Explore Official Dialogue Feedback

- La diferenciación alimentaria por ciclo de vida y estado de salud es trascendental para recomendar e informar sobre la alimentación más adecuada. Al respecto, la lactancia materna es clave para seguridad alimentaria, en tanto, se debe valorar la política y plan estratégico de la lactancia materna. - Incrementar publicidad y educación para promover consciencia poblacional sobre valores nutricionales, e incluso saneamiento e higiene y su relación con la calidad de los alimentos que se consumen. - Promover y exigir el etiquetado frontal de la producción industrial y artesanal de aliment... Read moreos. - Acortar la cadena de valor, acercando aún más, el consumidor a los mercados y la producción local en específico. - Promover la alimentación diferenciada para personas en situación de dependencia, garantizando igualdad de acceso y consumo de alimentos, fortaleciendo la independencia. - Es necesario apoyar con líneas de créditos accesibles a la producción alimentaria, especialmente a los pequeños agricultores. - Incentivar las compras gubernamentales a productores locales, brindando acompañamiento productivo y empresarial a productores que no tengan experiencia previa en vender a las instituciones del Estado. - Valorar esquemas de incentivos e desincentivos fiscales para facilitar productos saludables y desestimar aquellos que no lo sean. - Fortalecer el uso de la tecnología y la innovación, aplicable a la producción alimentaria, especialmente en zonas áridas o con alta sensibilidad a la variación climática. - En coordinación con universidades, promover la investigación y difusión de investigaciones existentes. Coordinación con universidades. - Coordinar y sistematizar la generación de datos e información para la planificación de políticas pública basada en evidencia científica. Read less

The Government of India volunteered for Action Track 4, i.e., Advance Equitable Livelihoods but not limited to, given the diversity of our food systems, its impact and linkage with socio-economic-ecological systems, supply, demand and the whole value chain. India can suitability engage and contribute in all the Action Tracks to showcase the best practices and provide ‘game changing ideas’ for the betterment of agri-food systems. Nevertheless, we would like to make more visible contribution in AT4. The dialogue collectively tried to focus on the following areas of concerns and pointedly con... Read moretemplate on the questions to contribute meaningfully for the success of the dialogue, which were broad enough to include the whole range of ideas, challenges and suggestions across the entirety of the food systems. 1. What are the National pathways towards sustainable food systems in the coming decade in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development? 2. What are the levers and opportunities to bring pathways to life? This should include practices, policies, actions, infrastructure, institutions, partnerships and commitments. 3. How to cope with shocks and vulnerabilities caused by shocks like COVID? 4. What should be the national ambition and efforts needed to achieve that? 5. How to manage damage to nature caused by food systems? 6. What are the changes needed and mechanisms to balance needs of present and future? 7. Changes needed in national development plans, climate action and sustainable food systems, as well as relevant regional and international agreements? 8. Game changing ideas, experiences and replicable success stories Read less

Please see the attached document.

- La mayoría de las familias no cuentan con alimentos suficientes. - Los recursos económicos no permiten a las familias tener una alimentación nutritiva. - No toda la población cuenta con conocimientos sobre la elección adecuada de los alimentos, desconocimiento sobre el etiquetado nutricional y valor nutritivo de los alimentos. - La mayoría de las familias compra los alimentos. - La variación de precios por temporada para ciertos productos afecta y se generan problemas de adquisición para la población. - La producción de los alimentos está impactando la salud de la población. - El... Read more mercado incide a través de la publicidad sobre hábitos de consumo de alimentos. - Existe una dificultad económica para acceder a los alimentos saludables, la mayor parte de la población compra en el mercado informal, donde no existe adecuada manipulación, etiquetado - Los estilos de vida no son favorables a la elección de alimentos, por otra parte, existe dificultad para la promoción de la actividad física, limitado acceso a espacios para el desarrollo de actividad y ejercicio físico. - No existe un fuerte componente de investigación sobre consecuencias y seguimiento de políticas que fortalezca la toma de decisión. - No se cuenta con regulación adecuada para promover un consumo de alimentos saludables y estado de salud y nutrición. Read less

- Se visualiza la necesidad de educar a la nueva generación en las escuelas para que puedan cultivar. - Es necesario reducir las importaciones y compra más producto local. - Por consiguiente se debe apoyar a los productores en temas de comercialización. - Establecimiento de centros de abastecimiento de granos básicos principalmente. - Es necesario realizar campañas para que las personas conozcan el valor nutricional, lectura de etiquetado nutricional. - Intervención del estado a través de la legislación para el monitoreo, seguimiento de las adecuadas prácticas de producción de alimen... Read moretos. Read less

- Diseñar programas complementarios en el Sistema educativo enfocados a la agricultura desde la educación inicial. - Fortalecer al CENTA en cuento a recursos humanos para dar asesoría técnica y capacitación. - Identificar buenas prácticas productivas locales y replicarlas. - Promover la comercialización y consumo de productos locales. - Identificar tecnologías que ayuden a resolver las situaciones de producción según la zona, por ejemplo, corredor seco. - Coordinación entre Instituciones para poner en práctica normativas y supervisar su cumplimiento para la venta de productos en co... Read morendiciones adecuadas. - Socializar los alimentos nutritivos propios de El Salvador, rescatar el aporte nutritivo de nuestros alimentos. - Tener un plan estratégico institucional en que cada uno de los temas o ejes de este plan se involucren las instancias correspondientes: salud, educación, agricultura, comunidad, municipalidad, todos los actores que se vinculen a la temática. - Estudios CAP (conocimiento, actitudes y prácticas) que lleven a dar seguimiento los efectos de este plan estratégico articulado para tener una mejor alimentación. Esto debería ser dirigido por el gobierno central. - Lo más importante es la creación y vigilancia de marcos normativos que promuevan hábitos y prácticas saludables. Contar con una ley de alimentación escolar, por ejemplo, es clave, no solo del vaso de leche. Esto les correspondería a las autoridades educativas, salud y central. - Actualización de la normativa legal vigente. - Regular el uso de agroquímicos. - Establecer mesas comunitarias para entender las necesidades de los territorios. - Apoyo de empresas privadas que promueva el crecimiento de los pequeños agricultores. - Cadenas cortas de mercado y economía circular. - Usos de censos y apoyo en ADESCO para promover las asociaciones y mejores oportunidades. - Existe la necesidad de Políticas de apoyo para los agricultores, como el subsidio a los insumos agrícolas, regulación de precios, promover la producción y el consumo interno de producto orgánico, así como facilitar la certificación de la producción orgánica. - Es necesario revisar los impuestos e incentivos fiscales a la producción agrícola. - Es necesario aumentar personal para asistencia técnica que cubran más territorios, incluyendo la capacitación para seguimiento financiero, así como la educación en agricultura a nivel de centros escolares. - La adaptación al cambio climático es necesario para poder subsistir en la producción agrícola. - Debe promoverse programas de emprendimientos que puedan apoyar la economía que hoy solo se basa en la agricultura ya que solo es por temporadas. - Es urgente la necesidad de resolver el tema de regulación de precios y de acceso a la información de mercado para hacer negocios más justos para todos (de insumos y de los alimentos que se producen) - Ampliar las acciones de asistencia técnica para la diversificación de sus producciones para ser más resilientes y generar mayores ingresos - Rescate de la semilla criolla y de plantas tradicionales para los sistemas productivos y la mejora de la Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional. - Ampliar las acciones de rescate de las cuencas y microcuencas y contribuir al cuido de los recursos naturales. - Mejorar la infraestructura de riego de forma urgente para facilitar la producción permanente de alimentos haciendo un uso eficiente del agua que cada día es más escaza. (Con sistemas de riego y no solo por inundación). Read less

Vía de Acción 1: Garantizar el acceso a alimentos sanos y nutritivos para todos, permitiendo que todas las personas estén bien alimentadas y saludables. La agricultura tiene que ser sostenible en todos los eslabones, incluyendo a la agroindustria y a la agricultura familiar, para lo cual se debe que eliminar el abuso de plaguicidas y organismos genéticamente modificados (GMO). Producir alimentos de forma sostenible permite la adaptación y mitigación a los efectos adversos del cambio climático y genera resiliencia. En este sentido se debe dar prioridad a la seguridad y soberanía aliment... Read morearia y una vez aseguradas, se puede pensar que, el resto de la producción se dirija a la exportación. Esto permitiría garantizar la diversidad productiva, reducir costos, mejorar la nutrición y logra que la ecología y la economía vayan juntas. Se debe introducir políticas que ayuden a reducir las importaciones de productos altamente procesados y en su lugar, reforzar la alimentación basada en productos locales, regionales y nacionales, lo que permitiría aprovechar la diversidad y las ventajas agroecológicas del país, que tiene todos los elementos para llegar a un sistema alimentario sostenible. La soberanía alimentaria tiene que relacionarse con soberanía tecnológica y energética. Se debe promocionar la alimentación sana, la información respecto a nutrientes y buscar que los productos saludables sean accesibles económicamente para todos, al tiempo que mejora el ingreso de las familias rurales (no solo campesinas) y se eliminan los productos “no sanos”, a partir de la normativa productiva. Vía de Acción 2: Adoptar modalidades de consumo sostenible, promoviendo y creando demanda de dietas saludables y sustentables, reduciendo el desperdicio y promoviendo sistemas alimentarios sustentables. Se identifican dos acciones prioritarias: 1) la educación temprana, formal e informal, sobre la alimentación y nutrición, incluyendo los mitos y conocimientos ancestrales y occidentales, la información transparente y la transformación focalizada en los pequeños productores y; 2) la producción primaria y el consumo local, en directa relación con la identidad y la disponibilidad de alimentos. En el ámbito educativo: • Un tema priorizado es la alimentación escolar con los huertos escolares y las compras al pequeño productor. • Normalmente le encargamos a la mujer la responsabilidad de cuidar a la familia cuando todos somos responsables. • Pese a que Bolivia es rica en alimentos super nutritivos, el consumo de productos locales está disminuyendo, no solo por los costos. En este contexto, es importante reconocer a las mujeres como las cuidadoras de saberes y tomar medidas respecto a la migración de los jóvenes a las ciudades mediante políticas más agresivas para mejorar las condiciones de vida en las zonas rurales. En el ámbito de la producción primaria y el consumo local: • Es importante respetar la identidad cultural, al reconocer que la medicina ancestral forma parte de la producción. • Fomentar la promoción de la agricultura urbana, en creciente aumento en el país, considerando que la alimentación es un acto político, pues cuando hablamos de consumo sostenible, también hablamos de acceso a la dieta sana, y saludable, al consumo responsable y a la disminución de las pérdidas y desperdicios. El consumo sostenible tiene mucho que ver con cercanía del producto. En este sentido, se trata de promover circuitos cortos para tener acceso a productos frescos y sanos. • Incentivar sistemas de protección social sensibles a la nutrición, a las prácticas culturales alimentarias y a la relación entre producción y consumo; priorizando alimentos que la población está acostumbrada a comer. Temas Transversales 1) El rol de la cooperación internacional debe estar definido en una política nacional soberana, fomentando la cooperación sur-sur y acercándonos a otros países. Los países desarrollados deben aportar al desarrollo tecnológico, transfiriendo conocimientos y patentes. El rol de la cooperación es apoyar en función de las líneas que establezca el país, así como a las iniciativas de los pequeños product Read less

Reduction of food waste in Circular Economy New technologies could allow for more efficient use of available resources, and consumer behaviour change has an enormous potential for reducing the waste at the final level of the food chain, which now accounts for ca. 46% of total food waste. The possibility to reduce food waste at the early stages of the food chain is in the contrary limited because of the stable/ increasing demand for food. Several initiatives in Europe aim to tackle food waste. The SAFE campaign "One Man's Waste is Another Man's Treasure" aims to reduce the social and economic i... Read morempact of food waste by collecting food waste from local shops and its redistribution to local communities in need. However, many challenges have to be overcome when implementing European initiatives aiming at reducing food waste such as reducing availability on feed materials if potato peels are transformed into biofuel, introducing chemical and biochemical risks to food and feed when breeding insects on former foodstuff or the high presence of unknown organic substances as well as heavy metals in biobased plastic food contact materials compared to virgin-made equivalents FCMs. It was noted that EU regulatory risk assessment frameworks should already be well placed to assess potential changes related to circularity in food and feed systems. Food waste reduction can bring environmental, social and economic benefits for EU citizens. Food donation/redistribution initiatives, better forecasting of requirements to reduce surplus, removal of buy one get one free promotion and clearer information for the consumers on food labelling (best before/use by/ecolabelling) aim at raising awareness on staff and consumers as well as improving consumer behaviour towards the benefits of food waste reduction. Food waste reduction will also motivate innovation into the food chain to further develop: (i) novel food contact materials to prolong shelf life, (ii) processes for keeping food losses in the food chain: repurposing food, buying imperfect produce, (iii) new feed sources, (iv) nutrient recovery methods: biofertilizer from composting or anaerobic digestate, (v) methodologies to recover energy from food waste: biogas from anaerobic digestion, rendering, or (vi) techniques for the reduction of emissions in all steps of the food chain. However, all these circular economy solutions and ideas must continue to be monitored closely in order to ensure that food safety is not compromised. Emerging risks related to circular economy include reintroducing pathogens or contaminants into the food chain and allergenicity of novel foods. In the animal health remit, it is, however, important to mention that these risks are mitigated by EU-wide ban on using food waste as animal feed. Feed ban in the EU is very stringent and prevents the reintroduction of pathogens to the food chain. In addition, new EU policies to reduce dependency on chemical pesticides and excess fertilisation, as well as to increase organic farming, can also help to mitigate these potential risks. Issues discussed included: under redistributed food, potential food safety risks (bacterial contamination); under former foodstuffs as animal feed: presence of packaging remnants (plastic, paper, aluminium foil); under food contact materials to prolong shelf life: immunogenicity and allergenicity of bio-based food contact materials, migration of nanomaterials into foodstuff and potential risks to human health – toxicity; under nutrient recovery from food waste: contamination of food and environment by pathogenic bacteria and bacteria carrying antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), potential allergenicity of the insects, food additives; under using food waste for animal feed (not allowed under EU legislation):parasites, bacteria, and viruses; allergens. Read less

Reduce dependency on pesticides, excess fertilisation and increase organic farming The food system is a complex interlinked entity that reacts in predictable and unpredictable ways when one part is disturbed. The use of certain chemical pesticides in agriculture may contribute to soil, water and air pollution, biodiversity loss and can harm non-targeted species (plants and animals). In addition, the excess of nutrients (especially nitrogen and phosphorus) in the environment is another potential source of air, soil and water pollution and leads to climate impact. In contrary, the shift to organ... Read moreic farming may have a positive impact on biodiversity and may influence the creation of new employment, particularly for young people in some European countries advanced in organic farming. Achieving the aspirational targets of the F2F Strategy, should allow an adequate time frame for their accomplishments. Successful experiences with the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy have proven to be efficient to reduce pesticides use (e.g. planting fencing or using pest- resistant crop varieties) and should be considered when analysing the effectiveness of these targets. The challenges identified at the meeting relate to the whole food system in Europe. Examples include the limited number of approved pesticides on plant health, the risk of importing of exotic disease (e.g. broad bean beetle, fruit tree canker and Jimsonweed) and the need for safe alternative solutions. The shift from chemical to organic fertilisers could lead to broader risks including microbial contamination of water sources used for food production. In addition, if these transitions take place too fast, the appropriate tools and technologies to adjust to the new reality may not be readily available. Moreover, we should take into consideration the social and economic impact in a global context. In line with the F2F targets, the European Commission will present a proposal for a revision of the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive (SUD), to significantly reduce the use, the risk and dependency on pesticides and enhance integrated pest management in 2022. Additionally, the Horizon 2020 programme is already providing opportunities to foster innovation through research that can help in reaching the aspirational targets of the F2F strategy in this area. The discussions stressed the need for a holistic food system approach encompassing the effects on food production, environment, and consumers habits. It was highlighted that Europe’s food safety system is one of the best in the world to be kept and safeguarded. Read less

