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The CGIAR Independent Dialogue was successfully organized with the participation of diverse stakeholders coming from six food related sectors. The Dialogue created a friendly and trustworthy platform for participants to share their ideas, experiences, and knowledge on specific problems and challenges of Vietnam food systems and to contribute bold ideas and creative solutions and identify types of support needed from CGIAR to address these problems and to catalyze system changes. The main findings from the dialogue section and panel discussion are described in two parts: The first part characte... Read morerized problems, challenges, and gaps that need to be addressed in Vietnam food systems, such as inconsistent policies between national and provincial policies, inefficient and ineffective policy implementation, mislabeling of foods, difficulty to assess healthy and safe foods, unbalanced nutrition, unsustainable supply chain operation, low awareness of people on food safety (including misperception of food safety risks) and nutrition, climate change and environmental pollution due to abuse of chemicals and over-exploitation, and the invisible role of minorities and women in the society, among others. On the flip side, the participants identified opportunities, solutions, and types of support needed from CGIAR in order to transform Vietnam food systems to be more responsible, sustainable, and transparent. The solutions could be grouped into: (i) using innovations and technologies applied across the entire food system including labelling, traceability, food safety, use of risk based approaches, product quality, and e-commerce, (ii) providing insights in legal framework and policy implementation to support or control sustainable/un-safe production, (iii) funding distribution chains to be effective, and (iv) addressing environmental protection, and gender equality and social inclusion, particularly most vulnerable groups affected by shocks and stress. Read less

The CGIAR Independent Dialogue focused on the five main Action Tracks of the UNFSS exploring the current challenges, opportunities, trade-offs, and synergies in Vietnam food systems. The Dialogue was a half day event with about 90 participants. The dialogue’s theme was Understanding Food Systems in the Context of Vietnam. Action Track 1: Access to safe and nutritious food for all Action Track 2: Sustainable consumption patterns Action Track 3: Sustainable food production Action Track 4: Advance equitable livelihoods Action Track 5: Resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks, and stress The event ... Read moreopened with messages from CGIAR representatives, then a short introduction on CGIAR in Vietnam, followed by the summary of the Stage 1 National Dialogue. The participants were divided into five breakout groups according to their preferred Action Track. Each group was assigned an Action Track and was supported by a facilitator and a notetaker. First, the facilitator gave a brief presentation to provide group members a background of the topic and process for the discussion, afterwards participants were invited to share their opinions, guided by four questions: • What are the current issues of the interested Action Track? • Which solutions are needed to address those issues? • What type of support is needed from CGIAR? • Which stakeholders should CGIAR approach to foster the level of changes? Read less

Los jóvenes pueden ser una bisagra entre eslabones de las cadenas agroalimentarias, entre generaciones y entre territorios rurales y urbanos. Los jóvenes pueden desarrollar actividades complementarias a la producción agrícola de base, en particular, integrando cadenas de valor que beneficien a la AFC. Las personas jóvenes enfrentan tanto oportunidades como tensiones, las que se relacionan con el rol que se les atribuye en generar resiliencia de los sistemas agroaliemtnarios: Por un lado, gracias a ser una generación más conectada, el desarrollo del comercio online (cadenas cortas), la c... Read moreomunicación y educación telemática para el sistema agroalimentario sostenible. También es importante que jóvenes aprendan de economía circular, mirando cada cosa con doble funcionalidad. Las y los jóvenes que vuelven de la ciudad al campo en contexto de pandemia por COVID-19 pueden ser un efecto multiplicador con los demás jóvenes y personas de su comunidad, enseñando lo que han aprendido en sus vidas fuera del territorio en relación a tecnologías, redes y formas de comercializar y vincularse con las ciudades intermedias y metrópolis. Retomar los aprendizajes de la ciudad al campo y el campo a la ciudad y ponerlos al servicio del sistema agroalimentario. Las necesidades ante eso, son: - Mecanismos para asegurar acceso o tenencia a la tierra y el agua a nuevas generaciones de jóvenes productores. También a mujeres, que al igual que los jóvenes difícilmente acceden a un pedazo de tierra. - Es importante dar visibilidad a lo rural, reconocer y entender a la juventud rural en su identidad diversa del siglo 21. Como habrá más vulnerabilidad y pobreza urbana, aún más difícil que política pública tenga presente al sujeto juventud rural. - Es necesario que las autoridades escuchen a las y los jóvenes rurales para establecer medidas pertinentes, fortalecer sus capacidades, considerarlos en sus motivaciones y necesidades. - Gobiernos deben incidir tal que la motivación existente en los y las jóvenes pueda encontrarse con oportunidades de desarrollo tal que sean el aporte que quieren ser. Cambiar el enfoque con que se trabaja, que tiene sesgo desfavorable a realidades rurales donde se cultivan los alimentos. Read less

