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Technical Assistance and Rural Extension / Inclusive Technology Technical assistance and rural extension are essential for the development of more sustainable production solutions, both from the point of view of gaining the scale of existing models and technologies, as well as to support the transition to new healthier and more environmentally sustainable models. However, there is both the lack of assistance, especially those that allow organic and agroecological practices, and the infrequency in their offer in general, as well as the presence of biases in the most frequently available current... Read more models, which often reinforce practices based on monocultures and dependent on pesticides, for example. It is necessary to increase the capillarity and access to technical assistance, as well as its frequency and constancy. But at the same time, it is identified that the quality of technical assistance offered to producers needs to be improved, with due attention to the knowledge of the particularities of each region, its soils, climate and availability of native species. In particular, there is a need to strengthen specializations in a technical area such as agroecology and to develop specific training for the particularities of family farming. In its constitution, assistance activities need to focus simultaneously on environmental quality and sustainability of production in its various aspects: economic, social and environmental. Another key point of debate is the need to promote technical assistance actions that are emancipatory, so that producers can continue the work after the end of a specific project. From this perspective, the creation of mechanisms that allow the transfer of technology to the producer emerges as a solution, in a logic of co-creation, in which the producers who generate the demand and the technicians work to solve the identified problem. However, without ceasing to use existing practices, so that both approaches are complementary. Still from the perspective of emancipation, it is important to work on the more comprehensive training of farmers instead of focusing solely on productive practices. Producers, especially smallholders, need better access to trainings and technologies that promote their digital inclusion, and that provide them with better inventory and cash flow management, for example. Leadership trainings in governance, acountability and other factors are also essencial to their market acess and livelihoods. In addition, it is urgent to strengthen networks that allow the exchange of knowledge between producers and the dissemination of agroecological practices and lessons learned, as well as the creation of mutual support groups that distribute some costs associated with production among different producers or families, such as the acquisition of inputs, for example. As challenges, it was pointed out the difficulty in establishing bridges between producers, to share information, experiences and good practices, which can be stimulated by NGOs, academia and the farmers themselves. The difficulty in obtaining specific public and private resources to implement actions to improve family agriculture, agroecological, etc. was also discussed. These resources can come from public rural credit programs or from the private initiative itself, through grants or partnerships, and finally, the difficulty in systematizing and disseminating knowledge related to agroecology, which can also be conducted in partnerships between producers, NGOs, the technicians themselves and academia. Read less

Financial mechanisms There was a time when it was possible to observe a prioritization on building and rolling out public policies focused on food production, agrarian development and minimizing hunger in Brazil. Even with due criticism of this past model, in the last five years the scenario was inverted, becoming a time for dismantling of these policies. It is therefore necessary to consolidate a narrative of reconstruction through two main paths: facilitating access to credit in the private sector - which still has very high transaction costs - and combining and potentializing it with the ca... Read morepilarity of the public sector - which does not yet have its resources completely free for organizations. In this way, it becomes possible, for example, “to use the private sector tractor in a way oriented towards healthier production systems”. The financial system itself, as a whole, is changing: an example of this are ESG investments, focused on the environment, sustainability and governance. This may be a significant opportunity, over the next few years, to open gaps for financial access focused on family farming and agroecology. It should be remembered, however, that large banks are involved in this discussion, which can make it difficult to advance these agendas. It is essential to look more fairly at public policies related to food production, such as access to land, land tenure regularization and rural technical assistance. Once the producer has technical monitoring, it is necessary to create easier mechanisms for granting credit, and the government is fundamental in this context. However, each of the opportunities offered by the state has a specific process to be accessed, so reducing bureaucracy in accessing these opportunities is urgent. Family farmers still have some difficulty in accessing markets - public and private, and therefore cooperatives or assotiations take on the role of facilitating it however possible, and this can also be the case for private and public credit or financing. In the case of retail chains, the model is quite asymmetric, as they only pay after 30 to 90 days. In this sense, it is extremely necessary to review business practices. Finally, financing does not need to happen only at the food production stage. It can also occur in its commercialization and processing. New models, such as financing for warehouses and agro-industries can be carried out from this perspective. Large banks offer loans at unfeasible rates, which are close to 40% a year, which reinforces the need for action by the government. In this sense, the National Program for Strengthening Family Agriculture (PRONAF) has public information on the amount of credit approved. However, there is also an asymmetry regarding the types of crops or products served by the Program: while some receive a lot of investment, others receive an incredibly smaller contribution, and development banks, such as the BNDES, end up not having much appeal to operate in the public initiative. Thus, public-private partnerships can be very welcome to resolve this issue. The debate about the essentiality of small producers already exists in the academic environment: they are capable of bringing positive environmental and social consequences to food systems. However, measuring these consequences is still very complex, and the public sector could offer subsidies to advance this issue. Ultimately, it is necessary to think about the extrapolation of production and productivity indicators and start thinking about social development, regeneration and restoration of landscapes through food production, in addition to the more traditional indicators. Read less

