Explore Official Dialogue Feedback

Reflections, personal actions, and questions to explore further: - Tipping current innovations towards their transformative potential: for example, meat alternatives have the potential to keep people eating badly, or to help drive a mainstream shift to more plant-based, healthier diets. How can we influence this? Whose responsibility is it? - Embedding innovation into strategies for greater food equity: The food industry has a big opportunity to improve many people’s ability to afford good food, by ensuring all its own workers earn living incomes. It’s difficult for any affordable innovati... Read moreon strategy to be credible if the organisation doesn’t pay living wages. Who’s doing this well and supporting this message, and what can be learnt or replicated from that? - Ensuring a collaborative “ecosystem” of innovators: Whose responsibility is it to lead the transformation we need? How do we best combine top-down and bottom-up approaches? How can innovators, with different audiences, areas of expertise, scales, perspectives and visions, work alongside one another, and support one another to all move towards more transformative action? Who or what can facilitate this? Read less

This Dialogue generated some areas of divergence as well as important questions that were either not resolved or not addressed in depth (eg due to time constraints) and therefore merit further exploration and discussion. These include: - Food system change vs broader economic system (and affordability vs incomes): To what extent can we tackle the issues within the food system, when so many of the issues stem from our wider economic system? How far can innovation go to be transformative when operating within the constraints of the dominant economic model? For example, many food workers’ incom... Read morees are too low to afford healthy, sustainable diets. The corresponding solutions could be more about the wages that food businesses pay, than about the affordability of their products. - Increasing the emphasis on the need for a just transition: The question of just transition wasn’t explored in great depth, and was quite a new aspect of the conversation for many of our participants. How do we raise awareness of the need for just transitions in the food system across audiences and stakeholders, improve people’s understanding of what just transition means and could look like, and enable it to become part of more people’s remit to actively consider and support it, regardless of their role, organisation and sector? - But also… who has the right to talk about (food) justice, or benefit from driving it? To what extent should businesses play a role in delivering food equity and justice or in supporting vulnerable people for example? How much should businesses benefit from others’ ideas for improving access to healthy, sustainable diets (if at all), particularly when it is felt by some stakeholders that those businesses could be responsible in part for some of the challenges? This Dialogue surfaced divergence around different potential roles as well as the right to shape more equitable access to better diets. - Consumer choice vs other influences on diets: Is the question really about changing the healthy, sustainable options available to people, or about addressing the incentives for eating unhealthy, unsustainable options? - Aligning or combining different efforts in service of shared goals. To what extent can the shared goal of equal access to healthy sustainable diets enable different perspectives to be reconciled, build trust between different stakeholders and support co-operation? How to enable many different players to work together or support one another to all move towards transformative action? What would it look like if innovators with different perspectives and expertise were able to make their best contribution to the challenges in mutually complementary ways? What could enable this to happen? Read less

Increasing the proportion of plant-based food people eat is one of the crucial steps towards more sustainable, healthy diets and there is huge excitement, investment and momentum around plant-based innovation in Europe and the US. However, that innovation is not necessarily well-aligned with ensuring that nutritious, sustainable food is widely affordable, accessible and desirable to a wide range of people and communities. As it stands, plant-based innovation is not delivering sustainable nutrition for all. What if we could harness the energy around plant-based innovation to help catalyse the t... Read moreransformations in the food system that are urgently needed? What kinds of innovation, in the widest sense, do we need to deliver a healthier, more sustainable and, crucially, more equitable food system, from new approaches to innovation and new business models, to cultural and mindset shifts? How might plant-based innovation help drive that ‘just transition’ of diets in Europe and the US? Read less

This Dialogue identified: 1. Six key solution areas for plant-based innovation to contribute to a just transition to healthy, sustainable diets in the US/Europe - innovations that: a. enable us to mainstream the use of a greater diversity of healthy, sustainable, plant-based foods and ingredients as well as preparation methods and processes b. embed, democratise and improve how much we value skills, knowledge and awareness about healthy, sustainable plant-based foods c. improve the short AND longer-term affordability of healthy and sustainable plant-based foods d. bring people at all income le... Read morevels closer to healthy and sustainable plant-based foods and without stigma e. increase the diversity of people, in the broadest sense, in the plant-based movement f. generate business models that create and distribute value more evenly 2. An interconnected set of considerations for approaches to plant-based innovation, to address as a whole, in order to help catalyse a just transition to better diets: a. Address the challenges holistically, avoiding trading off one aspect against another b. Design/test for - and commit to - scaling up, at speed c. Cater to more different individuals and communities and unmet needs d. Look beyond the product level, towards: Creating genuinely equitable business models; Changing eating behaviours for the better; Driving and supporting mindset and cultural shifts e. Decentralise access to good food f. Empower people through food skills and knowledge 3. Enablers for more transformative kinds of innovation: a. Breaking out of our “innovation bubbles” to develop better ideas more in line with what the world needs b. Rethinking partnerships to build in more ambition and make the best use of respective capabilities c. “Matchmaking” to drive impact, including innovating where it’s needed the most and supporting those who already offer a solution d. More collective voice and coordination across existing smaller-scale innovators e. Combining the best of the past (eg recipes) and the present (eg science) to go faster f. Supporting some innovations as bridges to a better place if not our ultimate, ideal solution g. Advocating for policies, subsidies, regulation etc that recognise the connections between health, nutrition, food and the environment 4. Some areas for further exploration and discussion: a. Tipping current innovations beyond incremental and towards their transformative potential b. Embedding innovation into strategies for greater food equity c. Ensuring a collaborative “ecosystem” of innovators Read less

Key solution areas for plant-based innovation to contribute to a just transition to healthy, sustainable diets in the US/Europe: 1. Innovations that enable us to mainstream the use of a greater diversity of healthy, sustainable, plant-based foods and ingredients as well as preparation methods and processes (eg fermentation) - providing the right enabling conditions and incentives on farms, in homes, on menus and on store shelves. (eg UK brand Hodmedods work with British farmers to build commercially viable supply chains for forgotten local pulses and grains) 2. Innovations that embed, democrat... Read moreise and improve how much we value skills, knowledge and awareness about healthy, sustainable plant-based foods - from home cooks to school curriculums, mainstream professional training and qualifications (in culinary arts, agriculture, food science and healthcare…), local and national government, and food businesses. (eg The University of West London’s Undergraduate degree in Food and Culinary Management integrates sustainability and nutrition throughout; Charlie Cart is a self-contained mobile mini-kitchen that enables cooking classes to take place anywhere, from schools to libraries) 3. Innovations that improve the short AND longer-term affordability of healthy and sustainable plant-based foods (and that reflect the true cost of unhealthy, unsustainable foods) in mainstream retail and food service, removing price barriers to longer-term behaviour change regardless of household income. (eg UK retailer The Co-op has reduced the price of its own-brand plant-based products to match animal-based alternatives; prescription programmes - such as Wholesome Wave and Rose Vouchers - enable low-income families to buy more fresh produce) 4. Innovations that bring people at all income levels closer to healthy and sustainable plant-based foods and without stigma, whether it’s growing, cooking or eating; and whether it’s about physical proximity/access or improved general visibility and transparency of the foods (this could be business models, community initiatives, communications or digital approaches). (eg Heru Urban Farming in St Louis in the US grows healthy, fresh produce for the local community, especially the most food insecure, while also providing education and training on growing, cooking and healthy living). 5. Innovations that increase the diversity of people, in the broadest sense, in the plant-based movement: products, meals, brands etc. that appeal to a broader range of people and communities 6. Business models that create and distribute value more evenly. Plant-based innovation alone can only achieve so much, however well-designed and well-intentioned. To push beyond the limits and failings of our current economic system (that drives so many of the inequalities related to food and diets), plant-based innovation needs to be part of broader strategies for reducing inequality and business models for sharing value more evenly. Read less

Interconnected considerations for approaches to plant-based innovation to help catalyse a just transition to better diets. To be more transformative, that innovation needs to: Address the challenges holistically, avoiding trading off one aspect against another (eg human health vs the environment) or ignoring some issues altogether (eg living wages for food workers). Design/test for - and commit to - scaling up, at speed, because the challenges are urgent, and we need rapid positive change at scale. Scale can happen in different ways: it might mean many similar innovations or activities joining... Read more up more effectively, not just one innovation becoming “bigger”. Cater to more different individuals and communities and unmet needs. Successful innovations often leave people behind, who are considered too hard to reach, or are just less important or visible to those doing the innovating. For a just transition and equal access to good diets, innovation must cater to more parts of society and do more to address everyone’s unmet needs around healthy, sustainable eating. Look beyond the product level, considering how innovations sit within and affect the bigger picture of what’s needed. This includes: - Creating genuinely equitable business models, whether from the ground up or by transforming what we already have (eg looking beyond the usual funders/investors to new partners with an interest in similar outcomes); and, especially important, ensuring food workers earn enough to afford good food. - Changing eating behaviours for the better, and at scale, based on a solid understanding of where people are starting from. - Driving and supporting mindset and cultural shifts, including within specific target groups - recognising and working with the fact that this could take time. Decentralise access to good food making it more available out of hours, out of town, or for isolated/less mobile consumers, and easier to grow some fresh produce at home or nearby. Empower people through food skills and knowledge, enabling them to grow food and cook more from scratch, understand more about what they’re eating, and help others to do the same (eg skills sharing between chefs). This is not meant as a definitive, exhaustive list (or a completely novel one). The value lies in treating these considerations as an interconnected set to help ensure innovation is truly transformative, and/or in understanding which area we can be best at, while supporting others to act on the remaining areas (and certainly without undermining them). They can generate useful prompt questions/challenges: Does my approach to innovation truly live up to all of these considerations? Am I failing on any of them? Where might I be able to do more? Read less

Enablers of more transformative kinds of innovation: - Breaking out of our “innovation bubbles” to develop better ideas more in line with what the world needs: more open innovation processes (eg bringing together young entrepreneurs, academia and civil society as well as business); more inclusive innovation to drive equality in who participates (eg less-heard voices and less catered-to communities). - Rethinking partnerships: to build in more ambition and make the best use of respective capabilities - working with those who can take our innovations to scale in different ways, help us share... Read more knowledge and information more effectively, distribute our products/services, or help make them more affordable… - “Matchmaking” to drive impact, including innovating where it’s needed the most, or supporting those who already offer a solution to my problem (rather than competing or reinventing). - More collective voice and coordination across existing smaller-scale innovators, such as community-based initiatives and entrepreneurs (often overstretched and underfunded) to share skills and resources, and demonstrate collective impact and value. Perhaps starting with a national union of community initiatives? - Combining the best of the past and the present to go faster: drawing on existing/traditional foods, recipes, cooking techniques and knowledge together with today’s science, technologies and insights, to reach positive impact faster and without reinventing the wheel. - Supporting some innovations as bridges to a better place if not our ultimate, ideal solution (eg recipe kits as a stepping stone towards more scratch cooking). - Advocating for policies, subsidies, regulation etc that recognise the connections between health, nutrition, food and the environment. Read less

Consultative workshop on sustainable food value chain focusing on food processing, manufacturing and retail - 22nd April 2021 Through the discussion a number of enablers, challenges and gaps that exist at these stages were identified. Opportunities and enablers - Support to regenerative farming techniques from the actors at processing and manufacturing stage of the food value chain presents an important opportunity to reduce the impact of resource use at the primary production. - Addressing food design through the decisions on what primary raw ingredients to use, how they are grown (e.g. regen... Read moreerative agriculture) and how to turn them into a nutritious food product with reduced environmental impact is an opportunity to explore for processing and manufacturing companies. - Diversified approach to addressing food loss and waste at the retail stage is an important opportunity. Improved ordering strategy, stock management, product range, optimization of product lines are important entry points for retail in avoiding and reducing food loss and waste. - Repurposing and donating surplus food is another way for the retail industry to reduce emissions of the food value chain (i.e. circular economy). - Retail is in a strategic position to educate consumers and raise awareness on such issues as food loos and waste; sustainable sourcing and deforestation. This opportunity is strengthened through collaboration and definition of the same goals with other companies in the industry, the suppliers and other actors along the food value chain. - Retail is a very important player in the value chain for its power and interactions with other value chain players. Some of the solutions to reduce food loss and waste have been through setting clear targets and making the economic case; contractual arrangements with suppliers and allowing for greater flexibility of contracts between suppliers and buyers; better collaboration between the different players; finding collaborative ways to prevent food loss and waste; repurposing crops that don’t meet cosmetic standards; connecting food banks with upstream and downstream players; and supporting the adaptation of new technologies. Challenges and gaps - Even though, the analysis has shown that the actors at the middle stages of the food value chain are consolidated and vertically integrated, 70% of the food trading, processing, manufacturing and retailing is comprised of Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Most of these SMEs are not supported by the policy environment, especially in developing countries. - Credible certification is a challenge for the actors along the food value chain. This problem can be addressed through pre-competitive collaboration based on internationally acknowledged documents. - Affordability of sustainable food remains a challenge as it includes costs such as for certification that mainly falls burden on the primary producers. These costs have to be reflected by other actors in the supply chain but also other stakeholders like NGOs or financial institutions. All of them have to commit to similar actions so the burden is not just on the growers but all relevant stakeholder in the agricultural sector. - Policy environment that enables the retail and processing and manufacturing industry to source sustainable products that are not linked to deforestation is needed. - Fragmentation of initiatives and solutions makes it difficult to understand what works and where, which reflects on funding opportunities. Leveraging multi-stakeholder collaborations and platforms to identify solutions is one of the ways to address this issue. Read less

Consultative workshop on sustainable food value chain focusing on Individual Consumption of Food – 29/04/2021 Through the discussion a number of enablers, challenges and gaps that exist at these stages were identified: - While crucial, information dissemination and consumer awareness raising alone are not sufficient to lead the changes in practices and behaviors that are needed for sustainable consumption and production (SCP). They need to be accompanied by more structural changes at different levels including more equitable and inclusive long-term policies and regulations, to trigger this c... Read morehange and shift in the underlying consumption preferences. - Furthermore, this needs to be complemented with science-based behavior change techniques. Particular opportunity for long-term behaviour change in consumption patterns lies in school feeding programmes (public procurement as an enabler) and education, ensured through government-led efforts. These provide a captive setting where changes in consumption practices can be triggered through the nurturing of core values related to sustainability of food from the young age. - Consumer voice, including that of the most vulnerable, needs to be properly included in research, policy discussions, solutions development and decision-making processes. Consumers can be empowered to manifest their demands in different ways – such as by advocating for consumer rights, and by helping shape regulation. - Key success factors of the most important food movements and trends today include a strong engraining into people’s core values (which are powerful triggers for action), strong leadership, cooperation with local government structures and, in many instances, robust engagement and buying from producers. On the other hand, there are important barriers for the impact size and duration of such movements, including having considerably less power than entities with political or economic interest to maintain the status quo, competing values and constraints within consumers, the wide range of possible issues to be addressed, availability of resources, and regular access to communication channels. - Opportunity for long-term behaviour change in consumption patterns lies in school feeding programmes (public procurement as an enabler) and education. These provide a captive setting where changes in consumption practices can be triggered through the nurturing of core values related to sustainability of food from the young age. - Implementation of science-based climate targets for food service providers as well as a consumer facing labels for meals that are more climate friendly is an interesting opportunity. - Practical co-operation through direct producer-consumer linkages, including the adoption of innovative technologies to connect producers/retailers and consumers is another way to trigger the shift to sustainable production and consumption (SCP). - Localised solutions, such as shorter food value-chains, the promotion of local food and introduction of participatory local-based labels, involving consumers, farmers, local authorities and sellers, show promising results and present an opportunity for the shift to SCP. - Working with the actors of the food value chain that are setting the norms and values, can be an enabler for the shift in consumer behaviour and shifts the supply and demand towards sustainably produced food products. A commitment approach from these actors, especially those in the middle stages, to supply sustainable products is an enabler to assure the raise in the demand for these products. The challenge remains that commitments are voluntary, and thus no institution has a mandate to deliver accountability. - Engaging with chefs in order to increase the availability of sustainable meals and raise awareness among the food service industry as well as consumers, has shown promising results. The full list of opportunities and challenges identified during this workshop can be found in the workshop report attached as a Relevant Link. Read less

Consultative workshop on sustainable food value chain focusing on Food-related Policies and Policy Instruments – 6/5/2021 The analysis of the policies and policy instruments reported under 12.1.1 have allowed to conclude that there is a concentration of policy measures at the two ends of the food value chain. Nearly 60% of the measures proposed at either input/production phase or consumption phase. This highlights a gap in measures at the middle stages of the value chain, the stages that shape how we produce and how and what we consume. Through the discussion a number of enablers, challenges... Read more and gaps that exist at these stages were identified: - Inclusive and participatory approach in policy making that is adapted to local circumstances is essential. Policies should take into account the needs and realities of all the actors to understand interdependencies and avoid tradeoffs in order to define adequate measures. Holistic lens can help deploy more integrated food policies - addressing interrelated issues across economic, social & environmental dimensions. Participatory governance mechanisms that bring together different food system actors and connect actors from different food agendas are key. - Most policies are sectoral, and there is an urgent need to move away from working in silos towards more integrated policies that deliver simultaneously on economic, environmental, health, climate mitigation adaptation, social and cultural objectives. - There is a need to work together towards transformational change of food systems. The current model is built on an industrial model of production based high-input use and economies of scale, which has led us to land degradation and pollution. The transformational change requires a food systems approach encompassing changes in production systems; changes in knowledge generation and transmission, with the emphasis on the co-creation of knowledge; shift in social and economic relations; changes in institutional frameworks and regulatory and financial instruments. - An agro-ecological approach has potential to transform food systems to be more sustainable as it enables us to rethink the food systems and go beyond trying to marginally increase the efficiency of the current food production model. - Value-chain approach is a science-based methodology that can be used to prioritise action within a broader systems approach. - There is an opportunity in merging climate and biodiversity policies and not to design them separately to optimize impact as well as ensure coherency across all actors in the food value chain. This would reinforce solutions targeting pressure points and accelerate the transition to sustainable food systems - Minimum price guarantee policies for socio-biodiversity products are important for countries with several biomes, since biodiversity products in these biomes are concentrated among smallholders with limited access to markets. - Sustainable food public procurement policies are key instruments for the shift to SCP patterns, both in developed and developing countries. It is important to highlight their capacity to achieve multiple benefits to tackle 3 pillars of sustainability: social, economic, environmental and ability to put forward issues of nutrition, health, and biodiversity preservation. - Food procurement programmes guaranteeing a certain percentage of purchases for smallholders in organic agriculture is another opportunity that has proved important to foster small-holder agriculture. This could also be aligned with various national programmes, such as school feeding programmes. - In terms of governance, it is important to foster dialogue between food value chain stakeholders, through, for example, technical committees implemented at state or city-level governments. It also important to delineate which actor should be responsible for the leadership of national and multi-stakeholders initiatives, and how to disseminate the practices across municipalities. The full list of opportunities and challenges identified during this workshop can be found in the workshop report attached as a Relevant Link. Read less

Around the issue of food waste, there were several initiatives presented around the redistribution of unused or unwanted food. These typically involve re-purposing or redistributing charitably. On the one hand many see these initiatives as a win-win situation whereby food is not lost and it even creates economic and/or social benefits. Others, however, point out the need to look deeper at the question of why there is so much unwanted and unused food in the first place. Where along the value chain might these issues be addressed? For example in the processing and packaging, or marketing of food... Read more. It was pointed out that in order to diagnose and fix the systemic problems of the global food value chain, it is imperative to have all relevant stakeholders at the table. These food value chain consultations, while participatory and inclusive, were lacking some voices such as smallholder producers and farmers associations. It is important to talk to and hear from them as well as those who are making the actual policy or business decisions. Read less

Strengthening the science-policy interface by adopting the value-chain approach is one of the key pillars in strengthening multilateral cooperation on Sustainable Consumption and Production. Building on the findings of the joint task group of the International Resource Panel and the One Planet network presented in the report “Catalysing science-based policy action on sustainable consumption and production: the value-chain approach and its application to food, construction and textiles”, the One Planet network held consultations throughout 2021 to collectively define priorities objectives f... Read moreor Sustainable Consumption and Production. The aim was to continue with the application of the value-chain approach in the high-impact sectors of food, construction and plastics and thereby ensuring its scientific foundation. These three sectors are prioritised based on the Fourth UN Environment Assembly Resolution, and the One Planet recommendations to the High-Level Political Forum. The value-chain approach is a methodology for science-based policy action on sustainable consumption and production. Its purpose is to identify key points of intervention within economic systems to reduce natural-resource use and environmental impacts caused by production and consumption, and to define prioritised objectives to transform the system. Critically, the value-chain approach goes beyond an understanding of where resource use and environmental impacts occur, to understand why this is happening and what the key points of intervention are for science-based policy action. Shaping clear priorities for the food sector Through consultation and collaboration, the Value-Chain Approach identifies where solutions already exist at key intervention points, and where there are gaps and opportunities, and defines a clear priorities that can transform the system. This participatory approach taps into the bodies of lay and practical knowledge that are collectively held among SCP practitioners, as well as ensuring their crucial buy-in for the implementation of prioritised objectives. Food sector was the focus of the first set of consultations series concentrating on innovative business and policy solutions, which was undertaken in April and May 2021 in the form of 5 expert workshops, each focusing on the prioritised stages of the food value-chain: - Food services and tourism, 8th April - Agricultural inputs, food traders and primary production, 15th April - Food processing/manufacturing and retail, 22nd April - Individual consumption, 29th April - Food-related policies and policy instruments, 6th May The objectives of these workshops were to socialise the findings of the report, present key messages, opportunities and challenges identified during the consultative workshops and engage with experts to contribute to the development of clear priorities for the food sector. Read less

The food value chain analysis showed that the middle stages of the food value chain -- controlled by food companies across trading, processing and packaging, retail and food services -- are structurally powerful and have a disproportionate influence across both primary production and final consumption. Actors at these stages have a huge impact on the activities at either end in determining both what food farmers produce and what food consumers buy. The analysis of the food value chain identified three core challenges: 1) How we produce food: The majority of natural-resource use and environment... Read moreal impacts takes place during production. Changing production practices is critical to using resources more efficiently and sustainably, while causing less damage to the environment. 2) How much food we produce and consume: One-third of all food produced is either lost at the production, transportation or processing stages, or wasted downstream in the food at the retail, food service and consumption stages. 3) What types of food we produce and consume: Different types of food can embody large differences in the natural resources used and environmental impacts caused along the stages of the value chain including production processing, transportation, and disposal. The value chain analysis has shown that whereas the majority of natural resource use happens at the primary production stages, it is the structurally powerful actors in the middle stages of the value chain who are well-positioned to shift production practices. In the examples presented during the food value-chain consultations, most ideas around shifting production techniques involved capacity building of primary producers or facilitating access to finance. Missing, however, is a more holistic view of how the decisions made further downstream in the value chain (by traders, food processors and manufacturers, retails and food service providers) could systemically change the production patterns. The projects tend to focus on raising awareness around sustainability or increasing the capacity of farmers to produce sustainably without addressing the underlying constraints and bottlenecks inherent in the current economic system (e.g. short-term contracts, short-term profit concerns) instituted by the actors in the middle of the value chain. The importance of having the right policy environment in place was highlighted in all workshops. From the issue of financing for smallholder producers, to enabling policy environments which incite retailers to select local materials, to the procurement practices of governments and private entities. Procurement in particular was highlighted as a major opportunity to reduce environmental impacts through local sourcing, and increase consciousness around healthy eating. It was noted, however, that procurement rules are often voluntary and done piecemeal on a local basis. The importance of data and information flow within value chains is crucial to ensure accountability, traceability and an accurate picture of the impact of production practices. This necessitates a clear, science-based picture on the one hand, based on rigorous research and measurement. In terms of solutions, various technologies were proposed often as a way to shorten the distance between producer and consumer, and also to make sustainable (or unsustainable practices) more visible. Such technologies include online platforms, blockchain, etc. Multistakeholder initiatives were also proposed as a way to increase transparency and accountability across a broad range of actors. The incentives, however, need to be aligned so that the main actors in the middle of the value chains take these solutions on board. The incentive structure of the global food value-chain, derived from the current global economic system, does not promote sustainable consumption and production practices. Contracts between suppliers and buyers tend to be short term, and producers do not have a long enough time horizon to commit to more sustainable production practices. The incentives are geared towards the short term, in terms of the contractual arrangements and profits. If the cost of producing more sustainably falls on the producer, and their visibility of the value chain stops at their immediate buyer, there is not incentive to produce more sustainably. Guaranteeing longer contracts, or certain volume purchases, is necessary. There are examples of major players in the middle of the value chain putting in place initiatives to improve the situation, such as responsible sourcing quotas. Consumers are largely shaped by their food environment, and there is a need to address the paradox between actors at middle stages of the food value chain not providing healthy and sustainable food due to the lack of consumer demand, and consumers not being able to demonstrate this demand due to a lack of sustainable food choices. However it is important to note that plurality of reasons affect the supply of and demand for sustainable products. These could be but are not limited to market-driven demand; profitability and accessibility; social and cultural environment. Read less

Consultative workshop on sustainable food value chain with focus on food services and tourism sector - 8th April The discussions of the workshop focused on existing initiatives of the tourism sector and have identified a number of enablers, challenges and gaps that exist at the food service stage of the food value chain, as well as its interlinkages with other stages, mainly that of primary production, individual consumption, as well as with policy environment. Opportunities and enablers - Establishing linkages between local producers and actors of the tourism sector provides multiple benefits... Read more. It gives market access for local farmers and the opportunity to diversify their production; and, on the other hand, allows the actors of the tourism sector to offer fresh, nutritious meals to their customers made from local products. - Sustainable procurement practices play an important role in establishing this link and maximizing local sourcing practices. These practices should not be applied in a way that disadvantages some famers over others. - Training of procurers as well as kitchen staff is essential in this process as it allows to minimize waste and maximize the value of the food served. - A greater opportunity exists when tourism sector actors not only purchase their products from local farmers, but establish long-term relationship with them, contributing to their training, logistics, access to innovation and technology related to such practices as agro-ecology, agrobiodiversity, avoidance of heavy pesticides and fertilizers and overall positively influencing the resource use and environmental impacts of the primary production and help diversify the offer. - Developing sustainable menus adapted to local requirements and training of kitchen staff on topics related to food waste, resource efficiency, sustainable diets, etc. undertaken in parallel with consumer awareness activities contributes to building the demand for such meals and improve the sustainability of food preparation. - Farm tourism is another opportunity to assure additional revenue for producers, as well as being an educational and awareness raising approach. - Repurposing surplus food has multiple simultaneous benefits: it helps to avoid food waste and supports local communities by redistributing good and nutritious food to those in need (link to circularity in the food sector) - Linking the issue of addressing food loss and waste as a way to reduce carbon footprint and improve cost efficiency is an important enabler for this topic to be addressed by the tourism sector more broadly. - Digitalization of data on food loss and waste, its monitoring and accessibility to actors of the tourism sector, including chefs and policy makers. - Making the economic case to tackle food loss and waste which results in positive return on investment is another opportunity to address it. Challenges and gaps - The burden of bearing the costs associated with sustainable production often fall on farmers, putting them in disadvantaged position. Adopting sustainable farming practices and being able to farm diverse local varieties of food should be economically viable for farmers for this to become common practice. - Prevention and reduction of food loss and waste remains a challenge for the tourism sector. - One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme, through its Advisory Group on Food Loss and Waste in Tourism sector, has identified the following gaps: Absence of sectoral baseline on food waste and loss; Absence/lack of strategic vision on company level with milestones that could be transposed into actions plans locally; Lack of continuity in measurement of waste and lack of consistent annual reporting on progress; Punctual and non-recurring character of activities aiming at reducing food waste and absence of consistent follow up; and levers to address food waste and loss are not identified in comprehensive and systemic manner (lack of value chain and circular approaches, solutions such as sustainable procurement not always clearly identified and prioritized). Based on the gaps identified the Programme aims to develop the Roadmap on food loss and waste in tourism. Read less

Consultative workshop on sustainable food value chain focusing on agricultural inputs, primary production & traders - 15th Apr Through the discussion a number of enablers, challenges & gaps that exist at these stages were identified: - There is a high degree of consolidation in the agricultural input industry, with a small number of companies controlling inputs on which farmers depend. - Farmers and fishers are fragmented and find themselves in a weak position where they are compelled to accept the prices, standards and contract terms offered to them by food companies, with limited cap... Read moreacity to negotiate. Many farmers in traditional food systems suffer from a lack of physical and institutional infrastructure to improve productivity and profitability. - Traders, an important player in the food value chain, are the closest link to farmers. Depending on the commodity agricultural traders can be either highly consolidated (e.g. grain) or fragmented (e.g. palm oil). Big import/export companies are increasingly involved in other stages of the food value chain including production, processing & distribution. - Effective mechanisms for participatory and inclusive processes for policy development need to be rethought and established. They should be based on the real needs and realities of the stakeholders, especially farmers, to manage tradeoffs. These can be elaborated at local and regional levels to define the vision supported by concrete outcomes. - Public procurement, as a strong enabler of sustainable farming practices, should be leveraged. Potential is identified within school feeding programmes that procure food from agroecological farm, improving nutrition, educating and raising awareness, and contributing to the reduction of resource use and environmental impact of the primary production. - Certifications, connecting production and consumption stages, present an opportunity for systems change. Certifications should be streamlined and measures to reduce their costs adopted. - Addressing food loss and waste presents an opportunity in reducing resource use and environmental impact at primary production. - Farmer organizations/cooperatives play an important role in strengthening the voice of farmers and their negotiating power. - Place-based agroecology initiatives present an interesting opportunity as it gives the farmers access to the market and directly connects them with local restaurants and retail. - School gardens is also a way to educate consumers from early age and create the understanding and demand for sustainably produced food. Engaging young generations in farming is conducive to better adoption of new technologies and practices. - Access to finance is a key enabler. Microfinance programmes can facilitate financial inclusion of farmers and help them to transform and incorporate best practices. This also links to the need to educate the financial sector and bring the understanding of the farmers needs to be addressed through adequate financial offer. - Peer-to-peer learning among farmers and farm to farm collaboration has shown to be effective when accessing finance and adopting sustainable practices. - Adopting innovative farming techniques (such as micro-biome applications) may not be very profitable, but beneficial in terms of planetary health. Diverse tools and incentives need to be developed by the governments to support the farmers in adopting these innovative practices. - Transportation within the food value chain presents a significant bottleneck as it comprises a broad variety of means to be considered, is quite consolidated in some countries, and is crucial in determining the distances the food can travel. More focus should be put on the sector. - It is important to consider the balance of power between exporting and importing countries, where government usually tends to play a major role as an exporter of food commodities and private companies are the importer. Policy interventions should therefore vary depending on the context. The full list of opportunities and challenges identified during this workshop can be found in the workshop report attached as a Relevant Link. Read less

The Independent Dialogue organised on ‘Participatory and inclusive climate risk management for resilient and climate-friendly food systems’ under Action Track 5 aimed to achieve several objectives including: Gain further input on the roles of different stakeholders and multi-actor partnerships including government, the private sector, civil society, and local communities on addressing climate risks and vulnerabilities along the food production cycle and food supply and value chain. Identify through an inclusive and participatory process solutions to be introduced under Action Track 5, in p... Read morearticular to the workstreams on environmental, social, and economic resilience and cross-cutting solutions to build resilience of the food systems and ensure universal access to food. Build on the technical capacity of key stakeholders working on the topic of climate risk management, climate risk transfer and climate insurance, to build resilience of the food systems. Identify entry points for integrating context-specific and holistic risk management approaches into national and international policies, plans, and processes and existing infrastructure to strengthen food systems. Highlight and further explore the role of Nationally Determined Contributions, National Adaptation Plans, other relevant processes and mechanisms under the UNFCCC, and the SDGs in ensuring universal access to food. Integration of resilience-building among youth and women and the inclusion of gender and youth empowerment in planning and policy processes. Discuss implications of climate-related human mobility for food systems. Connect to just recovery from COVID-19, and resilience-building in food systems through just transition. Share knowledge, experiences, best practices, and lessons learned. Read less

The Dialogue comprised keynote speakers and panellists including: Prof Saleemul Huq - Director, ICCCAD and AT5 leadership team Chair; Mr Lesley Ndlovu - CEO at ARC Ltd.; Mr Duncan Williamson - Founder, Nourish Food Systems; Daniel Stadtmüller - Team Lead and Senior Advisor, InsuResilience Global Partnership; Ruwani de Silva - Coordinator, Global Youth Forum on Climate Change and Mr Dennis Mombauer - Director Research and Knowledge Management, SLYCAN Trust. During the Dialogue as well as the breakout sessions the following findings emerged: Blended financing mechanisms could enhance small proj... Read moreects/initiatives locally owned by women and youth Systematic approaches need to be utilised for effective risk analysis Innovations could help to ensure food security including community gardens utilising vertical farming tools Enacting food as a public good could help to ensure universal food access Implementing climate risk profiling, using AI to tailor local weather patterns with soil/agricultural practices Empowering women’s agency and leadership can greatly enhance the development of resilience solutions Integrated approaches for sustainable soil management can facilitate regenerative agriculture and reap both economic and environmental benefits Community-based decision-making mechanisms and information systems are crucial for comprehensive risk management in food systems In addition to the above, the discussion also brought to light certain challenges in relation to climate risk management and food systems, which have been divided into four key areas as follows. Challenges in addressing climate and disaster risks along the agricultural supply and value chain to build resilient food systems Lack of information in the locality of the farmers leading to them selling their products at a lower price Distribution and less access to the actions for farmers Limited stakeholder participation and the lack of coordination between institution and its stakeholders The cost of the risk transfer solutions and its availability. Lack of Infrastructure and access to digital spaces. The lack of access to resilient seeds and the increase in the prices of agricultural produce Challenges in addressing climate and disaster risks to ensure universal food access Price monopolies in the market affecting small scale farmers and presenting barriers to compete both locally and internationally Lack of access to resources such as finance and technology. Lack of access to markets and market information Technological and technical knowledge gap in access between large and small farmers Agriculture sector taking a back seat during national decision-making Challenges to harness existing or innovative finance mechanisms to enhance food system resilience Lack of awareness or trust in available financial tools amongst farmers Lack of financial literacy amongst farmers and the capacity to use the tools Lack of access to digitised data and available data not being accessible due to language Lack of centralised data collection and dissemination Lack of trust in new/novel financial models, often as a result of previous mechanisms that have failed Lack of gender-disaggregated data to introduce products that would help address gender-specific vulnerabilities Challenges for vulnerable agricultural communities and groups to access finance? Co-financing barriers in the current available financial tools Poor financial systems and management Lack of trust in financial institutions due to past experiences and lack of data and information, which needs to be addressed by bringing all stakeholders together at all levels of discussion Conflict and climate impacts, in particular on pastoralists and migrants Poor household cash flow Informal and unregistered food producers not being part of formal support systems Disputes over land and unclear/contested land ownership Lack of loan repayment capacity Read less

Our key outcomes, actions to be taken and challenges are highlighted under four different questions that were answered during the session and are as follows. Challenges in addressing climate and disaster risks along the agricultural supply and value chain to build resilient food systems Implement policy changes towards more inclusive and participatory actions Build capacity of vulnerable communities by increasing the awareness of climate and disaster risks on food systems Ensure better coordination between the government and the ground level individuals and all stakeholders in general Build ca... Read morepacity on financial literacy of farmers and agricultural communities Establish proper early warning systems and entrust its sustainability and ownership to the community Conduct comprehensive research and develop tools to broaden research prospects Share knowledge and technology on innovations and global best practices including regenerative farming, mangrove restoration and agro-forestry that indirectly benefit agriculture; on alternative methodologies including hydroponics, micro irrigation etc that are not as water intensive and indigenous seed varieties Conduct evidence-based research and share with all stakeholders Encourage micro insurance and crop insurance among farming communities Challenges in addressing climate and disaster risks to ensure universal food access Providing a stable price to the farmer without a mediator to localise the food supply chain/ shorten the food supply chain Encouraging Farmers to do agriculture as per market demand and not on the anticipation of demand and also link food production with nutritional needs Conduct training for farmers to innovate and formulate new ideas Ensure fair trade approaches as well as capacity building on the importance of fair trade Implementation of a community level certification system Establishing strategic food reserves Adopt integrated agricultural systems Reduction of food waste/ excess sale harvest at a lower price Developing databases for food production Solutions to harness existing or innovative finance mechanisms to enhance food system resilience Capacity building on finance mechanisms and tools Introducing innovative ways of accessing finance Promoting and applying quick finance approaches Identification of farmer success stories and supporting them through positive reinforcement Providing special loans for farmers Providing blended finance mechanism options Capacity building of farmers and providing farmers with training and access to experts and advisors Encouraging production of high-yield agricultural crops Compiling a centralised and analysed database to put to ensure the more effective use of existing and new data that will drive innovative solutions Encouraging younger farmers and newer generations on the importance of pursuing agriculture Encouraging more private sector participation Solutions for vulnerable agricultural communities and groups to access finance Implementing government-lead processes for vulnerable communities to access funding. To also implement loan schemes that would enable the government to act or a guarantor when needed. Financial guidelines to ensure ease of access for communities that are not controlled by different actors Setting up other funding mechanisms to directly reach vulnerable communities Encouraging youth and young farmers to adopt agriculture and farming by collaborating with existing youth and women groups Making farmers active participants in workshops and capacity building programmes Encouraging public private partnerships Developing insurance products that represent issues and challenges of vulnerable agricultural communities Building capacity across the farming community to increase trust among insurance products Strengthening links between supply and value chain actors Read less

The focus of the dialogue was to find solution pathways in addressing urban hunger with a focus on collaborating with government leaders to consider implementing urban landscapes in city planning. We invited notable projects led by private and civil society as well as an urban planner who spoke about the urbanization of food to provide government leaders new ideas to consider as they plan their cities.

There is a critical need for greater collaboration between all stakeholders--government, private sector, non-profit organizations, and civil society to integrate food and nutrition security into urban city planning and execution. It is unfortunate that we were not able express or commit to a plan of action to implement what was discussed but we continue to be in contact with these city governments to see if they may be interested to explore food systems in more depth.