Los impactos de la producción de alimentos no tienen que ser negativos necesariamente, y además puede aumentar o disminuir, como nos lo ha hecho ver la pandemia. Esto otorga un contexto en que la pérdida de ingresos ha sido mayor en los sectores urbanos, y al demanda desde lo urbano es contra los intereses de quienes producen en las áreas rurales. Aunque los movimientos de agroecología y desarrollo aumentan, así como la conciencia sobre el impacto que tienen la producción de alimentos en la naturaleza y cambio climático, esto no es prioridad para los Estados, quienes priorizan la agric... Read moreultura de exportación, la minería y explotación de recursos. Hay una justificación a ñas formas de producción, contaminación, agroquímicas y condiciones laborales. Las personas jóvenes tienen un rol importante en la producción sustentable al ser bisagra entre las prácticas ancestrales de recuperación de recursos y añadir valor agregado o desempeño de profesionalización de las practicas agropecuarias o ganaderas. Sus expectativas y rol es más de asesoría que como agricultores: entre lo nuevo y la recuperación ancestral donde esta el rol de los jóvenes. Hay que considerar las expectativas de estudios y laborales de jóvenes. El rol de las juventudes debe estar en mantener las técnicas de conservación, trasladarlas y vincularlas a la innovación en la producción de alimentos. Entender como los jóvenes a partir de la búsqueda de sostenibilidad puedan recuperar el suelo y fortalecer los recursos naturales y recuperar los ecosistemas. Jóvenes como gestor de innovación por su nivel de educación, en lo rural más alfabetismo. Esto requiere inversión público y/o privada e incidencia en ella: hay una barrera-resistencia política a considerar la participación de jóvenes en general y jóvenes rurales en particular. Se hace necesaria la formación y fortalecimiento de liderazgo en los procesos de organización y asociación de productores. Para eso es necesario apropiase de las experiencias y de lo que queremos lograr. Hay que empoderar y vincular con las y los jóvenes. Las principales tensiones para su rol son: - La propiedad de tierra y de activos que le faciliten el acceso a financiamiento para desarrollar una actividad. En entornos rurales es más atomizado, por eso es más conveniente vender o comprar, las mujeres son las que menos acceso a tierras tienen, y por ende, tienen que emigrar más a buscar trabajo en las urbes. Cabe preguntarse ¿cómo los jóvenes llegan a tener acceso a activos, como capital semilla o cierta infraestructura? Para mejores condiciones en el futuro. - Se genera tensión en cuanto al Sistema de decisiones sobre un modelo de producción que los jóvenes anhelan seguir, cambiar los sistemas agrícolas pero que no generan rentabilidad, esto genera confrontación dentro de las familias y que no tienen autonomía para decidir. El choque de los jóvenes ante paradigmas o connotaciones culturales. - Existe la visión de que los activos o el acceso a la propiedad no nos pertenece y con ello se dificulta la toma de decisiones. El sistema de decisiones en modelos de producción en fincas familiares y comunidades, ante las nuevas formas de hacer las cosas, falta autonomía para decir como trabajar y como incorporarse a una producción más sostenible. Si no se proyectan para vivir, será difícil que se involucren en esos cambios. Read less