Fair market relations The group's discussion was focused on short production and consumption cycles, assuming that this is an essential dynamic for more horizontal relationships between the parties, and that they encourage the real appreciation of agriculture, both from a monetary and symbolic point of view (which directly affects in the price). However, it is also recognized the importance and urgency of improving relations between producers and retailers, seeking better rates of remuneration. The establishment of fairer relationships - when applicable to market logic, from an economic point ... Read moreof view - has great potential to be a lever for sustainable food prodution, a statement proven by the existence of models such as Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), in which consumers become co-farmers and support and participate in the production of their food regardless of the products received. This guarantee is essential for promoting safety in the field, and the opposite also applies; the more fluctuations in product prices, the greater the difficulty for producers to maintain this activity over generations and to invest – time and financial and human resources – in improvements in production. Certifications and seals are tools that would potentially support a better valuation of products from more socially and environmentally responsible models, however, the bureaucracy to obtain these certifications is so great that it makes them inaccessible for most producers. As a proposal, the creation of an agroecological seal that is simpler to be obtained was discussed, or the creation (or adaptations to existing models) of some mechanism that guarantees the traceability and identification of riverine, quilombola and indigenous communities in the products, as a certificate of origin. However, the fact that existing certifications are accredited in public procurement programs, which are good sales opportunities for family farmers, organic and agro-ecological producers, would continue to be an obstacle. Anyway, other labels would support the increase of recognition and appreciation by consumers, another important aspect of this equation. To support consumers in better valuing food and differentiate production models, open cost spreadsheets at points of sale are an example of a tool that can both raise consumer awareness and encourage fairer remuneration for farmers. Greater adhesion of consumers to networks such as CSAs or consumer groups, more consistent with the solidarity economy than with the logic of purchases and sales by middlemen in a traditional trade, would guarantee fair prices and the flow of production, also reducing waste in logistics. Based on the experiences of direct sales and home deliveries, which flourished during the pandemic, it is shown that it is necessary and possible to bring the relationship between producer and consumer closer together beyond the purchase. Even considering the most vulnerable people, who do not necessarily fully exercise their right to choose food, the presence of more direct consumption channels or tools that allow for a closer relationship with agriculture would be extremely beneficial and would increase access to healthy and sustainable food. In urban centers, for example, where most food deserts are located, the presence of urban agriculture could be in public spaces such as schools, Basic Health Units - UBS, in public squares. This contact with nature, of consuming something that was produced locally, has educational potential and guarantees food security. Another significant obstacles identified by the group were logistical flows. It is necessary to consolidate online tools that facilitate the flow of family farming products, as well as solidarity funds for purchases that encourage agro-ecological purchases to reach those in need, and mechanisms that encourage exchanges. For the implementation of the proposed solutions, each entity in society has its role, and they must be articulated. The articulations of the food security councils are fundamental to make this connection between public sectors, so that citizens can claim rights and press for public polcies and subsidies. Read less