Reduction of antimicrobial use in farmed animals Some participants already reported a reduction of antimicrobial use over the last years, and a new 50% reduction target was seen as unrealistic. High antimicrobial usage offers a proxy for structural or managerial deficiencies impacting on animal welfare. Furthermore, non-prescribed antimicrobials may have sub-standard quality and the impact of falsified medicines may increase too. Whilst there are benefits of reduction measures achieved by organic farming such as less multidrug resistance, there are also potential disadvantages or unintended ne... Read moregative effects. Practical investigations on the impact of reduced use of antimicrobials in different pig production systems in Denmark revealed a shift in the type of lesions found at meat inspection. However, Italy and Belgium reported different effects. There is no refined standard to measure antimicrobial usage considering the dose and the age group of the animals, making difficult to establish threshold for usage and compare between various groups. In addition, some concerns were raised whether pre- or probiotics used in animal production would be attained to the same risks and qualified presumption of safety criteria applicable for those for human consumption. Future research and considerations are needed on safe probiotics for animal consumption. Towards a healthy & plant-based diet One area for diverging views among the participants was whether the EU regulatory framework in place is adequate to deal with the transition to healthier and plant-based diet, and the challenges associated with its introduction. If the regulatory framework in place is adequate to address undesirable substances or groups of substances taken in isolation, it is less clear whether it addresses adequately the safety of plant-based foods as a whole. Current legislation foresees a centralised EU safety assessment of plant-based novel foods but for traditional plant-based foods, the responsibility for safety is left to food manufacturers and Member States Competent Authorities. The traditional non-conventional foods previously mentioned was given as an example. A second area for diverging views is regarding the adequacy of existing health-based guidance values (HBGVs) for most contaminants and common undesirable substances (e.g. antinutrients) that could be found in vegetables. Some participants underlined that these HBGVs have been calculated on the basis of current EU consumption patterns, and questioned their validity following the introduction of a healthy diet. Suggestion was made to re-evaluate the exposure to these undesirable substances and the protection level of current HBGVs. Reduction of food waste in Circular Economy The discussions focussed on finding the balance between preventing emerging risks for food safety and the social, environmental, and economic advantages of food waste prevention. Several voluntary and regulatory initiatives in Europe aim to tackle the reduction of food waste. While EU requirements (e.g. certification, trainings and keeping the cold chain), could be perceived as a burden, whilst ensure food is kept safe up to the final consumer. The feed ban is very stringent in Europe and prevents the reintroduction of pathogens into the food chain. Adequate controls should be ensured when food waste is being used as feed elsewhere and imported. Proposals for reduction of food packaging must find solutions not compromising correct food labelling e.g. "best before" date and food safety. Currently there is no life cycle assessment (LCA) on food packaging. Safety of packaging is assessed when used in contact with food but the environmental fate and the safety assessment for its reintroduction into the food chain are still not well described. Food sustainability aspects beyond safety should not jeopardise efforts and achievements carried out in Europe to achieve its current high level of consumer protection. Reduce dependency on pesticides, excess fertilisation and increase organic farming The implementation of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy allows smooth transition to sustainable practices and farmers have until 2030 to reach the F2F aspirational targets. However, although the targets of the strategy have not been regulated, there are ongoing policy initiative such as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) or the revision of the sustainable Use Directive (SUD) that stimulates their achievement. The need to supply alternative products and the potential increase of food imports from third countries should be considered. Research initiatives will support innovation and development of new technologies helping to overcome the challenges we confront today. Nevertheless, time should be allowed for producers and consumers to accept these new solutions and for the potential risks to food safety to be assessed. Balancing the benefits of achieving these targets with potential emerging risks requires the participation of all the interested parties. During the discussion it was highlighted that the EU has powerful instruments like the payment of subsidies to farmers through the Common Agricultural Policy, which need to be aligned with the goals of the F2F strategy. Read less

Reduction of antimicrobial use in farmed animals Potential welfare issues in organic schemes where a decrease in the use of antimicrobials could compromise animal welfare, have been indicated and referred during previous discussions within EFSA stakeholders’ fora. Still, available scientific evidence provides divergence views, potentially associated with the multiple factors related to specific farming systems. Aiming to maintain the effectiveness of antimicrobials, monitoring impact and One Health monitoring measures are recommended. Setting targets at national level should recognise herds�... Read more�� population dynamics, and prescribed antimicrobials used only when strictly needed. Alternatives to antimicrobials should involve cost-effective, feasible replacements and a positive impact on animal health. Examples include: enhanced farm biosecurity, vaccines, organic acids, probiotics, passive immunisation, bacteriophages, teat sealants and better-quality feed. Regulatory clarity when categorising alternatives would make their development clearer and more attractive. While there is diverging evidence, any drastic changes over a short period could negatively impact on animal health and welfare. Campaigning for achieving reduction goals in antimicrobial sales, may drive consumer or production trends towards new products such as artificial meat, which could be perceived as not needing antimicrobials, but still needs further evidence and research. Towards a healthy and plant-based diet With one out of five deaths in 2017 in the EU attributable to unhealthy diets, the farm to fork strategy aims at moving towards a healthy and plant-based diet to reduce the level of obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases. A “plant-based diet” is not meant for consumers to become vegetarian or vegans, but to stimulate practices to diversify sourcing of proteins while reducing animal protein intake, consumption of heavily processed foods, and giving preference to seasonal and regional food products. The Mediterranean Diet is an example of a healthy diet with little to moderate amounts of animal-sourced foods. However, to reach a broader population, the solution should attempt to accommodate different cultures and customs. The environment may also benefit from such a change in the diet, with an expected positive impact on water eutrophication, and a cut of related greenhouse gas emissions. It could also lead to a less intensive meat production system in Europe with positive effects on animal health and welfare. Nevertheless, based on some studies, fostering healthy diets in Europe could be 60% more expensive than the cheapest alternative that can provide all 20 essential nutrients that people need to survive. Reduction of food waste in Circular Economy An estimated 20% of the total food produced is wasted in the EU and 129 million tons per year globally. Waste of food is in essence a loss in environmental resources, and generates excess emissions related to farming, processing, and transport. Moreover, food waste is a missed opportunity to feed those in need and is a financial loss for farmers, retailers and consumers. EU initiatives in place are already mitigating the issue of food waste. In 2015, the EU has expressed its commitment to cut food waste by 50% by 2030, in line with Sustainable Development Goals. Tackling food waste is part of the revised EU Waste Legislation and the F2F strategy. Food waste prevention is embedded in the concept of circular economy, which focuses on closing the biological and technical cycles, so that the need for virgin resources and energy use are minimised. The Reduce-Reuse-Recycle approach applies for food waste, where ‘reduce’ implies an improved planning and food production technology, as well as behavioural changes (meal planning, food donation). ‘Reuse’ refers to the use of former foodstuffs used as feed, while ‘recycle’ mainly focuses on energy or manure production from food waste. Reduce dependency on pesticides, excess fertilisation and increase organic farming The F2F strategy contains a broad range of measures supporting the transition to sustainable farming practices. However, drastic changes for European agriculture may lead to unintended effects and negative consequences, e.g. lack of alternatives to chemical pesticides. To ensure that the F2F strategy does not lead to an increased dependency on food imports or an increase of the price for food, coordinated efforts at national and EU level are required together with the application of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy. Many of the more harmful pesticides (candidates for substitution) should be removed from the market in the coming 10 years. Alternatives to chemical pesticides supported by research, training of farmers and the implementation of innovative technologies are all key to make the F2F strategy a success. Due to the different structure of European agriculture and the fact that some countries are already more advanced in reaching the targets, different solutions may need to be tailored to the individual Member States’ needs. The Commission is currently in the process of reviewing the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive to strengthen the legal framework where stakeholders were invited to be engaged. Read less

Reduction of antimicrobial use in farmed animals The coordinated monitoring and responsible use of antimicrobials is an important priority, and the reduction of usage should not jeopardise animal health and welfare. The EU aspirational target set by the F2F strategy should be considered at MS level for variation between farming systems, disease status, characteristics of population groups in different species and other local, regional or Member State-related specificities. Monitoring various indicators for health and welfare (e.g. lesions at meat inspection) could show trends and could inform ... Read moreon the impact of reducing antimicrobial use. A Danish case study in pigs, compare these lesions before and after introduction of a Yellow card scheme. It is important to investigate the link between the necessary antimicrobial treatment thresholds requested by organic schemes and the potential risk of compromising animal welfare. The benefits of reduction of antimicrobial usage should outweigh potential disadvantages or unintended negative effects. This could result in low control of infectious disease or increases in lesions at meat inspection, detrimental economic effects being also related to the needs in different farm systems and species in different countries. In Belgium, although no specific studies and scientific data are available, information from pig producers shows that reduced use on antimicrobial has not impact on farm mortality. However, some producers reported economic losses due to carcase quality. On the other hand, preliminary analysis in an Italian welfare study has not identified a relationship between animal welfare and antimicrobial use or the reduction of its use. In some farms, a higher level of welfare improves the health of the animals and contributes to a reduction of antimicrobial use; for others, this reduction can have a negative impact on animal welfare. It is difficult to foresee the extent of this impact as well as setting general rules without accounting for the specific situations. Various strategies, and their combination, support prevention of diseases and improve livestock health. However, those do not substitute the potential need for antimicrobial therapy when health is compromised. The selection of intervention should start with considerations of cost-effective and feasible alternatives to antimicrobials. More regulatory certainty on the current and new options for nutritional management and manipulation of the microbiome (e.g. use of pre-/pro-biotics, bacteriophages) could stimulate innovation in this area. However, some of the alternatives can raise additional safety problems such as research signals on some probiotics potentially carrying resistance genes . EFSA’s work on antimicrobial resistance together with ECDC and EMA to assess links between the use of antimicrobials and development of resistance, found multiple positive correlations between antimicrobial consumption in humans and animals depending on the antimicrobial in use. A number of areas for interventions were assessed leading to recommendations accounting for local situations and integrating several of the options together within national strategies. A One Health approach is important when monitoring antimicrobial resistance in human and animals, but also the comprehensive assessment of alternatives that may have wider significant economic, environmental or social impacts. There is wider recognition of the multifaceted responsibilities for prudent use and voluntary commitments in various sectors, and more stringent prescriptions and application rules. The participants also highlighted the importance to avoid rapid regulatory changes that could lead to drastic changes over a short period, because of potential negative impact on animal health and welfare. Shifting to new systems will cost some ‘learning money’, and is associated with new costs that need to be balanced with benefits. Therefore, the progress towards the aspirational target related to antimicrobial sales, could also benefit from studies on the potential impact on animal health and welfare aspects. Read less

Towards a healthy & plant-based diet Although there is no doubt about the beneficial effects of a healthy diet for consumers, the increase of plant sources (fruits, vegetables, legumes, pulses) in the diet could lead to several challenges. Plants are complex mixtures and may contain undesirable substances, whether naturally occurring (e.g. antinutrients), or contaminants resulting from culture conditions (e.g. sulphates), climate change (e.g. mycotoxins), or properties of the plant itself (e.g. bioaccumulation of heavy metals or minerals/micronutrients). Plants used as/for food have often ... Read morenot been assessed for safety and may expose consumers to undesirable substances. It should also be noted that plant proteins differ from meat proteins in terms of quality (amino acid scoring profile / digestibility). Existing techniques to concentrate proteins, such as alkali-concentration may lead to an increase of lysinoalanine, a metal chelator associated with nephrotoxicity. The importance of the challenges raised during the discussions would need to be relativised, since the transition to healthy diets does not lead to the introduction of a completely new diet in the European Union but rather to achieve better the already existing dietary recommendations, e.g. increasing the amount of pulses and seeds consumed, reducing the consumption of red meat and ultra-processed foods. Moreover, most of the challenges are addressed by existing regulations in place in the EU (e.g. maximum limits of antinutrients or contaminants). The transition towards a healthy and plant-based diet should therefore be seen as an evolution rather than a revolution. Educating the consumers about the healthy diet will be key, as eating more raw products and vegetables, requires new processing / cooking habits to tackle the potential food safety aspects associated with these products. As a general recommendation, the food consumption changes resulting from the introduction of a healthy diet in Europe will require a reassessment of the exposure levels to undesirable substances like the ones previously mentioned. Agricultural considerations were also discussed, with the question whether the European agriculture would be able to address the need for more fruits, vegetables and legumes. The lack of agricultural lands can be compensated through innovation, with the development of new ways of producing plants (e.g. vertical farming), but history has shown that any type of intensification of farming generates unwanted and unexpected issues that will have to be carefully monitored. A second consequence linked to the reduction of meat consumption is that less manure will be available to fertilise soils, and therefore more chemical fertilisers may be needed. This needs to be balanced however with the potential reduced use of agricultural land for plants for feed, and the reduction of nutrient losses in agriculture. The impact on agriculture in terms of economic sustainability was also discussed. The last part of the discussion addressed the issue of the acceptance of the seasonality aspect of this new diet by EU consumers. If consumers continue demanding fresh produce out of season, the introduction of a healthy diet could lead to an increase of imports with the associated emerging risks: introducing new plant pests in Europe, products not complying with EU legal limits, e.g. for pesticide residues, entering the food chain. However, it was noted that regulatory and import monitoring activities already exist in the EU covering those potential risks. Other aspects such as increase of CO2 levels associated to potentially longer transport should be considered. Finally, it was noted that the increased demand for fruits and vegetables will not imply a dramatic increase of imports or a revolution of the EU agriculture if measures are implemented to tackle food waste (see summary of the related session). Read less

This event was organised by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and involved its Emerging Risks networks: the Emerging Risks Exchange Network (EREN) and the Stakeholders Discussion Group on Emerging Risks (StaDG-ER). The aim of the event was twofold: discuss on the potential opportunities and challenges derived from the transition to sustainable food systems and anticipate solutions on potentially related emerging risks. The Farm to Fork (F2F) Strategy (see https://ec.europa.eu/food/farm2fork_en), at the heart of the European Green Deal, aims to make food systems fair, healthy and enviro... Read morenmentally-friendly. The overall goals of the strategy are to reduce the environmental and climate footprint of the food system, to lead a global transition towards competitive sustainability from farm to fork, to tap into new opportunities for businesses, people and the environment, and to create a robust and resilient food system. The strategy includes 27 specific actions to achieve its objectives and four aspirational quantitative targets for Europe in 2030: 1. Reduce by 50% the overall use and risk of chemical pesticides and reduce use by 50% of more hazardous pesticides 2. Reduce nutrient losses by at least 50% while ensuring no deterioration in soil fertility; this will reduce use of fertilisers by at least 20 % 3. Reduce sales of antimicrobials for farmed animals and in aquaculture by 50% 4. Achieve at least 25% of the EU’s agricultural land under organic farming and a significant increase in organic aquaculture Based on former reflections between EFSA and its Emerging Risks networks, the event built on four different areas that are not specified in the quantitative targets, but are still covered by the strategy: • Reduction of antimicrobial use in farmed animals, • The transition towards a healthy diet, • Reduction of waste in circular economy, and • reduction in the dependency on chemical pesticides, excess fertilisation and increased organic farming. Analysing challenges and opportunities from the F2F strategy implementation from an emerging risks perspective may lead to a number of solutions to support the Action Tracks in the scope of expected UN Global Compact Leaders Summit: 2021. To this end, although promoting a reduction on the use of chemical pesticides or the sale of antimicrobial substances could be perceived as compromising food security, the solutions arising from the event aim at ensuring fair and wider access to safe and nutritious food for all. Furthermore, the analysis on the transition towards a healthy diet and increasing organic farming could bring actions prompting the shift to sustainable consumption and more nature-positive production patterns. Finally, the implementation of safe circular economy methods to support the reduction of food waste focuses on closing the biological and technical cycles, contributing as such to reduce the vulnerabilities, shocks and stresses on currently used resource and energy sources and preserve the environment Disclaimer: the content of this report is a reflection of the discussion held with EFSA network groups on emerging risks identification. The views recollected within do not represent a position neither from EFSA nor from the European Commission. Read less