En cuanto a patrones de consumo sustentable y medios de vida equitativos, es necesario: - Se deben seguir promoviendo proyectos que permitan generar espacios para que los productos puedan ser vendidos directamente al consumidor. Estos también deben facilitar la movilidad de productos e insumos, y la accesibilidad de las personas desde el campo a la ciudad. Así como fomentar los métodos emprendedores de procesamiento y recolección de alimentos que se dan en los escenarios de sobreproducción. Esto permitirá aprovechar los alimentos a través de bancos de alimentos, y eventualmente fortalec... Read moreer el proceso de planeación sobre la producción de acuerdo a las necesidades de la población. - Fortalecer y potenciar la producción de alimentos básicos en las urbes a través de huertas verticales para fortalecer la soberanía alimentaria. Así como fomentar la soberanía en los alimentos, eso nos permite mayor cuidado, hacer cercos epidemiológicos de manera más fácil. El mayor desafío es la falta de planificación en los sistemas productivos, alimentos desperdiciados o escasez. Además el contexto de pandemia se ha evidenciado el restringido acceso a tecnología y las dificultades de la implementación de medidas de bioseguridad respecto a las prácticas tradicionales de las comunidades campesinas. - Las y los jóvenes deben ser promotores comunitarios de nuevas formas de producción y consumo. Es necesario fomentar que se enfoquen en carreras profesionales o técnicas relacionadas con lo rural. Se reconoce las dificultades para generar transferencias tecnológicas y las capacitaciones deben responder a las necesidades de la juventud rural. Asimismo, debe responder a dificultades asociadas con transporte y accesibilidad con el objetivo de generar cadenas cortas de producción. Esto dificulta el futuro de la población rural en cuanto a la migración hacia las ciudades. - Generar condiciones de trabajo digno en las labores de producción de alimentos. Los y las jóvenes tienen el rol de desnaturalizando las dinámicas que fomentan la explotación laboral en el rubro. Esto se asocia a mejor formación para cuestionar las prácticas y generar mejores escenarios laborales y mayor participación en el sector. - Incidir y fomentar la articulación de entidades de todos los sectores y niveles: Promover procesos comunitarios que fomenten la articulación y por lo tanto la incidencia. Los espacios de formación deben abrirse para acompañar a más jóvenes para que tengan mayor incidencia y las mujeres deben estar presentes en todos los ejes frente ala producción. Fortalecer el proceso de articulación de iniciativas entre el Estado, ONGs, gremios, y otras organizaciones. Existen múltiples esfuerzos que no se retroalimentan entre sí, por lo que el proceso de fortalecimiento y articulación va a permitir mejorar la incidencia y hacerle frente a posibles emergencias sanitarias-alimentarias. Read less

Los jóvenes pueden ser una bisagra entre eslabones de las cadenas agroalimentarias, entre generaciones y entre territorios rurales y urbanos. De esta forma, a la vez que integran "lo nuevo" (innovación, tecnología en producción y comercialización, uso de TICs, valor agregado) con el conocimiento tradicional de producción; y conectan los territorios de mejor manera debido a sus trayectorias personales y conectividad. En este sentido, tienen un rol fundamental en generar cambios culturales sobre el consumo, la conciencia sobre el impacto en la naturaleza y cambio climático, así como en l... Read morea implementación de prácticas sustentables, agroecológicas y rentables. La pandemia junto a todos sus efectos adeversos trae algunas oportunidades: su efecto de migración de retorno en cuanto mayor cantidad de jóvenes con capacidades e ideas de innovación regresan a los territorios; y se ha puesto en boga la relevancia de la alimentación y soberanía alimentaria, así como su efecto adverso en el la naturaleza. Por otro lado, los efectos negativos y aumento de pobreza concentrado en las urbes hace más difícil que las necesidades de la juventud rural sean prioridad. Se hace necesario incidir en que los gobiernos, locales y nacionales, presenten atención a las expectativas (trabajo no agrícola, innovación y valor agregado) y necesidades (formación y capacitación pertinente, planes de inversión y apoyo al emprendimiento) de las personas jóvenes en los sistemas alimentarios. Read less