Expansion of scale and access to institutional and private markets There are challenges prior to the topic raised for this dialogue, as many farmers still plant only for subsistence, not having access to any market. Talking about financial resilience with the economic model we currently live in, as well as the food insecurity situation we live in is very difficult. We need to change paradigms and give due recognition to rural producers, who are currently extremely undervalued. Without this, how will it be possible to engage more people in urban agriculture, especially on the outskirts of large... Read more metropolises? How to make cities less dense? Another big challenge discussed was about the scale of food and that we should not have organic monocultures. Food cannot be a commodity. And some possible arrangements that promote market access by small producers were discussed, but the question remains – is it possible for these models to exist in way that small producers access large markets without the product being aimed at an elite? There was a consensus that unconditional support for agricultural work is necessary. One initiative brought was that of Catrapovos in the Amazon, with short production cycles, where the community delivers directly to schools. It was also commented that the solidarity and associative economy is extremely important and should be encouraged. It was widely discussed that the public market must be conquered and encouraged. We need to treat current public policies as an achievement and not a gift if we want them to last. We need to increase access to public procurement, secure their budgets and understand how to complement them. For this, it is necessary to invest in training on the topic of public procurement for farmers and public managers. It was also mentioned that to increase family farmers' access to public purchases and government programs such as Food Aquisition Program (PAA), National Program of School Food (PNAE) and he National Program for Strengthening Family Agriculture (PRONAF), it is important that farmers are organized in cooperatives or associations, or at least are in constant contact. Another point raised in this regard was the need to change the methodology of public calls or tendering, which are currently carried out specifying a product, such as lettuce plants, and not a group of foods, such as vegetables. The qualification of access to data and monitoring of public purchases must also be worked on, so that measurements and monitoring of programs can be carried out. We need to review our concepts and take more ownership of regulations and public policies. It is necessary to better identify public buyers and qualify them, but currently there is no data for this. There are no mechanisms for evaluating the satisfaction of those who bought it, who received it. For this, and as proposed measures for monitoring the solutions, it is necessary to focus on tools that qualify the food offered and assess the level of satisfaction of those who consume and purchase products from family farming. It is also necessary to monitor public purchases, in order to enforce, for example, the obligation to purchase at least 30% of family farming in the PNAE. Often, the agency makes a call, but does not execute even half of the resource that was requested or announced, leaving the farmer in a risky situation, as he has already commited and invested resources to fulfill the request. The return of public resources allocated but not spent on family farming must be closely monitored. As implementers of the solutions, schools, universities and educational institutions play a role in disseminating and producing applied technical knowledge, and also in creating indicators that can support engagement narratives, as well as monitoring the effectiveness of actions. The government (federal, state and municipal) has a fundamental role, both in maintaining the budgets of programs and projects related to agriculture and in encouraging, training and retraining its extension workers in agroecology. It was also agreed that the general population needs to understand the entire process and become aware of their choices. Read less

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The major focus of this independent dialogue, under the auspices of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies, was to provide a comprehensive view of the of three previous Independent Italian Summit dialogues, convened in June 2021, and the integrated action program by CIHEAM-Bari on sustainable food systems and the revitalization of the Mediterranean Diet for identifying convergences and synergies among them. Its aim was to contribute, as a collaborative effort, in the development of a common Italian... Read more action towards the UNFSS Summit and post-Summit process. for a sustainable transformation of food systems in Italy, inclusive of the participation of all actors interested in giving life to a multi-stakeholder joint effort. To organize this dialogue, as a fourth Italian independent dialogue, was a challenging opportunity to discuss and reflect together with the three curators of these Dialogues about interlinkages among them and the CIHEAM’s action programme, to better understand how to jointly move together towards the Summit and its Post-Summit process. Reflections emerged from the discussion sessions highlighted the food systems complexity and the need to take into consideration local specificities and cultural aspects of the Italian food context, within its broader Mediterranean environment. The Dialogue was also an opportunity to explore further interlinkages with the “SFS-MED Platform”, a multi-stakeholder initiative currently under co-development by CIHEAM, FAO and UfMS, with its coordination desk hosted at the CIHEAM-Bari. Read less

