevar a cabo visitas guiadas para conocer el trabajo de organizaciones dedicadas a promover la reducción de pérdidas y desperdicios de alimentos. Propuestas para fomentar el acceso de toda la población a alimentos frescos y saludables cerca de casa: - Impulsar el establecimiento de huertos en la ciudad. - Fomentar redes colaborativas y solidarias entre vecinos. - Impulsar una red de mercados para abastecer a los “desiertos alimentarios” de la ciudad. - Establecer comedores comunitarios con asesoría nutricional para los trabajadores que tienen que desplazarse largas distancias. - Explorar estrategias novedosas para promover el acceso a alimentos frescos y saludables: intercambio de desechos de plástico por alimentos. Otras propuestas y conclusiones son las siguientes: - Realizar un diagnóstico del sistema alimentario de Mérida, con información relevante y actualizada que nos permita entender mejor la situación actual. - Impulsar proyectos de innovación para todas las etapas de la cadena agroalimentaria. Vincular a los jóvenes, las universidades y centros de investigación con todos los actores del sistema alimentario de Mérida en el desarrollo de innovaciones. - Impulsar y fortalecer iniciativas para transformar alimentos que no son susceptibles de venta al consumidor final. - Impulsar un programa de menús saludables en restaurantes y establecimientos de preparación de comida, proporcionando información a los comensales sobre el tamaño de las porciones, los ingredientes utilizados y el contenido calórico/nutricional de los platillos que ofrecen. - Fortalecer la legislación local para reducir las pérdidas y desperdicios de alimentos. - Capacitar a los productores locales para que adopten prácticas de producción sostenibles. - Impulsar iniciativas y proyectos para prevenir la contaminación de los mantos acuíferos y promover el manejo adecuado del agua. Read less

Hacia un sistema alimentario seguro y sostenible. Necesitamos generar comunidad, identificar y reconocer la aportación de todos los actores del sistema alimentario. También, encontrar formas de vincular a los distintos actores para desarrollar soluciones a partir de nuestros conocimientos y experiencia. La educación es fundamental para concientizar a la sociedad sobre las implicaciones económicas, sociales y ambientales de nuestras decisiones alimentarias y para promover un cambio cultural hacia un consumo más responsable y sostenible. Considerar los siguientes aspectos: - Visibilizar y r... Read moreevalorizar a los actores del sistema alimentario. - Enseñar por qué es importante cuidar nuestra alimentación y sobre los alimentos que consumimos. - Crear conciencia sobre los beneficios de consumir productos locales. Informar sobre sus características, historia, usos y forma de prepararlos. Fomentar la producción de alimentos en el municipio y sus alrededores: - Enseñar a la población a producir sus propios alimentos, recuperando los saberes ancestrales relacionados con los huertos de traspatio. - Fomentar el establecimiento de huertos y ofrecer capacitaciones a la población. - Distribuir semillas y darle seguimiento a los pequeños productores y personas más vulnerables. - Incentivar la producción agroecológica para disminuir el uso de pesticidas y agroquímicos. - Dar capacitación continua a los productores. Desarrollar y fortalecer las estrategias para acortar las cadenas de valor y establecer canales de comercialización directos entre productores y consumidores. - Fortalecer y expandir el programa Círculo 47 para integrar a más productores y llegar a más ciudadanos de Mérida, sobre todo a poblaciones vulnerables. - Potenciar el trabajo de diversas organizaciones que promueven el comercio justo y la comercialización directa entre productor y consumidor. - Promover el establecimiento de mercados ambulantes con productos de calidad y accesibles. - Promover redes de acopio y puntos de venta, así como ferias, para darle más visibilidad a los productores de alimentos y promover el comercio justo. - Establecer una o varias centrales de abasto “secundarias” en distintas partes de la ciudad. - Capacitar en el uso de nuevas tecnologías para aprovechar las oportunidades que ofrece el comercio electrónico. - Fomentar el establecimiento de redes comunitarias para el intercambio de alimentos. Propuestas sobre seguridad alimentaria: - Asegurar la calidad y cantidad del alimento a poblaciones vulnerables. Las canastas básicas que se ofrecen en los programas sociales no necesariamente tienen productos saludables de calidad. Propuestas para reducir las pérdidas y desperdicios de alimentos: - Productores: capacitar sobre el manejo postcosecha y promover la adopción de técnicas y tecnologías de conservación de alimentos. - En restaurantes: Facilitar las donaciones de alimentos. Poner centros de acopio para distribuir excedentes. Promover iniciativas para hacer composta. - Fortalecer el trabajo de los bancos de alimentos, comedores comunitarios y redes solidarias de ciudadanos. - Consumidores finales: Cambiar percepciones sobre los alimentos: las frutas y verduras no necesitan tener una apariencia “perfecta.” Enseñar a aprovechar mejor los alimentos: consumir los rabos, las hojas, la cáscara, etc. Incentivar la composta de desechos orgánicos. Propuestas sobre sustentabilidad: - Incentivar la venta de productos a granel. - Promover el uso de empaques alternativos y biodegradables. Read less

Hacia un sistema alimentario más próspero e incluyente. Los pequeños productores de alimentos dentro del municipio enfrentan diversas situaciones que limitan su desarrollo y desalientan la producción: - Están aislados y los costos de traslado individuales son muy altos. - Es muy difícil entrar a mercados existentes y los intermediarios acaparan las ganancias. - Son muy vulnerables a las fluctuaciones de precios. - Tienen una baja diversificación en su producción. - Tienen acceso limitado al agua. Durante la pandemia surgieron diversas iniciativas para acercar a productores y consumidor... Read morees, promoviendo el comercio justo. Para fortalecer este movimiento se propone: - Apoyar a los productores que ya están comercializando sus productos de manera directa para optimizar sus procesos y reducir costos. - Capacitar a los productores sobre el uso de redes sociales y tecnologías para el comercio electrónico. - Orientar sobre el establecimiento de asociaciones o cooperativas de productores para comercializar sus productos. - Impulsar el programa Círculo 47 y fortalecerlo para que pueda llegar a más personas, tanto a más productores como consumidores, con especial énfasis en poblaciones vulnerables. - Para diversificar la producción, también es importante orientar a los productores sobre lo que está demandando la población. - Establecer más puntos de venta de productos locales en la ciudad y flexibilizar los existentes. Es necesario crear las condiciones adecuadas para el comercio justo por el lado de la demanda: - Incentivar la demanda de productos locales con empresas, restaurantes e instituciones de gobierno. - Difundir los beneficios sociales, económicos y ambientales de consumir productos locales, saludables y de temporada: Información en los puntos de venta sobre el contenido nutricional de los productos y formas de prepararlos. Informar sobre el origen de los productos. Diferenciar a los productos producidos sin agroquímicos. Crear un directorio de productores locales. Promover una marca o etiqueta para productos yucatecos. Aprovechar la presencia que tienen los restaurantes locales en las redes sociales para promover los productos locales y de temporada e incluir estos productos en sus menús. Aplicar estrategias de marketing para cambiar percepciones y hacer deseables a los productos locales. Desarrollar estrategias educativas para los distintos sectores de la población para transmitir los beneficios de los alimentos locales y promover su consumo. Entre estas estrategias, se propuso impulsar una carrera de nutrición comunitaria. - Incentivar el establecimiento de huertos urbanos para que la población de Mérida tenga acceso a productos locales y de temporada y conozca sobre ellos. - Promover el agroturismo para que tanto locales como visitantes conozcan y valoren los productos y la cultura local, así como el papel que juegan los productores de alimentos en el sistema alimentario. - Establecer parcelas demostrativas dónde el público pueda conectar con la naturaleza y conocer a los productores de alimentos. - Además de generar crecimiento económico, el turismo puede promover el comercio justo fomentar la transmisión de buenas prácticas y posicionar a la ciudad. - Una de las actividades con mayor potencial para el agroturismo es la meliponicultura: una actividad de gran valor cultural dónde las mujeres juegan un papel primordial. Impulsar la “gastronomía creativa" entre la población, para preparar y transformar alimentos locales en platillos saludables, novedosos, prácticos y reduciendo las pérdidas y desperdicios de alimentos. Read less

Un área de divergencia que se identificó durante el diálogo es sobre la situación de las mujeres en el sistema alimentario de Mérida. Se reconoció que el papel de la mujer ha cambiado mucho en los últimos años. Antes no se le daba su lugar a la mujer en la agricultura. Hoy en día las mujeres están destacando en distintos roles, tanto en el campo como en la comercialización y transformación de alimentos. Pero se detectó que la situación de las mujeres, y la percepción sobre ellas, varía mucho de acuerdo con la posición que tienen en el sistema alimentario. Para algunos, las muj... Read moreeres no enfrentan ninguna desventaja con respecto a los hombres. En particular, hay varios ejemplos de mujeres productoras que han sido muy exitosas en la comercialización de sus productos a través del programa Círculo 47 del Ayuntamiento de Mérida. Otros participantes opinaron que muchas mujeres todavía enfrentan situaciones que limitan su desarrollo e impacto (baja escolaridad, no poseen tierra para cultivar y operan en la informalidad, etc.). A pesar de ello, los participantes coincidieron en que las mujeres juegan un papel muy importante en el sistema alimentario de Mérida y en el desarrollo de hábitos de consumo saludables, por lo que hay que reconocer y potenciar su trabajo. Para ello, es necesario analizar el papel que juega la mujer en todas las etapas de las cadenas de valor agroalimentarias, para entender su situación particular y los obstáculos que enfrentan. Read less

Nuestro Diálogo se centró en la exploración de los retos y oportunidades que enfrentamos en la ciudad de Mérida, Yucatán, México, para transitar hacia un sistema alimentario más saludable, sustentable, resiliente y próspero para toda la ciudadanía. Para ello, convocamos a un grupo amplio y diverso de actores del sistema alimentario de Mérida, incluyendo pequeños productores de alimentos, emprendedores y empresarios de toda la cadena agroalimentaria, representantes de organizaciones de la sociedad civil, asociaciones de productores y cámaras empresariales, universidades, centros de ... Read moreinvestigación, gobierno municipal, estatal y federal, así como de organismos internacionales. Contamos con la participación de 84 personas que fueron divididas en 9 mesas de diálogo. Para abordar de manera integral el tema principal del diálogo, se definieron 3 temas específicos para motivar el intercambio de experiencias, ideas y propuestas: 1. Hacia un sistema alimentario más saludable. 2. Hacia un sistema alimentario seguro y sostenible. 3. Hacia un sistema alimentario más próspero e incluyente. Estos tres temas fueron distintos puntos de partida para explorar los retos y oportunidades del sistema alimentario de Mérida, sabiendo que los temas de salud, seguridad alimentaria, sostenibilidad, prosperidad e inclusión son interdependientes. Cada una de las mesas se enfocó en uno de los tres temas para iniciar el diálogo (3 mesas por tema). Pero como se puede ver en las conclusiones de cada tema, las preguntas fueron diseñadas para explorar las conexiones entre los tres temas y para generar propuestas que fortalezcan el sistema alimentario de Mérida de una manera integral. Read less

El Diálogo fue recibido con mucho interés por parte de los participantes y en cada mesa se generó un intercambio muy entusiasta y propositivo. Resultó muy enriquecedor generar este espacio para escuchar las visiones, opiniones y propuestas de los diversos actores que son parte o inciden en el sistema alimentario de Mérida. Los principales hallazgos son los siguientes: • En Mérida hay un número muy grande de personas y organizaciones que ya están haciendo cosas muy positivas para fortalecer nuestro sistema alimentario. También existen muchas colaboraciones entre la sociedad civil, la... Read more iniciativa privada, la academia y el gobierno en temas específicos de salud, sostenibilidad, seguridad alimentaria, comercio justo e inclusión social. • Hace falta una plataforma que una a todas las iniciativas de transformación del sistema alimentario de Mérida. Hacen falta encuentros y mecanismos de colaboración que permitan potenciar los esfuerzos de todos. Los actores que tenemos interés en fortalecer el sistema alimentario de Mérida carecemos de una narrativa que unifique y dé sentido a las muchas iniciativas de transformación que actualmente se desarrollan de manera aislada. • Para seguir fortaleciendo el sistema alimentario de Mérida no existe una solución única. Necesitamos desarrollar un conjunto de acciones de manera simultánea, que vayan atendiendo a distintos retos u oportunidades del sistema alimentario de Mérida. • Si bien hay acciones que se podrán implementar en el corto plazo y otras que requieren más tiempo para su implementación, todas deberán tener un abordaje integral y una visión de largo plazo, con la participación y seguimiento de la ciudadanía. • Es importante involucrar a los distintos actores del sistema alimentario en el diseño y desarrollo de iniciativas de transformación. Esto permitirá diseñar iniciativas integrales, que involucren distintos tipos de conocimiento o puntos de vista, así como generar un respaldo amplio de las distintas partes interesadas para su implementación. • Hay muchas ideas o propuestas que no son nuevas pero que si se logran llevar a la práctica pueden tener un impacto positivo muy grande. Ej: huertos de traspatio o huertos urbanos comunitarios. El reto está en la ejecución de esas ideas, para lograr un involucramiento sostenido y el respaldo amplio de la ciudadanía. • Hace falta desarrollar mecanismos para sistematizar la captación de ideas de transformación del sistema alimentario. Muchas personas han identificado problemáticas que necesitan ser atendidas o han detectado oportunidades de innovación, pero no han tenido el tiempo, los recursos o los aliados para transformar las ideas en acciones. • La pandemia por COVID-19 frenó muchas iniciativas y proyectos relacionados con el sistema alimentario de Mérida, ya sea a nivel de idea o en ejecución. Actores de diversos sectores o grupos de interés del sistema alimentario mencionaron esta situación en sus mesas de diálogo. Esto abre una oportunidad para impulsar nuevamente estas iniciativas y proyectos de transformación, conforme se permita la reapertura de actividades económicas. • La pandemia por COVID-19 también generó nuevas iniciativas e impulsó la adopción de nuevas prácticas. Destaca la respuesta solidaria de toda la ciudadanía y las alianzas que surgieron entre organizaciones de la sociedad civil, empresas, universidades y gobiernos para dar alimento y otros apoyos a la población más vulnerable. También se desarrollaron nuevos vínculos entre productores y consumidores y surgieron proyectos y redes solidarias que se espera que trasciendan la contingencia sanitaria. • El Diálogo fue un punto de partida para captar propuestas para fortalecer el sistema alimentario de Mérida. Pero también hizo evidente la importancia de generar comunidad y la necesidad de identificar, reconocer y aprovechar el conocimiento y las aportaciones de todos los actores del sistema alimentario. Los participantes del Diálogo expresaron su interés de seguir aportando y de llevar a cabo diálogos de manera continua. También, reconocieron la importancia de desarrollar mecanismos o plataformas de colaboración que involucren a los distintos actores del sistema alimentario y a los distintos niveles de gobierno. Read less

As organizations that advocate for and work towards the interests of farmers and producers in India, we believed it necessary to organize an Independent Dialogue that would represent the farmers’ stakes in our food systems. The problems of unsustainable production, producer’s livelihoods, consumer welfare and the environment are often seen at odds with one another. However, these issues intersect for the farmer, who is both a producer and a consumer, and depends on the environment for his/her livelihood. This is especially important in the context of the Global South, where large populatio... Read morens depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Keeping this in mind, the focus of our dialogue was on ‘Building synergies between seemingly competing interests of production, consumption, livelihoods and the ecosystem’. The geographical scope of our dialogue was Asia and Africa. Although the two continents comprise diverse ecologies and cultures, there are many similarities in our food systems that made our discussion a rich source of insights and learning. As the focus encompassed several major aspects of our food systems, it was decided to have discussions organized around the five Action Track Discussion Starter papers. The five Action Tracks of the UNFSS served as the basis for the discussion topics. The Dialogue participants were requested to indicate an Action Track of their preference. As most of our participants indicated their preference for Action Tracks 1, 3 and 5, we decided to coalesce the Action Tracks into 4 Discussion groups: • Discussion Group 1 - AT1 (Ensure access to safe and nutritious food for all) and AT2 (Shift to sustainable consumption patterns) • Discussion Groups 2a and 2b - AT3 (Boost nature-positive production) • Discussion Group 3 - AT4 (Advance equitable livelihoods) and AT5 (Build resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks and stress) The Discussion Starter paper for their preferred Action Track was then shared with them, which formed the basis for the discussion. The objective of each group was to discuss the specific issues under the Action Tracks as well as the linkages (including trade-offs and synergies) with other Action Tracks. Each group also discussed the concrete actions/solutions that could be undertaken by different stakeholders in the food system, such as governments, producers, civil society and the food industry. Read less

The major findings from the Dialogue are detailed below: • Nature-positive Production - The shift to agro ecological approaches and nature-positive production systems (such as regenerative or conservation agriculture) needs to be taken up on a priority basis. This transition needs to go hand in hand with a change in the narrative around farming in the Global South. Agriculture is often associated with poverty, and adopting nature-based approaches could help change this to one of pride and joy. • Traditional Knowledge - Indigenous knowledge and traditional production practices should be con... Read moreserved and promoted, as they are nature-friendly and sensitive to local ecologies. This is often validated by modern science as well. Thus, indigenous and scientific knowledge should be considered equally important in research and policymaking. • Empowerment of Stakeholders – Any transition has to be community-driven to be sustainable over time. Thus, communities should be empowered to take ownership of this transition. This could be facilitated through capacity building and collectivizing schemes for specific stakeholders such as farmers, women, youth and consumers (such as women Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and consumer co-operatives). • Improving Access and Affordability – One of the major challenges in implementing and scaling food systems initiatives is the lack of access or affordability of resources. On the consumption side, this manifests in lack of affordability/availability of safe, nutritious foods. On the production side, this could manifest in smallholder producers’ lack of access to knowledge or quality organic inputs. Thus, efforts should be directed towards improving access to resources for marginalized communities, through initiatives such as fair price shops or facilitating local production and sale of organic inputs. • Role of Technology – Digital technology can be a useful tool in disseminating information, improving access to resources, and reducing the gender gap in agriculture. • Funding – Funding for non-conventional food systems initiatives, such as regenerative agriculture, is often difficult to source. Linking grassroots organizations with donors or financial institutions that work in sustainable finance could be a solution. Banks and NBFCs should also be incentivized to provide credit to small farmers, for use in nature-positive production. • Need for continuous engagement - The engagement of relevant stakeholders on food systems issues should not be limited to the Dialogues or end with the Food Systems Summit, but continue as an essential part of food systems transformation. Read less

The discussion prompts for Discussion Group 1 are given below: Action Track 1 - Ensure access to safe and nutritious food for all • Is this feasible or a utopian wish? Can we do something towards this: o For all involved in food production (as farmers, agricultural labourers) o For rural communities? • What are the options to increase marginalised communities’ access to affordable, nutritious food? Would this be through food stamps, public distribution programmes, direct benefit transfers, or other measures? • How can we identify the major food safety issues (such as adulteration, cont... Read moreamination and antibiotic resistance) at production and post-production level? What are some of the low-hanging fruits that can be targeted to improve food safety? • Any other suggestions that AT1 or the other Action Tracks must include in their mandate? Action Track 2 - Shift to Sustainable Consumption Patterns • What constitutes Sustainable Consumption Patterns? How can we move towards them? o Stricter governmental regulations? Or awareness campaigns and corporate volunteerism? o Taxing foods that have an adverse impact on health (such as ultra-processed food and food high in salt, sugar and fat) o How do we understand the role of advertising in encouraging consumption of unhealthy foods? Can we employ advertising to also discourage unhealthy food consumption? • How do we tackle food waste at various levels – post-production stage, supply chain, consumer, and retail? • Is the circular economy approach feasible? Roles of community organizations, civil society? • Any other suggestions that AT2 or the other Action Tracks must include in their mandate? What are the synergies and trade-offs between ATs 1 and 2? How can they be maximized/minimised? Concerning AT1, the participants agreed that providing access to safe, nutritious food to all was achievable, but required significant policy shifts and ground level changes. One of the most important steps towards this is to localize food value chains and public distribution programmes. This would lead to less food loss, sustainable, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, and a more resilient food system. The participants highlighted the importance of building resilience in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, which severely undermined nutrition security for millions in Asia and Africa. Regarding the issue of food safety, the participants emphasized the importance of incorporating traditional, indigenous knowledge with scientific knowledge. This information should be disseminated to consumers through food safety awareness campaigns. The food safety polices and implementing bodies (such as FSSAI in India ) need to be strengthened to tackle systemic issues such as adulteration and chemical residues in food. Along with this, the safety of air and water should also be ensured, as they can affect the health benefits accrued from safe, nutritious food. The participants then addressed the issue of transitioning to sustainable and nutritious consumption patterns. Diversifying and localizing diets was seen as the way forward. Globalization and industrialization have resulted in increased consumption of processed foods in both Asia and Africa. This results in processed food being more affordable than fresh, organic produce, disproportionately affecting the health of the marginalized poor. Thus, governments should encourage the production and consumption of locally sourced foods. The group suggested producers and consumers should be organized into institutional collectives, which need to work together to better our food systems. Read less

The discussion prompts for Discussion Group 2a are given below: Action Track 3 - Boost Nature-Positive Production • Can we improve crop intensity and productivity while protecting and restoring the environment? How? • Can we have production practices that help create resilience to climate change while also restoring degraded ecosystems? Examples? • What needs to be done to shift to nature-positive production? o Government steps to reduce the use of chemicals in agriculture and incentivise ecosystem services? o Local input-output shops, Champion Farmers, women’s SHGs, Farmers’ Collect... Read moreives, digital platforms? • Can we have nature-positive integrated production with sustainable, decent incomes and livelihoods to producers? Examples? • Any other suggestions that AT3 or the other Action Tracks must include in their mandate? In this discussion, participants concurred on the need to change the narrative around farming such that parents can actually encourage their children to pursue it. In most parts of Asia and Africa, farming is associated with pain and poverty. Moving away from conventional farming practices could help change this narrative to one of hope and productivity. Participants pointed out that current farming policy often incentivizes chemically intensive agriculture, and concrete actions need to be taken to encourage nature-positive approaches, such as minimum tillage and conservation agriculture. Rwanda’s Green Growers initiative was brought up as an example of such a policy action. Policy that incentivized funding for non-conventional agriculture was also crucial. The importance of indigenous knowledge was also recognised in this transition, as traditional farming practices were more ecologically sensitive and sustainable. There is an urgent need to actively conserve and promote such indigenous knowledge, which is rapidly dying out due to the pressures of food security and commercialization. The discussants then brought up the many implementation challenges that they had observed at the ground level. In the African context, smallholder farmers lack access to resources and policy support to make the transition to sustainable production. Intensive capacity building (such as educating farmers on effective farming practices) and providing access to resources (such as markets and value chains) were required to overcome these hurdles. Technology was also considered as a tool to increase access to resources, and to reduce the gender gap in agriculture. The participants agreed that any change had to be community-driven to be sustainable over time. Thus, communities needed to be empowered to take ownership of this transition through FPOs, women's SHGs and other collectivizing schemes. Informal/formal networks for resource and equipment sharing would also help make this transition sustainable over time. Read less

The discussion prompts for Discussion Group 2a are given below: Action Track 3 - Boost Nature-Positive Production • Can we improve crop intensity and productivity while protecting and restoring the environment? How? • Can we have production practices that help create resilience to climate change while also restoring degraded ecosystems? Examples? • What needs to be done to shift to nature-positive production? o Government steps to reduce the use of chemicals in agriculture and incentivise ecosystem services? o Local input-output shops, Champion Farmers, women’s SHGs, Farmers’ Collect... Read moreives, digital platforms? • Can we have nature-positive integrated production with sustainable, decent incomes and livelihoods to producers? Examples? • Any other suggestions that AT3 or the other Action Tracks must include in their mandate? The participants began by addressing the question of whether it was possible to shift to nature-positive production while maintaining productivity. The example of regenerative agriculture was brought up, which can be undertaken even in dryland ecologies. This type of production is environment friendly while also increasing productivity and profitability. A few participants spoke of their personal experience as farmers practicing conservation agriculture in India. They had seen improved yields, soil health and fertility and increased incomes. Another participant illustrated the experience of Thailand in implementing integrated land and water management in agriculture. The participants noted that traditional farming practices are also regenerative and scientific concepts such as permaculture and agroecology validate their significance. Thus, communities should be empowered to revive their indigenous knowledge to improve both human and planetary health. The participants then discussed the implementation and scaling challenges for nature-positive approaches. Currently, the commercialization of agriculture has led to chemical intensive mono-cropping. This can make communities more vulnerable to shocks such as drought and famine, as history has often demonstrated (for instance, the Irish potato famine). It was agreed that the first requirement for the transition was the empowerment of small farmers. This would require support through policy instruments and collectivizing institutions such as cooperatives and FPOs. The lack of access or affordability of organic inputs was another constraint preventing the large-scale adoption of nature-based production. The setting up of Bio-input shops at the local level (as in Andhra Pradesh) could be a policy instrument to encourage natural farming and boost the village economy. The involvement of youth was also considered crucial in facilitating the shift. The participants also recognised the importance of creating solutions that are sensitive to local contexts and ecologies. Read less

The discussion prompts for Discussion Group 3 are given below: Action Track 4 - Advance Equitable Livelihoods • How do we increase employment and incomes for farm-centric, sustainable rural livelihoods? o Repurposed agricultural supports and subsidies? • How do farmers realise better prices? o Market reforms, infrastructure and linkages? o Support prices? o Strengthened local food value chains, wet markets? o Individual and collective enterprises? • Should this be complemented by a welfare approach? o Universal Basic Income or Direct Benefit Transfers? o Interest subvention? • Any othe... Read morer suggestions that AT4 or the other Action Tracks must include in their mandate? Action Track 5 - Build Resilience to Vulnerabilities, Shocks, and Stress • How do we prevent, cope with and mitigate the effects of shocks on vulnerable food systems actors (farmers, fishers, livestock owners)? o Social protection and safety net programmes? o Government level, community level? • Can we have food value chains resilient to economic and environmental shocks such as the recession or global pandemics? o Production-to-consumption? o Local food value chains? • How do we ensure food security for ecologically vulnerable and socially marginalised communities (such as indigenous farmers, coastal communities and nomadic pastoralists)? o Specific strategies? o Roles of communities, civil society, Governments? • Any other suggestions that AT5 or the other Action Tracks must include in their mandate? What are the synergies and trade-offs between ATs 4 and 5? What can be done to maximise synergies and minimise trade-offs? This group began the discussion by recognizing the complexity of the interconnections between various aspects of food systems. The importance of learning from nature, linking indigenous knowledge to modern science and disseminating it with the help of digitalization were also acknowledged. The participants then discussed the benefits of knowledge intensive and regenerative agriculture. This kind of agriculture encourages carbon sequestration, which in turn increases the groundwater table (for every gram of carbon sequestered, the soil can hold 8 grams more water). Regenerative agriculture also improves the soil microbiome. These can lead to greater resilience of farming to climate change and also decrease the chance of zoonosis like Covid-19. The practicalities of promoting and implementing regenerative agriculture were then discussed. A crucial question was how these schemes would be funded. Participants suggested linking grassroots organisations in need of funding with financial/donor institutions that are looking to finance green initiatives. An example was Microsoft, which recently gave 1 billion US dollars to companies that were showing long-term carbon sequestration, to help them achieve their net zero carbon goals. It was also necessary to empower communities and facilitate development that spreads from farmer to farmer. Women’s SHGs and farmers could be considered as the unit of knowledge transfer. Universities could be enlisted to provide financial and capacity building training to these communities. The idea that farming is a business that has to provide financial as well as ecological returns should be mainstreamed. Read less

Despite the presence of diverse stakeholders from diverse geographies, there were no major areas of divergence during the Dialogue. There was a broad consensus on the main issues with our food systems and the direction of their transformation. All participants were in agreement on the main findings of the Dialogue, especially on the urgent need to shift to regenerative agriculture, to empower small producers and women through collectivization, to conserve and promote traditional knowledge and to improve access to resources for marginalized communities. There was also consensus on the ideal vis... Read moreion of a sustainable, equitable food system: which regenerates the environment, ensures decent incomes and livelihoods for producers, and facilitates access to and consumption of nutritious, safe food. Read less

The major findings from the Dialogue are detailed below: • The shift to agro ecological approaches and nature-positive production systems needs to be taken up on a priority basis. Scientific evidence and documentation of regenerative production practices are essential to facilitating this shift in policymaking and governance. • Although there is a need for a national level policies that facilitate the shift towards sustainable production and consumption, their implementation should be decentralized. National policies need to be flexible to accommodate the needs of local communities and the... Read more specificities of regional ecologies. • For decentralized implementation to be effective, local institutions and human resources need to be mobilized. In consumption, this can be done through existing government schemes such as the Public Distribution System (PDS), Anganwadi and mid-day meal schemes. • Empowerment of the community, and specific stakeholders such as farmers, women and consumers, should be encouraged through women's Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and consumer co-operatives. • Although there is a broad understanding of the problems in food systems, there is a strong need for workable, context specific solutions. The participants were requested to share breakthrough solutions that are already being implemented on the ground (some of these solutions are attached with this form). • Importance of diverse perspectives - The participants were also encouraged to hold similar dialogues with the stakeholder groups they work with, such as farmers, youth, indigenous people and women, so that these perspectives are also reflected in the Food Systems Summit. • Need for continuous engagement. It was also agreed that the engagement of relevant stakeholders on food systems issues should not be limited to the Dialogues or end with the Food Systems Summit, but continue as an essential part of food systems transformation. Read less

The discussion prompts for Discussion Group 1 are given below: Action Track 1 - Ensure access to safe and nutritious food for all • Is this feasible or a utopian wish? Can we do something towards this: o For all involved in food production (as farmers, agricultural labourers, etc.) o For rural communities? • What are the best options to increase marginalised communities’ access to affordable, nutritious food? Would this be through food stamps, public distribution programmes, direct benefit transfers, or other measures? • How can we identify the major food safety issues (such as adulter... Read moreation, contamination and antibiotic resistance) at production and post-production level? What are some of the low-hanging fruits that can be targeted to improve food safety? • Any other suggestions that AT1 must include in its mandate? • Any suggestions for other Action Tracks? The participants discussed the key challenges and solutions for ensuring access to safe and nutritious food for all. Actions were discussed in three broad areas: improving access to nutritious foods for marginalized and rural communities, increasing consumer demand for natural, sustainably produced food and enhancing food safety. In order to improve access to food and food security, participants suggested that the current production systems need to change and adopt agro ecological approaches. Government needs to play a role in incentivizing natural farming and setting up Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), especially for small and marginal farmers. They also recommended village/community level measures such as storage and distribution systems and backyard poultry for landless households. To increase demand and consumption of nutritious food, the discussants recommended measures such as awareness campaigns, decentralizing procurement and distribution under the Public Distribution System (PDS), strengthening local markets (such as mandis) for farm produce and ensuring cooked, healthy meals to children under the Anganwadi and Mid-Day Meal programmes. To enhance food safety, the measures recommended were government certification of organic products, soil testing and discouraging perverse incentives and subsidies (such as electricity and fertilizer subsidies) that encourage monoculture and industrial agriculture. Read less

The discussion prompts for Discussion Group 2 are given below: Action Track 2 - Shift to Sustainable Consumption Patterns • What constitutes Sustainable Consumption Patterns? How can we move towards them? o Stricter governmental regulations? Or awareness campaigns and corporate volunteerism? o Taxing foods that have an adverse impact on health (such as ultra-processed food and food high in salt, sugar and fat) o How do we understand the role of advertising in encouraging consumption of unhealthy foods? Can we employ advertising to also discourage unhealthy food consumption? • How do we tac... Read morekle food waste at various levels – post-production stage, supply chain, consumer, and retail? • Is the circular economy approach feasible? Roles of community organizations, civil society? • Any other suggestions that AT2 must include in its mandate? • Any suggestions for other Action Tracks? This discussion on AT2 revolved primarily around the question of how to define sustainable consumption and how can we move towards it. It was decided that sustainable consumption patterns would entail sustainability not just for the environment and the human body, but also over time. For this, changes needed to be made not just in production systems and government regulations but also in consumer behaviour. There was an understanding that our current food systems encourage the consumption of unhealthy, processed foods, which are not only more affordable than fresh, healthy food but also more aspirational. The role of advertising was debated in this context and the discussants agreed that punitive measures such as regulating advertisements or taxing unhealthy foods needed to be supplemented by constructive measures such as building awareness and providing affordable alternatives. Discussants also questioned the role of government in regulating food choices and consumption, as the Right to Food is recognized by the Indian constitution. The consensus was that the government’s role should involve providing information and awareness to consumers while also implementing behaviour change interventions such as removing sugary foods from checkout counters and promoting indigenous foods and kitchen gardens in schools. Government schemes and systems that are already in place, such as mid-day meals and Anganwadis, can be used to facilitate sustainable consumption at the local level. The discussants then returned to the question of who should decide the standards for healthy and sustainable diets. Everyone agreed that, while national frameworks are necessary, they need to be flexible to be adopted within local cultural and environmental contexts. Indigenous and traditional foods, wherever supported by science, should be promoted. The question of food waste was also discussed. The participants agreed that shorter value chains and the farm-to-fork approach would help in tackling food waste. Circular economy approaches should also be promoted, not just in terms of food but the overall capital of a community. The government could also play a role by regulating the food waste of food retail businesses, through certifications or ratings. Read less