El diálogo trató sobre la participación de las personas jóvenes en los sistemas agroalimentarios. Esto porque Involucrando a las y los jóvenes rurales apostamos al mismo tiempo a aprovechar su potencial como agentes de cambio para contribuir a revitalizar sus territorios y a promover estrategias territoriales que los incluyan y mejoren sus oportunidades de bienestar. Los jóvenes abandonan crecientemente la actividad agrícola, enfrentándose a dificultades para encontrar empleo en otros sectores, y muchos toman la alternativa de migrar, como una forma de resolver la violencia local o la ... Read morefalta de empleos o de acceso a los recursos de producción. Entretanto, son cada vez más las mujeres que quedan a cargo de la agricultura de subsistencia y, por ende, caen en la pobreza rural (FAO, 2011; WB, 2016). No obstante, las oportunidades que surgen del proceso de transformación rural son especialmente evidentes para las y los jóvenes. Los jóvenes son la clave de la supervivencia de una agricultura que requiere cada vez más de innovaciones para lograr simultáneamente productividad, globalidad y sostenibilidad del medioambiente. Los jóvenes tienen más flexibilidad, son más conscientes del medioambiente, más inmersos en las nuevas tecnologías y las comunicaciones; se trasladan con más facilidad de la ciudad al mundo rural. En resumen, la nueva generación dispone de un gran potencial de aporte a una agricultura sólida, sostenible y productiva. Además, una mayor participación de las jóvenes mujeres del mundo rural, con sus habilidades en producción alimenticia y manejo de recursos naturales puede contribuir a mejorar la calidad de vida de la familia rural. El diálogo se basó en revisar cada vía de acción desde la participación de los y las jóvenes en ellas. Read less

Divergent views were observed where those advocating for some level of chemical inputs for agriculture noted that given the food demand of the future, the approach would need to be a balanced one, where integrated approaches need to be taken forward (such as integrated plant nutrient systems and integrated pest management) with chemical inputs (more advanced slow release versions - 2nd and 3rd generation fertlizer) being supplemented with soil organic matter. The need to promote Sri Lanka Good Agricultural Practices (SLGAP) was seen as a more pragmatic solution than attempting to go completely... Read more chemical free. The other school of thought was that it is possible to transform agriculture system to be completely chemical free and given the perilous state we are in with the planetary boundaries being crossed (especially due to the chemical based monoculture farming practices), priority should be towards food safety and restoring of ecosystems, since it is clear that the chemical systems are increasingly becoming unsustainable. The need to be bold and innovative in tackling this issue was highlighted. Some expressed the opinion that much of the small holder farmers in Sri Lanka were part time farmers, where they were also engaged in other livelihoods to supplement their income. They argued that techniques like zero budget natural farming that require more labour intensive practices, will carry externalities that need to be factored in. Everyone agreed that the use of technology could to a large degree avoid the need for chemical inputs. However, mainstreaming such technologies, where there is large digital divide and access to finance was seen to be a challenge that needed to be overcome. The need for more research on the balance between organic and inorganic food systems was highlighted. Read less

Regenerative Agriculture and Other Sustainable Agriculture Methods: Experiences over the past decades from Sri Lanka and beyond were discussed. The need to integrate technology and markets was highlighted. The onus on agriculture sector, finance sector and government to collaborate in exploring partnerships towards promoting such agricultural methods was underscored.

Sustainable Finance Towards Sustainable Agriculture: The need for Sri Lanka to mobilize different funding avenues including blended finance, impact bonds, etc, were discussed. The need to access Green Climate Fund and other vertical funds through collaborative engagements with Government, banking sector and other actors coming together was reiterated.