The need to act together and to give a direction for the food systems transformation proposed by the UN Summit towards sustainability emerged from the debate. It was highlighted the complexity of the food systems environment, and how interconnected and interdependent challenges facing the transformation of food systems towards require to be addressed through a systemic integrated sustainable approach. It was pointed out that food systems transformation and ecological transition should be jointly achieved by taking into account environmental, economic and social issues in an integrated way. It ... Read morewas highlighted that today all countries are becoming aware that the ways of food production and the foods we eat affect the health of people and the planet. The Mediterranean Diet (DM) was pointed out as an important strategic asset for Italy by linking together “food, culture and diets” within the context of the sustainable transformation of food systems by enhancing biodiversity and taking care of the ecosystems. It was pointed out that the Italian food system is influenced by globalization (abandonment of inland rural areas, obesity, etc.) and the increase in malnutrition among the Italian population has highlighted an imbalance in the supply of food, especially for the weaker sections of the population. Therefore, it was pointed out necessary the involvement of all stakeholders, particularly local ones, for a food system sustainable transformation around the DM model and territorial specificities. By considering the erosion of the MD as an intangible UNESCO Cultural Heritage and by considering that the data show that the adherence of the Italian population to the MD is very low, it was also highlighted the need of more institutional communication to promote the DM, not only as a healthy diet, but also as a sustainable diet, with multiple socio-cultural, environmental, economic, and health/nutrition benefits, including food waste reduction. The reduction of agri-food losses, the recovery of surpluses for a better availability of food, the prevention of waste at home and outside the home, the adoption of a healthy diet, sustainable and accessible to all, such as the MD represent a challenge for Italy and for the whole world, made particularly urgent by the pandemic crisis. It was highlighted the need to promote the best practices of the excellence of Italian agri-food production and fisheries by valorizing their high values in combining food cultures, technological and social innovation, efficiency, productivity and sustainability of the food chains, closed linked to territories, local producers, farmers and fishermen. Innovation, both technological and social, was pointed as a crucial key for the development of an effective green, blue and circular economy at the centre of a sustainable transformation of food systems. The important contribution of the marine resources and aquaculture was highlighted for building more sustainable food systems and revitalizing the MD. The enhancement of local rural and coastal communities was considered relevant with particular attention to the inclusion of youth and women. It was highlighted the need of promoting a consumer ethic that links individual choices to the well-being of the community and the food diversification leverage the synergies between biological, economic, social and cultural diversity. The need of a paradigm shift was highlighted in which food needs to be considered a right and not just a "commodity", and as it was pointed out a green transition cannot exist without a social equity. It was highlighted the activities and cooperation that CIHEAM Bari has developed in the last ten years on the sustainability of food systems and diets, using the MD as a case study to connect production and consumption in a sustainable way, going beyond the limit of the usual agricultural production approach. The “SFS-MED Platform”, a multistakeholder collaborative initiative on sustainable food systems in the Mediterranean, under co-development by CIHEAM, FAO and UfMS, inclusive of all interested actors, was pointed out as a strategic initiative for collaboration through its “SFS-MED flagship” and “SFS-MED Community of Practice”. It was highlighted the integrated approach of the CIHEAM-Bari’s action plan for coping with the multiple challenges for improving the sustainability of food systems, from production to consumption and viceversa, and revitalizing the MD as a sustainable resource as well as an integral part of the Italian Mediterranean cultural heritage. It was introduced the preparatory process for the organization of the 3rd World Mediterranean Diet Conference that CIHEAM-Bari is planning in early 2022, as a follow up to the 2nd World Conference held in 2019 in Palermo. It was pointed out in the conclusions that the main findings emerged from this dialogue were fully in line with the priorities of the Matera G20 Declaration of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Economic Development, held in Matera in June 2021, such as: food and nutrition security, respect human rights and gender equality, the promotion of sustainable food systems and the involvement of smallholders. At the end of this dialogue, it was considered by the participants to jointly organize a collaborative side event at the G20 meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture in Florence, in September 2021. Read less

Session 1: Towards a sustainable food system Social, economic and environmental changes of recent years, together with the current COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted a global vulnerability of food systems. This vulnerability needs to be faced through an integrated approach for a food systems transformation towards sustainability, in which Italy can make an important contribution within the Summit in tracing the direction of this transformation. The Italian approach to food is based on the primacy of quality over quantity and the link between agrifood production and the territory. The Italian ... Read morefood system was highlighted in valorizing in the best way foods at the base of MD, as well as, respects the marine and mountain ecosystems, and favors the economic, environmental, social, cultural diversity and the diversification of marketing channels. It was pointed out that the transformation of food systems needs to take place by acting on both supply and demand with an integrated approach on the food environment to influence consumer choices through a process known as "soft power", i.e. education and positive examples of best practices and lessons learned. The Italian food culture, directly linked to MD, was highlighted as a fundamental resource of “soft power” to lead the transformation of the food system. However, the Italian food system is influenced by globalization and, therefore, it is necessary to redesign the transformation around territorial specificities through a convergence between social networks and the involvement of all stakeholders, in particular local ones. The transformation of the Italian food system also implies the promotion of healthier and more sustainable eating habits. The increased malnutrition among the Italian population has shown an imbalance in the supply of food, especially for the weaker segments of the population. Many scientific studies have highlighted the value of the MD in ensuring nutritious foods, and It is necessary to enhance the nutritional-health profile of these foods at the base of MD to prevent and combat chronic non-communicable diseases (eg obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, etc.). Furthermore, it was highlighted the need to increase the consumer awareness on the multiple sustainable benefits of MD, through more understandable food labels to facilitate informed food choices. It was pointed out also the need to promote foods rich in vegetable proteins (eg legumes), to support the sustainability of food production chains, in particular short supply chains, to guarantee food at fair prices, to encourage food transformation processes that through "mild technologies" preserve the nutritional value of food and extend its the shelf-life, to allow the enhancement of waste by reduce the use of plastics for packaging and promoting sustainable packaging. The food systems transformation and the ecological transition should be achieved jointly by addressing with an integrated approach their interconnected environmental, economic and social criticalities. The food policies supported by the Italian Ministry for Agriculture were highlighted to be linked to each other and to global policies (eg Agenda 2030, Farm to Fork Strategy). As part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, it was pointed out that next investments should be aimed at enhancing the supply chains of MD products. The resources of marine systems and aquaculture can make an important contribution to the promotion of MD and be a pillar for building more sustainable food systems. In this context, the SFS-MED Platform, initiated by CIHEAM, FAO and UfMS and with its coordination desk at the CIHEAM-Bari, was identified as key to facilitate the development of guidelines for the sustainability of food products and MD patterns, and for the exchange of knowledge of best practices and lessons learned, becoming also for Italy an intelligent engine for investments, benchmarks and partnerships. Furthermore, MD as a "format" rich in culture and healthy and sustainable food products, was pointed could be promoted abroad as a virtuous model thus also enhancing the Made in Italy. Read less

Session 2: Convergences and synergies between Italian visions and commitments towards the United Nations Food Systems Summit In the synthesis of the Dialogue “Losses, Agri-food Surpluses, Domestic Waste and Mediterranean diet: Vision and Commitment of the Italian Agri-food System” it was highlighted that waste is linked to the sustainability of food systems. It was briefly presented the document on visions and commitments for the UN Food Systems Summit, structured in four areas / objectives, co-developed and shared by the main stakeholders of the Italian agri-food system: 1) to reduce agri... Read more-food losses in the steps from agricultural production up to distribution; 2) increase the recovery of agro-food surpluses in order to improve the distribution and access to food by all; 3) promote the prevention of food waste at home and outside the home; 4) promoting the adoption of a healthy and sustainable diet, such as MD, accessible to all, especially the poorest sections of the population. In the synthesis of the dialogue “Local Action, Global Connection”, the food transition was highlighted as an expression of a diversified, territorialized and responsible production and consumption system. It was pointed out the need that this transition takes place through: promotion of demand through a local vision of food sovereignty; landscape protection with agro-ecological production models; affirmation of the centrality of family farming; strengthening short supply chains and local markets; promotion of technological and social innovation to enhance local traditions; development of food education programs; enhancement of the role of networks, cities and public policies. In the summary on the dialogue “GOOD! The Good of the Mediterranean diet and Italian agrifood towards the Food System Summit ", the centrality of Italian agri-food enterprises in the transformation of food systems was highlighted. It was presented briefly the sharing path with them that gave life to the jointly document" United in Food " in which are identified 10 commitments of the Italian agri-food sector: i) sustainable production processes; ii) diets and healthy lifestyles, based on the principles of MD; iii) good corporate citizenship; iv) sustainable supply chains; v) corporate strategies and policies and profitability; vi) technological, organizational and social innovation; vii) evaluation mechanisms; viii) training and updating; ix) networks and alliances; x) alignment with international objectives. In the synthesis of the “Integrated Program of Action on Sustainable Food Systems and the Revitalization of the Mediterranean diet” by the CIHEAM-Bari, it was highlighted how its integrated approach was aimed at addressing the multiple interdependent challenges of today associated with the unsustainability of food systems through the revitalization of MD, as a lever to link consumption and production in sustainable way. The activities carried out over the past ten years on the sustainability of food systems and diets, using the DM as a case study, were briefly described. Taking into account the evolution of the concept of MD, from an example of a healthy diet to a sustainable diet model, it was highlighted the need to finalize the process of development of "Voluntary Guidelines for the Sustainability of MD", initiated in 2017 with FAO and the need of identification and development of indicators for assessing the different dimensions of the nutritional, environmental, economic, socio-cultural sustainability of the MD. As part of the development of the Flagships and the Community of Practice of the SFS-MED Platform, some initial priority actions were also pointed: collect and share data, lessons learned and best practices on SFS and MD; develop and implement methodologies for analyzing the sustainability of fisheries, agri-food products and Mediterranean diet patterns; develop and implement self-assessment models of corporate sustainability; enhance research, innovation, training and education on SFS and MD; enhance green economy, blue growth, circular economy and One-Health approaches. Read less

There were no significant areas of divergence during the dialogue.

People varied on the pace of change they were calling for and the methods of shifting food systems. Some advocated for all public institutions switching to plant-based as the default. Others wanted to see this happen in private sector as well. And still others felt more education was needed to aid individuals in voluntarily making the shift themselves. Some wanted a more active role of government to provide taxation and incentives, while others felt the demand side and market place might play a more substantial role in helping society to shift to more low carbon, higher nutrient foods.

The focus of our Dialogue was to explore plant-based strategies for human and planetary health. Our five topics of discussion/breakout rooms included: health, ethical rationale, environmental evidence, pandemics and food, and food security. With our Dialogue being hosted by Canadian individuals, our focus was on the Canadian scale. Our discussions were not simply focused on the benefit of a plant-based diet, but on how to educate, promote, and emphasize the benefits to the general public.

Our overarching remarks from all discussion groups include: The need to promote Canada’s Food Guide; it is strong but has not been leveraged; other countries are looking to Canada’s guide (eg. Australia is remodelling their National Food Guide and looking at Canada’s) Food guide is weak in terms of implementation and translating the food guide into meals on a plate Create new opportunities with the Food Guide, for example: to create a national school meals program to normalize plant-based diets and to promote sustainable diets at a young age Accelerate adoption of Canada’s Food Guide a... Read moret all public institutions Directing government to provide subsidies and funding Reallocate and redirect subsidies away from animal products (dairy and meat) and shift towards plant-based food growing. E.g. subsidise cultivation of plant foods, pulses, algae, insects, etc. Structurally rethink how we invest in food infrastructures, food systems Provide subsidies to industrial animal production to reinvest in plant based food production, re-training Help with transitions away from animal agriculture on par with powering past and divesting from coal and similar to reorienting agriculture away from tobacco to other cash crops and value addition Transitioning to a more plant-based food system is where the world is moving towards to combat pandemic risks, food security, public health issues, environment, and other important issues, however, Canada is not fully realizing our opportunities Public education and awareness of plant-based nutrition and wellness Public health campaigns to educate and empower individuals (i.e., new parents about nutritional foods, health care providers with education and how to use the guide) Educate the public with science based, evidence-based information on plant-based food system literacy; understanding the benefits of plant-based; and a good understanding of plant-based nutrition and health awareness We need to increase the field of plant-based food system literacy Draw attention to the interconnectedness between public health, environmental health, and animal health and welfare Support course development that can be offered in universities and schools, i.e. plant-based food system literacy, plant-based nutrition elective Read less

Health - Breakout Session Room 1 Must consider planet as the sickest person in the room; if we do not take care of environment; we cannot detach ourselves from the health of other beings Diversity of culture is useful in promoting plant-based diets; some world religions also can put us in the direction of plant based diets The role of public health - educate public health professionals to recommend plant based diet; engage with physician groups, health authorities, nursing unions, nutritionist -- similar to the lobbying efforts against cigarette companies Harness the power of social media and ... Read moredo a tweet storm, tik tok videos Undertake true accounting of negative impacts of industrial meat system (eg. use of antibiotics in agri food business; pandemic threat, zoonoses). Utilize health economics to compare health care and well-being for a society that is generally healthy compared to generally ill (overweight, comorbidities, NCD) Read less

Ethical Rationale - Breakout Session Room 2 When plant-based strategies are established, what might be the social and equity opportunities? Animal ethics should be considered part of equity, ethics (i.e. intersectionality) Opportunities: Meat prices have been increasing over time and some surveys indicate a diet shift due to this (reducing or eliminating meat) Plant-based foods are more ‘viable’ for producers by growing demand (this could help create an equitable playing field) Transition to plant-based effectively, gradually and pay special attention to the way we nudge different groups o... Read moref people (consider what’s realistic and meeting people where they are in terms of accessibility and knowledge) Citizens are calling for healthier options and low carbon foods more and more What are the tensions we have identified and how can we manage them? Indigenous communities and plant-based diet advocates Although it is a valid concern, it can sometimes be overblown - Indigeneity and Aboriginal rights can be respected AND can improve animal protection. The tensions can be overblown and used as an excuse to shut down discussion about the harms of factory farming, trapping, commercial fur farming (with seal hunting perhaps one exception) Vegan indigenous movements are happening currently in Canada Focus on supply more than demand - the drivers of inequitable access to food, e.g. curtailing influence of corporate food producers - should these people have a seat at the policy table? What actions, if implemented in the next 3 years, will have the greatest impact on well-being and SDGs? Health and sustainability are connected. Dietary guidelines are part of the puzzle, but need to address the implementation gap in order to meet SDG outcomes. Noted the work of Springmann et al (BMJ 2020 study in particular) Read less

Environmental evidence - Breakout Session Room 3 Oxford study: more accounting is needed of how plant based is saving of land used for forage and pasture; greater flexibility in how we manage land; freeing up land base; carbon sequestration; increase in biodiversity; fresh water use and watershed planning to reduce demand on freshwater, reduction in water pollution, lessening of ocean dead zones, reduction in pollution plastic in oceans Meet our GHG targets: Production and consumption -all along the value chain needs to be considered in their impact on GHG targets Inclusion of end to end calcu... Read morelation of the impact of meat on GHG Need for transparency, measurements, accountability for high standards to exceed Paris agreement Protect farm land and spaces for food production, secure political commitments and financial investment to ensure access to land (and favourable business environments for plant-based entrepreneurs) Ensuring access creates pathways for re-wilding, and enabling land to be connected to treaty and reconciliation Land protection: what is needed into the future to ensure decision-makers, politicians continue to protect the land (i.e. protect the law - ecocide law protecting land tracts from destruction) Read less

Pandemics and Food - Breakout Session Room 4 Confined Animal Feeding Operations: continue unchallenged. Ban further factory farming. land degradation increases our risks for future pandemics Reduce pandemics by reducing animal products and increasing access to plant based options Build awareness of connection of food systems, including animal confinement and needing to be fed and how this significantly drives to climate change Promote balanced plant based recipes that show how they meet nutritional daily intake