- Hay poca variedad de lo que se produce, el país no es autosuficiente, se ha perdido la producción casera, local. - La mayoría de familias no tienen un acceso de alimentos sanos debido a diversos factores: compras en el exterior, remesas, pobreza, pérdidas de empleo, desconocimiento de métodos de conservación de alimentos. Relación directa con el salario mínimo (aspecto económico) y Canasta Básica. No alcanza de acuerdo a las dimensiones de suficiente adecuada y de calidad. - El país es afectado por fenómenos climáticos como sequias e inundaciones, tienen un impacto en los cultiv... Read moreos, sumado a la pandemia. - En el área rural la dieta se compone con una gran cantidad de alimentos energéticos y no otros con vitaminas y minerales. - Oportunidades de empleo limitadas, migración, dedicarse a actividades ilegales debido a la reducción de oportunidades de ingresos y empleo. - Falta de educación, aspectos culturales, que no permiten el tener una alimentación adecuada. - La selección de alimentos va en función de la educación y comportamiento alimentario de la población. - Como país se tiene una crisis alimentaria, ya que no nos alimentamos de calidad. - Hay un incremento en los precios de alimentos que afectan la disponibilidad de alimentos debido a factores como: falta de tierras de calidad, problemas de transporte o movilidad para abastecerse y comercializar alimentos en el área rural, distribución intrafamiliar afecta en aspectos de consumo (la mujer es la última que consume alimentos Aspectos de género: la mujer prioriza la alimentación de otros miembros (hombres y NN). - Incrementos de precios de transporte lo cual eleva los precios de alimentos. - Son múltiples causas del poco acceso a alimentos: lo económico en cualquier hogar si hay desempleo o bajos ingresos). Otro problema en la región metropolitana, no hay disponibilidad de espacios físicos y oferta de alimentos saludables, incluso en las tiendas escolares (aunque haya normativa, siempre hay oferta no saludable). Y finalmente la poca sensibilización que tiene la población, para alimentarse sanamente (aumento de consumo de alimentos en grasas, azucares y sodio). No hay cambios de comportamientos de las personas. Además de la educación es necesario profundizar en el cambio de comportamientos. - Desde el punto de vista social (desempleo, cultura inmersa en las poblaciones, preferencias alimentarias que no necesariamente contribuyen en la nutrición), ambiental: provoca la no producción, crear sistema de alerta temprana. - La inseguridad afecta a los productores pequeños que por temor no se movilizan. Read less

- Es necesario cambiar el patrón de agricultura, el país no es autosuficiente, y ello limita la disponibilidad de alimentos. - Es imprescindible la sensibilización y falta de conciencia para alimentarse sanamente. - La importancia de rescatar los conocimientos ancestrales relacionados con la producción agroecológica y consumo. - Es necesario promover un enfoque de sistema alimentario y sostenible, con el tema central de la nutrición ya que aborda la concepción de individuo y que promueva estilos de vida saludables. - Hay problemas de acceso a una alimentación saludable, de acuerdo a la... Read mores dimensiones de: cantidad, calidad, considerando la brecha existente entre lo económico y el costo de la canasta básica de alimentos, además de agregar cuestiones de desempleo, bajos ingresos, y afectaciones por pandemia. Read less

- Para garantizar acceso a alimentos sanos y de forma permanente, se visualizan espacios para incrementar la producción familiar y nacional, acercar mercados de alimentos al consumo de cercanía, y fomentar la toma de decisiones alimentarias saludables y nutritivas a partir de campañas permanentes y espacios formativos sobre alimentos y sus propiedades. - Se aprecian oportunidades para desarrollar un plan de alimentación escolar a partir de la articulación entre personas productoras y escuelas, que pueda estimular el involucramiento de la juventud en la producción y transformación innova... Read moredora de alimentos. - Creación de campañas educativas, para que las personas conozcan el valor nutricional de los alimentos, lectura de etiquetado nutricional con mensajes claros, identificando adecuadamente la población meta - Organización comunitaria como una acción urgente a ser implementada - Promover en las universidades y escuelas - Creación de marcos regulatorios para la comercialización y publicidad de los alimentos, especialmente en la población más vulnerables - Fomentar la investigación y generación de data para la toma de decisión. - Sensibilización y formación de las comunidades sobre oportunidades de la producción orgánica favorable a la naturaleza. - Fomentar el buen uso de agua para el uso en proyectos de huertos familiares. - Contar con herramientas para administrar todo el proceso y almacenamiento. Se requiere equipos para mantener la cadena de frio, buscar estrategias que faciliten el consumo y cambien el comportamiento. - Programas de asistencia técnica en la producción agroecológica. - Mejorar sistemas de riego para la producción de alimentos en la época de verano. - Invertir en el manejo adecuado de suelos, realizando obras de conservación. - Promover desde la academia la formación agrícola y el fomento de técnicas novedosas en la juventud. - Crear y promover un comercio justo, cuido del medio ambiente. - Desarrollar líneas de investigación para conocer y determinar que tenemos y que necesitamos. - Estimular el cumplimiento regulatorio de las cadenas de valor. - Desarrollar mecanismos y normativas que promuevan el acceso a tierras. - Educación y formación para el acceso a nuevas tecnologías enfocado a los jóvenes. - Sensibilización en temas de sostenibilidad ambiental. - Campaña de comunicación estratégica para hacer participar a otros actores. - Aprender a producir alimentos sanos y saludables. - Mejorar la educación del consumidor para que sepa que comprar. - Formación en temas de industrialización e idea de negocios. Read less

- Dependencia del país de las importaciones de alimentos y poca capacidad para producir sus propios alimentos. - La situación de pobreza golpea fuertemente a las zonas rurales, principalmente, de ex bolsones. - Acceso a tierras es insuficiente. - La mano de obra, principalmente de la juventud, no está interesada en el trabajo de producción de alimentos. - Los jóvenes no tienen el apoyo suficiente por eso se decepcionan y terminan migrando u optando por otras opciones. - El país no es resiliente al cambio climático (tormentas, sequias), no hay apoyo directo a las familias. - El comercio ... Read moreintrafronterizo entre El Salvador y Honduras, pone en las manos de los consumidores el acceso a los alimentos, pero estos a veces no son adecuados. - Las necesidades de apoyo a los grupos de población relacionados con la agricultura familiar son amplias (asistencia técnica, estudios de mercado: precios, calidad de productos en venta). - La pandemia vino afectar la diversificación y cierre de mercados. - El tema de inocuidad depende del lugar donde se encuentren los alimentos, pero es muy importante para garantizar la salud y nutrición de los consumidores. - Desempleo que se ha incrementado debido a la pandemia - No hay planes de protección a la agricultura y para proteger a las familias. - Prevalencia de enfermedades en las comunidades asociadas a la mala alimentación. - Los estilos de vida y la falta de educación nutricional en algunos grupos de población, limita su capacidad para alimentarse de forma saludable. - El consumo de comida chatarra y alimentos procesados afecta más a las zonas urbanas. - El impacto del cambio climático en la cadena de producción genera pérdidas para los productores, por lo que tiene que recurrir a la utilización de insumos agrícolas no adecuados. - El recurso agua en calidad y cantidad es escaso para la producción y el consumo. Read less

- En necesario analizar si las transferencias monetarias para apoyar la alimentación son adecuadas o no, considerando que a veces la alimentación no es la principal prioridad de las familias. - Es necesario innovar en diferentes espacios de la cadena alimentaria: producción, transporte, comercialización, consumo. - La educación es fundamental para crear conciencia, reflexionar y conocer sobre los beneficios de la alimentación saludable. - Las mujeres en las áreas rurales son violentadas y eso tiene relación con la alimentación, ¿Cómo incorporar la equidad de género en la política,... Read more obligatoriedad para promover la corresponsabilidad de la familia en el hogar para el cuidado de los niños y niñas? - En los municipios afectados por la sequía, las familias han adoptado estrategias de afrontamiento, las familias vendieron sus tierras, o fueron a trabajar a otros lugares, obtuvieron prestamos, o remesas. Es decir, que es un abanico de elementos que configuran para que las familias tengan una alimentación mínima suficiente. - La pandemia representó un reto para garantizar el derecho a la alimentación, pero permito que las familias y las mujeres en particular se reinventaran en la producción y elaboración de alimentos en el hogar. - Los espacios para la educación física son insuficientes. Read less

- El país no produce lo necesario para abastecer a todas las familias. - Hace falta más participación del gobierno de las diferentes instancias: defensoría de consumidor (vigilancia), salud (inocuidad) etc. - Las familias son pobres y esto dificulta a que puedan acceder a una alimentación saludable y variada (relación ingreso/costo de la vida) - Lo principal es la relación del ingreso de las familias, contra el costo de la Canasta Básica. El salario mínimo no alcanza para cubrir otras necesidades. - El cambio climático, esto ocasiona pérdidas de alimentos en la producción nacional ... Read moredebido a los eventos extremos. - Se visualizan fallas en la logística y transporte. Los intermediarios se benefician más la agricultura local, ellos acaparan y fijan precios. - Problemas fronterizos hace que los alimentos incrementen en sus precios. - Los medios de vida a veces no son diversificados debe apostarse a esas áreas. - No hay una variabilidad de los alimentos que se producen y se consumen. - Es necesario impulsar acciones que promuevan la producción y participación de las mujeres. - Necesidad de fortalecimiento institucional sobre su rol para garantizar la adecuada alimentación. - Es necesario destinar presupuestos etiquetados para la educación en nutrición y seguridad alimentaria nutricional. - Se deben promover los acercamientos de los productores con los consumidores a través de mercados locales - Fomentar la responsabilidad personal y comunitaria en cuanto a la práctica de la alimentación saludable. - Es necesaria la regulación de precios, de la calidad de los alimentos. Los marcos normativos deben ser más estrictos y vigilar su cumplimiento. - Es necesario regular la publicidad y promover la información de lactancia materna, alimentación infantil, adulto, a lo largo del ciclo de vida. - Se deben explorar oportunidades para la transformación de alimentos que son desperdiciados y tenerlo disponibles en todo año. Read less