1). Innovative mechanisms of financing such as blended finance vehicles being implemented in Indonesia (Tropical Landscape Finance Facility) and in India (Sustainable India Finance Facility) provide inspiration for Sri Lanka to also explore such options in the country through collaborations between the different stakeholders. The Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet (GASP) offered support to Sri Lanka and invited local stakeholders to collaborate with them. SLBA SBI has been also exploringsuch blended finance facility in Sri Lanka for sometime. 2). Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) was di... Read morescussed as an option for Sri Lanka in its aspirations to be the first country to produce food without the use of chemicals. The varying context was also discussed, with regards to availability of raw materials and labour, where the situation in Sri Lanka differs from that of India, although one of the speakers provided details of local alternatives for natural inputs/innoculants that could be used in Sri Lanka, where success has been observed. Mr. Satya Tripathi from GASP offered to connect Sri Lankan stakeholders with officials in Andra Pradesh such as Mr. Vijay Kumar, who has been advising Andra Pradesh state government on its ZBNF program. 3). The importance of the social context, where farmer to farmer knowledge sharing in India played a critical role in dissemination of knowhow on sustainable agriculture was discussed, and at a time when Sri Lanka's agri extension service was not nimble and adept as it used to be in the past, the need to strengthen all available means of disseminating agri knowhow and tech was underscored. 4). With the volume of food needing to be produced for food security and with the data on the increased yields due to chemical inputs, one of the speakers noted that while the amount of chemical inputss have to be reduced, it cannot be completely done away with without having ramifications to yield. He juxtaposed the statistics from 1940 (before Sri Lanka used agro chemicals) and the yields in 2020 to show the difference (4.8 tonnes of rice per hectare in 2020 as opposed to only 0.65 tonnes per hectare in 1940). He advocated for integrated plant nutrient systems and integrated pest management systems. 5). Some of the other speakers spoke about the environmental and health implications as well as foreign exchange implications for the country and Mr. Satya Tripathi revealed the drastic reductions of health issues reported in Andra Pradesh in India, where natural farming had been adopted, based on hospital records. 6). Adaptation strategies in crop production such as aerobic rice, flood tolerant rice, short duration rice, salt tolerant rice, pre-monsoon dry sowing, inter-cropping and crop rotation and third season crops were seen as some of solutions that need to supported to counter the impacts from climate change. Read less

(iii) examination of links between one or more of the Action Tracks and levers of change: The Independent Dialogue focused on Action Track 3: Boost nature-positive production and Finance as a Lever of Change that could postively contribute towards such transformation.

There was broad agreement about the challenges and opportunities that exist, despite the diversity of participants. In one discussion group, there was some disagreement about what exactly ‘nutrition science’ means, and what having ‘nutrition principles’ underpinning the food systems transformation even means. For some, they felt that nutrition principles already encompassed wider social/environmental concerns, in addition to health. Others felt that most people did not have a good understanding of the functions of the food system and the role of power, and that current principles under... Read morepinning the UN FSS did not sufficiently encompass these elements. Some participants felt that food systems should focus on transformative actions, whereas others felt that technical or incremental change would be more effective. One discussion group also experienced a disagreement about how evidence can be used to inform policy. Some felt that guidelines were transparent but could benefit from better communication and making sure that people were consistent with their use of evidence. Others felt that that was a mischaracterisation of how policy is really made, and that science and evidence is not made in a vacuum. These participants felt that human behaviour and relationships can not necessarily be measured, and these are huge factors in influencing policy. A different group was also conflicted on the extent to which food-based dietary guidelines are influenced by industry, and how challenging it is likely to be to include sustainability messages in the next iteration of guidelines. Read less

Topic 6: What paradigm shifts are required to achieve a healthy, equitable and environmentally sustainable food system? (2568/ 4200 characters) Participants noted that the current decisions in the food system are driven by the ‘global north’ and powerful actors throughout the food system. If a global centric approach is not adopted, the dynamics needed to create transformative change won’t work at scale. Dialogues need to be a truly participatory process and foster inclusive conversations. It can be challenging to move forward together with multiple stakeholders when stakeholders have di... Read morefferent objectives. With regards to the Australian Dietary Guidelines, there needs to be some vision from the outset about what the key outcomes are, and everyone’s ideas should be on the table. The current global opportunities are important for us to start talking about bigger change and larger opportunities, without settling for the status quo. Equity in the system is essential. There is a great concern that industry involvement is distorting the agenda and several comments and concerns were raised that the dialogues in the UN FSS were favouring some countries and regions over others. Sometimes the issue isn’t about the content or the details, it’s about the connections. In the absence of having some sort of joined up national policy for these discussions, the talk will continue to be about discrete projects. We need to think more about the dynamics to make connected changes happen. Some participants felt that there needs to be a greater emphasis on decision making processes result in transformative changes to current food system activities. However, participants in another group noted that transformative change may push us towards silver bullet solutions. Some simple solutions like eating more legumes are very powerful. Areas around the world are different and a one size fits all in sustainable production doesn’t work so nutrition science needs to play a bigger role in mapping out how production systems are managed so evidence is informing decisions. We need a global framework for managing trade-offs between economic, social, political factors in food system transformations. Connections are paramount, between and within sectors. Conversations need to build the bridge between nutrition science and regenerative agriculture. We must consider that many parts of the planet cannot ecologically produce foods suggested for sustainable healthy diets and plans need to be global for production to be equitable. Shifting the current mantra about lowering food prices to instead focus on labour contributions for food and home production could be an opportunity. Read less

Topic 5: What are the opportunities for increasing engagement with nutrition science to reach the goal of a healthy and sustainable food system by 2030, and who will need to be involved to achieve this vision? (Up to 4200 characters) Participants felt that the first step was to ensure that the vision of the food system is well-established. It is difficult to align stakeholders if they are working without knowing what the goal is. Participants felt that equity and human rights should be the priority in all decisions and policy approaches before solutions to food system problems are decided. Bri... Read morenging marginalized groups and people that experience disadvantage into the discussion is imperative. The UN FSS and other global dialogues must make efforts to actively engage all people in decision making in a transparent manner. Some participants felt that the nutrition science community should be enabling transformative change, and discussed relationships needed for this. They felt that the farming community needs a more prominent role as they can inform what works economically and in a production sense. The primary producing industry in general should be engaged as part of the conversation, as quite often they will have a lot to say and they need to be on board for transformative change to occur. Building a sustainable bridge between nutrition science and agriculture sector to achieve sustainable production systems (agroecology, regenerative agriculture) is vital to transform food systems. There are active and transformative things happening in agriculture right now, however they are only on a small scale and they need to be scaled up. There is a movement there to be built upon for change. Those who understand how to regenerate and rehydrate degraded land (through regenerative agriculture, agroecology etc) should have a greater position in the transformation debate. They tend not to be part of discussion, but they can tell us succinctly about what is economically possible and what is not possible, although there are many sectors that influence the economics in food systems. Also, a greater emphasis should be placed on growing crops/livestock that are suitable for specific environments and specific contexts. One group discussed that the revision of the Australian Dietary Guidelines is a good opportunity for change in Australia. This will showcase how we integrate with the other disciplines. In Australia, the issue of how industry is involved in dietary guidelines is an issue. We also need to consider how we ensure sustainability is embedded, which may or may not be helped/ hindered by industry (participants felt differently about this). Getting consumers interested and engaged with embedding sustainability in the dietary guidelines could help, particularly engaging with young people. Participants discussing the Australian Dietary Guidelines felt that they are the biggest and most immediate opportunity. Since the last guidelines, there is much more evidence for sustainability. Additionally, there is a lot of opportunity to advocate for all sectors to contribute to the guidelines. While concepts and principles direct guidelines development, much of the work remains political. If we can work together, advocate strongly and support the dietary guideline committee in decision making, this could be a big opportunity for change. The next steps are not about starting conversations about food systems and environmental sustainability, but rather building on existing conversations. Effective communication is needed to build inclusivity across the food system. Read less

Topic 4: Is nutrition science currently being used to optimum effect to guide food system transformation? Why/ why not? (3,621/ 4200 characters) Participants noted that public health nutrition is not resulting in the changes that we need to see. Perhaps nutrition science could be used in a better way, that doesn’t focus on reductionism. E.g. the health star rating is being championed in Australia as a way to transform the food system, but this system is suboptimal. While reformulation can have public health benefits, it can also allow other foods to be determined as healthy and may distract ... Read morepolicy makers from solutions which have bigger impacts. Participants discussed the process of guideline creation in Australia. Some participants felt these guidelines were based on evidence and were transparent, while others had concerns about power dynamics and undue influence. More specifically, Australian recommendations require evidence and an overview of the process is always provided and feedback is transparent. However, others felt that power in the food system was more problematic and less manageable and measurable. A participant noted that the food industry is regularly meeting with elected officials, and the industry has a lot of power and influence over policy. One group discussed the global nature of the food system and how large corporations are unable to be regulated by one country alone. This group noted that there is a mismatch between the food production system (global) and food regulation (national). While developing global regulation and international law is politically challenging, global proposals about how the corporations should be regulated and integrated policies across countries could help balance the playing field between corporations and health. This would require a lot of effort, but bodies like the UN have the opportunity to lead policies which are integrated across countries. This could also enable more protection of public health and the environment. We also need to rally consumers and other stakeholders and choose our fights wisely. The NOVA classification may also help here, as we can argue that ultra-processed foods are unnecessary for all. A different discussion group felt that nutrition science is being used as a tool to market and make products that are not the best ones for the planet or people’s health. Nutrition science used for marketing and the industry directs the research to some extent, particularly in relation to processed foods. Thus, nutrition science is being used in a way that many scientists do not want. On the other hand, some noted that progress is good – in the last decade agriculture has been better at nutrition-sensitive agriculture. But the nutrition discipline needs to be more informed by the other sectors, i.e. we need a multi-sectoral focus. Participants also discussed the difference between transformation and incremental change, noting that the world usually works in an evolutionary/ incremental manner. Participants noted that the pandemic has opened a moment in time where consumer citizens, governments, retailers are aware of the fragility of the food supply chain so there is currently an opportunity to act with this awareness. They discussed that the Australian government is dependent on an export food supply chain, particularly for specific commodities such as fruit and vegetables (we import 10-20%). Thus, despite being presented as food secure, Australia is not ‘nutrition secure’ because we are dependent on imports to meet nutritional requirements. When considering types of imported foods, we should consider if the foods can be substituted for Australian-grown products and if dietary adequacy be fine without imports. We also need to consider repercussions if these foods were removed. Read less

Topic 3: How does/ can nutrition science integrate with other disciplines to inform food system transformation? (1,877/ 4200 characters) Participants discussed the reductive nature of much of nutrition science. For example, considering nutrients without the context of foods, and considering foods without the context of diets was considered to be reductive. Analysis of nutrients is much easier and can be used in clinical trials, but scientists need to consider the complex interactions with other food and dietary components. Life cycle assessments (an environmental measurement technique) are als... Read moreo very reductive – they often narrowly define the scope of study in environmental science. So, it is difficult to use these reductive nutrition and environmental techniques together because they have limited the scope for studies. The NOVA classification system (used for classifying foods into the level of processing) can be a bridge here – because if you look at it as a technical classification system, then it is reductive. But if you look at the categories, they’re already socialised (able to consider the social and political determinants of the system). The definition of these categories is looking at the PURPOSE of processing. The ultra-processed category, for example, is a type of food produced by the food industry – so it’s already socialised. It connects food and its broader components to other issues. Participants felt that science should no longer separate biological sciences from the social sciences, and that the NOVA classification would help. One group discussed concerns about science being misused. They discussed that processed foods are sometimes greenwashed, but it is better (healthier, more sustainable) to use foods in their raw form. For example, ‘Beyond Meat’ burgers have a higher environmental impact than legumes, and their impacts lie between red meat and pork. The participants felt that these temporary solutions may prevent the development of more holistic/ transformative systemic solutions. Read less

Topic 2: Food is more than the sum of nutrients and diets are more than the sum of the foods it contains. How can we capture a more holistic interpretation of nutrition science in the summit? Participants felt that the definition of nutrition science and having clear goals for food system transformation was important. Policy action is based on the goals and definitions of nutrition science. In order to make holistic and systemic changes we need to agree on a more holistic vision for nutrition science and food system transformation. We need to identify the people who have agency to come in and ... Read moreendorse definitions. There is a disconnect between food technology, agriculture and nutrition at universities and it is preventing us having a holistic vision for the future. Definitions and goals need to be owned by everyone, including the people themselves. Young people need buy-in because they are very motivated to improve the food system. When we use narrow definitions, it is easy to split people. In terms of nutrition science and nutrition-related food system goals, the idea of nourishment instead of nutrients may be more palatable. The first step here is to get people on the same page with concepts. Participants discussed that nutrition science originally looked at what is on a person’s plate, but we need to expand the scope of this science to encompass where food comes from including production and source. A person from a non-nutrition science background noted that the supply chain was crucial to finding a more holistic interpretation and bringing people together. They felt that from an agriculture perspective, people focus on the raw food product, but what happens in the supply chain after that is connected to bigger things. The more holistic interpretation of nutrition needs to acknowledge how the food supply chain impacts the processing of food. Some participants expressed concern about promoting plant-based diets, without consideration of land clearing, water consumption, soil depletion relating to agricultural production. A more holistic definition of nutrition science may be able to account for these environmental concerns. The influence of food culture on food systems also needs to be considered and incorporated in the definition of nutrition science. Read less

Topic 1: Public health nutrition science and principles are essential to underpin evidence-informed decision-making for transforming food systems to be healthy, equitable and sustainable by 2030. Integrating nutrition science & food systems Nutrition issues are relevant to dietary, socioeconomic, and ecological elements of the food system. Understanding the political and social context that created our present food system will help us make progress. A framework for transition, including a clear vision for food system transformation is vital. Nutrition scientists need to be aware of the imp... Read moreact of their work on the broader system. It is important that healthy and sustainable diets are not assumed to have ‘one size fits all’ solutions. Nutrition science is not being used to optimum effect to guide food system transformation because certain interests (e.g. big agriculture) trump nutrition & health narratives, particularly in countries like Australia which prioritise production of certain foods & exports. To overcome the barriers such as the “business as usual approach”, “policy inertia” and “resistance in government”, decision makers need to better manage those challenging changes (which mainly are coming from the ‘big food’ industry) and trade-offs. Some participants felt unable to make meaningful change at the policy level, because policies are heavily influenced by industry. Food policies which stem from a governing body, such as the UN, are able to unite governments to appropriately regulate industry and subsequently are essential for transformation. Integrating policy & practice There is a disconnect between conversations in practice and academia. E.g. in practice the focus is on promoting the consumption of healthy foods, but in academia there is a focus on reducing unhealthy foods. We need more conversations between people working in different sectors, and academics need to consider how to support practitioners. E.g. researchers should ask practitioners about problems & research questions. We need to bring together evidence and stories to promote change. Researchers need more funding to promote healthy foods, rather than focusing so much on reducing unhealthy foods. Definitions and evidence for policy The UN FSS needs to find a consensus on nutrition science definitions and what types of evidence are suitable to inform policy. There are strong concerns that if not done, important evidence may be continued to be pushed aside in policy making. An example of ensuring that definitions capture the right scope in policies was that nations should create National ‘Food System’ Policies rather than a National ‘Nutrition’ Policies. Another suggestion was to use the term ‘Ecological Nutrition’ rather than ‘Nutrition Science’. These types of definitions can lead to constructive dialogues and multi-sectorial collaboration. Evidence which informs food system transformation needs to be considered. Participants felt that the UN FSS appears to be approaching science from a western approach, which favours high-income countries. Science is only one form of knowledge, we also need to think about the broader principles e.g. ecology, human rights, inclusion. Additionally, the evidence hierarchy used in Australia prioritises research from clinical trials over other evidence, including traditional Indigenous knowledge. We need to consider who benefits from this e.g. dietary supplement manufacturers may benefit from clinical trials. Food systems research may benefit from removing the parts of the evidence hierarchy which are only relevant to clinical studies. This may foster the inclusion of environmental sustainability in dietary guideline development. We need to consider the level of granularity of research used as evidence for policy. E.g. foods and dietary patterns are more aligned with food system change, but we don’t want to reject evidence about specific nutrients. Nutrient approaches are also important e.g. when analysing nutrient content of traditional foods to promote biodiversity. We need alignment between policies focusing on nutrients, foods, and diets. We need integration of approaches, and to keep focusing on the big picture. