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Discussion topic 4: What do youth, women and persons with disabilities offer to ensure sustainable food systems? Outcomes: -A taskforce in the food systems. -A source of knowledge: They can be trainers of others. -A pool for innovation.

Discussion topic 5: Policy considerations to ensure inclusion of the youth, women and persons with disabilities for sustainable food systems. Outcomes: - Land ownership by all policies to be enacted. -Indicators for inclusivity to be stipulated and made mandatory. - Access to affordable finance by the youth, women and persons with disabilities. -Inclusion in policy making processes affecting them.

Discussion topic 6: How do we determine that there is fair inclusion? Outcomes: -When the young people represent the youth, women represent women and persons with disabilities represent persons with disabilites. -Bringing out those with disabilities and not hiding them to ensure they get access to benefits like everyone else. -Projects for sustainability -Provision of soft loans for ideas from youth, women and persons with disabilities.

Use of ICT- There was the advocacy for more digitalization to improve agriculture. However, people with disabilities feel left out when more digitalization is done. This is because the digital innovations do not take into consideration their unique needs. Therefore, they are unable to use these innovations. This is an area that requires further and broader consideration. People with disabilities should not be left behind through new innovations that they cannot be able to use.

Discussion topic 1: How do we measure success in the inclusion of the youth, women and persons with disabilities in sustainable food systems? Outcomes: -By their participation in decision making. -When we see succesful agribusinesses by the youth, women and persons with disabilities -Check requirements specific to the people are considered e.g. sign language for those with hearing impairment, braille for those with visual impairment. These should include websites. -Reading material is practical and friendly to the youth, women and persons with disabilities. -When we see the youth, women and pe... Read moreople with disabilities training others Read less

In the dialogue theme “Innovative inclusion of the youth, women and persons living with disabilities in sustainable food systems for development”, we explored the question, in what innovative ways can the youth, women and persons living with disabilities be meaningfully involved in ensuring sustainable food systems for the development of economies in Africa and the world? This was an Independent Food System Summit Dialogue to gather practical experiences and ideas from different stakeholders to ensure inclusion of all in food systems. The objectives of the dialogue were: • To create a pl... Read moreatform for all stake holders to speak out on diverse experiences of the inclusion of the youth, women and persons living with disabilities in food systems. • To spell out strategies to foster the inclusion of the youth, women and persons living with disabilities (enabled differently) in global food systems to enhance sustainability. • To foster innovativeness in the inclusion of the youth, women and persons living with disabilities (enabled differently) in food systems to transform global, regional and national food systems Expected Outcomes were as follows: • Strategies to foster the inclusion of the youth, women and persons living with disabilities in global food systems for sustainability • Suggestions and recommendations gathered from participants’ experiences on ways of ensuring the inclusion of the youth, women and persons living with disabilities in food systems • Greater innovativeness in the inclusion of the youth, women and persons living with disabilities in food systems. Read less

-Nature based solutions that involve actions to work with and embrace nature e.g developing riparian areas are important in ensuring sustainability of food systems for all. They sustain production, mitigate climate change and erosion, increase income and biodiversity and sustain healthy ecosystems. This idea should be implemented in members' localities. -Agripreneurship should be positioned for youth employment. The youth should be equipped through skill development, financing and financial literacy and land access policies. -People with disabilities should be capacitated with farm inputs and ... Read morebe faicilitated with materials on food production and other opportunities that they can read e.g. by use of braille, so as to enjoy the same benefits as the rest of the population. -There should be effective advocacy processes by all to ensure the youth, women and persons with disabilities are represented in food systems policy making. A bottom- up approach that begins from the local communities should be used. -Acess to information: Manuals and other advocacy material developed should resonate with the needs of the persons with disabilites as well as the women and youth. They should be simple and in formats that all can access. -Partnerships between government and the private sector should be pursued in providing credit, soiling testing services, community edcuation through demonstration farms and agricultural insurance for sustainable food systems. -Research is essential where gender transformative indicators should be used to ensure inclusion of all e.g. how many are engaged from each gender and interest groups. Calls for proposal should be tailor made for different groups (youth, women, persons with disabilities). -Social protection programmes that are linked with families for people with disabilities are essentail to ensure access to quality nutrition. Training and capacity building required to engage in decision making, for value addition of produce and in finding markets. Digital training of farmers is also essential. Equal access to resources by all (youth, women and persons with disabilities) is required for sustainable food systems. Read less

The major focus of the dialogue is on advancing equable livelihoods specifically recognising the game changing initiatives of farmers' organisations and cooperatives in market access at the same time affirming the diverse related issues and challenges in agricultural value chain development. The presenters were also able to present the inter-relatedness of different action tracks based on country specific realities and priorities.

The following are the main findings and recommendations as a result of the Dialogue> 1. Formation of cooperatives, as they play a major role in terms of value addition, development of agri-enterprises and access to support and financing from different institutions; empowerment of cooperatives in negotiating with markets. 2. Establishment of rural distribution network/trading centers managed by farmers; provision of storage facility system to reduce pest, enables bulk orders/wholesale. 3. Involvement of youth in agricultural activities – advanced methodologies in farming, technologies used... Read more in processing and online marketing platform; awareness of youth on benefits of farming. 4. Empowerment of farmers to utilize online platforms or e-commerce; creation of platform where farmers and buyers meet; farmers dictate the price. 5. Implementation of organic agriculture suitable for small scale farmers; prioritization of healthy and organic produce; standardization of organic farming policy. 6. Cutting of long market value chain/processes; strengthening of farmers to negotiate directly to end consumers/large scale companies. 7. Incentives and support to farmers from agricultural banks. 8. Market positioning – tapping markets offering higher price regardless of the minimum bulk volume, at the same time, ensuring product quality. Establishment of partnership with other organizations/institutions to highlight farmers’ products. 9. Land security for farmers. 10. Reduction of tax for agricultural products 11. Focus on market requirements and needs 12. Long term branding and plan 13. Assessment of different types of seeds for resiliency; farmer to farmer exchange seeds, non-dependence on hybrid seeds 14. Plant health clinic: platform to discover and diagnose pest issues. Read less

Identifying specific and advantageous production value chains for specialization and that have comparative advantage for circumstances of farmers. Creating innovative ways of managing farmers’ market to increase their income and reliance on middlemen Enhancing/increasing use of technology to reduce costs and improve production Building capacity for farmers in agricultural operations (pesticide use, irrigation methods, agricultural inputs) Enhancing role of cooperatives and organizing farmers' cooperatives or agricultural cooperatives Encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship in the food se... Read morector to decrease production cost, introduce sustainable techniques and providing more job opportunities to women and youth. Read less

Vulnerabilities: Absence of appropriate and advanced technology (monitoring) In Lebanon, people are heading more towards the cities, leaving rural areas that contribute to food production. Lack of financial support for research in nutrition and food systems Lack of coordination between the different food systems (production, packaging…) and lack of standards, mainly in the Arab World Lack of investment in proper infrastructure, specifically in Lebanon, that could sustain long term production and suffice local consumption Export of all the best goods Lack of support for farmers No land tenure... Read more security Absence of proper monitoring of expiry dates and prices of food products Lack of proper investments and attention to the food sector, especially food production, in Lebanon Lebanese politicians considered Lebanon a country that provides services rather than a producer Fuel shortage in Lebanon is affecting its food sector Solutions: Water is essential for farming. Water harvesting should be prioritized. This could be done through small dams. Create programs that attract the youth to farming and the agricultural sector Prioritization of farming Hydroponics farming as part of urban agriculture Connecting the farmers to their respective markets/consumers directly Read less

No areas of divergence were detected. The discussion was smooth and most of the participants were on the same page and had similar views and aspirations.

Participants presented the main challenges of the food systems in the 3 different tracks in a comprehensive exploration of the food systems. They agreed on a number of ways that the food system in Lebanon can be strengthened including capacity building for farmers in agricultural operations. Participants examined solutions linking between different Action Tracks and levers of change.

In the short-term small farmers and the most vulnerable should be supported by vouchers for input, cash transfers, land reclamation. There is a risk of a major decline in total production as small farmers cannot afford the price of imported inputs, therefore production size will decrease. On the other hand, consumers are shifting to cheaper, less nutritious, products which are leading to malnutrition and obesity. In the medium term, there is a need to promote more Lebanese produce and increase consumers' awareness of more local fresh food. The devaluation of the Lebanese pound might give a hig... Read moreher comparative advantage for the Lebanese agriculture production that will replace imports and lead to more export. This will attract more investment and thus increase production size. On the other hand, if consumers shift to locally produced foods, they would have chosen a healthier and more nutritious option. There is a need to capitalize on the role of cooperatives while encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship in the food sector to decrease production cost, introduce sustainable techniques, and providing more job opportunities to women and youth. It was recommended to create innovative ways of managing farmers’ markets to increase income. Specific and advantageous production value chains for specialization increasing comparative advantage were identified. Water harvesting in addition to using hydroponics farming as part of urban agriculture were prioritized. There should be more youth involvement in the sector and farmers should be directly connected to their respective consumers. In the current crisis, the fuel shortage in Lebanon is affecting the food system. It was noted that the absence of appropriate and advanced technology in addition to the lack of financial support for farmers and investment in proper infrastructure is adding to the sector’s vulnerability. As far as youth are concerned, macro-level policies and regulations are needed to support innovation and technology. A mapping of all needed data should be made available. It was also recommended to scale up funding from food innovation enterprises. On the meso level, institutions should be enforced and partnered with international cooperation. Partnerships between the youth and private sectors should be maximized. On the micro-level, it is highly necessary to maximize the use of resources and raw materials for the industrial sector in addition to link green technologies and energy efficiency with innovation. Fostering clustered approach leads to comparative advantage. Innovation should focus on more affordable cost-efficient produce that matches the local demand. It was also recommended by most participants to promote high technology used in farming, to reduce costs and improve production. Read less

Short-term • Small farmers cannot afford the price of imported inputs = reduce area planted, number of animals => major decline in total production • Consumers are shifting to cheaper less nutritious products: e.g. bread, potatoes => malnutrition + obesity Recommendations for short-term  Emergency assistance to small farmers to buy inputs (vouchers, etc.)  Support to farmers’ livelihoods  Support to land reclamation to expand food production  Cash transfers to poor consumers Medium-term • Devaluation of LBP will enhance comparative advantage of Lebanese agriculture... Read more => higher production to replace imports+ more exports • Reduced use of inputs through more GAP/IPM; shift to more sustainable crop mix • More investments in farming by new comers and expansion by existing farmers • Consumers shift to locally produced foods, including more nutritious fruits and vegetables and food legumes as a healthier source of proteins than animal proteins Recommendations for medium-term  Promotion of high technology in farming to increase productivity and sustainability  Promotion of GAP/IPM to reduce input use and enhance food safety  Marketing through coops to bypass wholesale traders  Increase consumer awareness to consume local fresh food, especially fruits and vegetables  Encourage circular economy: composting, solar, etc. Read less

The focused is on the family farmers' innovative solutions and proposed actions to scale out and sustain these innovative solutions under the following themes: Promote secure tenurial rights of small-scale women and men family farmers over natural resources: lands, waters, forests, seeds Produce diverse and nutritious food through sustainable, integrated, diversified, resilient, organic, agroecological family farming systems and practices in farms and forested landscapes Build and strengthen family farmers’ cooperatives and their enterprises that will give farmers stronger involvement in val... Read moreue chains and increase their market power Promote fair treatment and ensure equitable rights and opportunities among women and men farmers Promote agriculture towards the young and build their interests and capacities towards sustainable and resilient farming and related enterprises Read less

Farmers continue to face challenges from including control to productive resources and access to technologies, essential information, financial service, and fair market. There is a need to invest in strengthening farmers' organizations. The central role of family farmers and their organizations in food system has been proven and widely acknowledged: - Family farmers are feeding the world (IAASTD) - Maturity and Sustainability of FFOs are closely associated with increased benefits of smallholder (based on IFAD commissioned study in the Philippines) - Membership in a farmers’ organization was ... Read moreassociated with positive effects on income (CERES 2030) FFOs are SOLUTION PROVIDERS/INNOVATORS/GAME CHANGERS FFOs are ACCELERATORS of SDG FFOs are PROPELLERS of Climate Resilient Agriculture Read less

Smallholder farmers have been practicing sustainable agriculture. However, it is changing due to degradation and availability of natural resources, commercial agriculture, climate changes, etc. Build and strengthen farmers’ cooperatives and their enterprises that will give farmers stronger involvement in value chains and increase their market power. Tireless and creative campaigning and land right movement has achieved policy results and established that access and ownership of land have to be provided farmers/tillers. Family farming and the family property are the inseparable parts of a coi... Read moren women are the game changer of socioeconomic development of family and nations. So land ownership should be provided to women. Creative and solution-based big movement can bring great politic change. For change, organisations should strengthen organisation for effective movement. Collaboration with government actors for effective programs and execute the better results provides more credibility and increases local leverage. So collaboration with government has to be done. Strengthen young farmers’ organisation in the country through continued organizing efforts. Rethink community organizing strategies in this pandemic/use of digital platforms. We need community champions and leaders Read less

El Cambio Climático es un fenómeno que se manifiesta en un aumento de la temperatura promedio del planeta y este aumento de la temperatura tiene consecuencias en la intensidad de los fenómenos del clima en todo el mundo y que Colombia no es la excepción, por otra parte afirma que la seguridad alimentaria es la importancia de consumir alimentos que no sean dañinos para nuestras vidas pero que implica varios factores que van mucho más allá y que la seguridad alimentaria se da cuando todas las personas tienen acceso físico, social y económico permanente a alimentos seguros, nutritivos y ... Read moreen cantidad suficiente para satisfacer sus requerimientos nutricionales y preferencias alimentarias, y así poder llevar una vida activa y saludable. La relación entre los conceptos expuestos anteriormente afirmando que el cambio climático empeorará las condiciones de vida de agricultores, pescadores y quienes viven de los bosques, poblaciones ya de por sí vulnerables y en condiciones de inseguridad alimentaria. Aumentarán el hambre y la malnutrición. Las comunidades rurales, especialmente las que viven en ambientes frágiles, se enfrentan a un riesgo inmediato y creciente de pérdida de las cosechas y del ganado, así como a la reducida disponibilidad de productos marinos, forestales y provenientes de la acuicultura. Los episodios climáticos extremos cada vez más frecuentes e intensos tendrán un impacto negativo en la disponibilidad de alimentos, el acceso a los mismos, su estabilidad y su utilización, así como en los bienes y oportunidades de los medios de vida tanto en zonas rurales como urbanas. Además, que los seres humanos, las plantas, el ganado y la pesca estarán expuestos a nuevas plagas y enfermedades que florecen sólo a determinadas temperaturas y condiciones de humedad. Esto implica nuevos riesgos para la seguridad alimentaria, la inocuidad de los alimentos y la salud humana. Se puede contribuir a reducir las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero, así como su impacto, mediante el manejo de los servicios del ecosistema, la disminución de los cambios del uso de la tierra y la deforestación vinculada a ello, el uso de variedades de cultivo más eficaces, un mejor control de los incendios fortuitos, la nutrición mejorada del ganado de rumiantes, un manejo más eficaz de los desechos del ganado, el manejo del suelo orgánico, la agricultura de conservación y sistemas agroforestales. Además de reducir la emisión de gases de efecto invernadero, las tierras de pasto y cultivo bien manejadas pueden secuestrar cantidades significativas de carbono. Mientras que para el manejo sostenible de la ganadería propone que la tierra utilizada incluidos los pastos y las praderas destinadas a la producción de forraje deben evitar el sobrepastoreo que es la principal causa de degradación de las praderas implementando prácticas de manejo de la tierra. En Colombia una de las mayores causas de la inseguridad alimentaria no radica en la escasez, sino en la imposibilidad de acceder a los alimentos. Las poblaciones más pobres y vulnerables se encuentran en las periferias de los centros urbanos y en el campo, haciéndolos especialmente vulnerables a los factores que determinan la sostenibilidad y suficiencia de los alimentos básicos y las ineficiencias en las cadenas de abastecimiento observadas en Colombia se agudizan por los cambios en las condiciones ambientales que toman forma de derrumbes, erosiones y fenómenos climáticos severos como La Niña o El Niño, además que estos eventos extremo-climáticos representan cierres parciales o completos de los corredores viales que movilizan la producción agrícola de un municipio hacia los mercados finales de otro. Read less

Se debate la viabilidad de la economía solidaria en Colombia ya que se considera un contexto ideal pero no real ya que nosotros sabemos que la economía agropecuaria en Colombia tiene un problema grave con la tenencia de la tierra, el suministro de agua, distribución de producto y asistencia técnica y que el PAE no compra a pequeños agricultores si no a grandes productores para comprar en mayor cantidad y menor precio, porque para ellos no es un programa de ayuda si no que es un negocio. Además, menciona que por ejemplo en el oriente del país donde el reside se trabajan las raciones indu... Read morestrializadas en los colegios públicos y que estas raciones contienen mucho azúcar y no nutren a los niños. Otro problema que se menciona es que los jóvenes no quieren trabajar en el campo y la población campesina es adulta, además que el gobierno prefiere la minería que la agricultura y que los TLC no favorecen al sector campesino. Por esta razón no se ve viable esta alternativa ya que la economía solidaria se basa en la producción y comercialización de pequeñas cantidades y precios más altos, para que la economía solidaria funcione se necesita una gran revolución y una reingeniería de los sistemas de producción y para proponer soluciones realistas se tiene que hacer un diagnóstico profundo. Otro tema en el que se ven expuestos dilemas morales ocurrió con el tema de alimentos transgénicos, ya que, desde una perspectiva crítica se cree que sí vamos a orientar nuestro panorama en la producción de alimentos transgénicos deberíamos de tomar como ejemplo las bases que ha establecido los programas de producción transgénica de los Estados Unidos sin embargo dentro de la perspectiva ética se buscaría otras alternativas y no implementaría la producción de estos alimentos. Read less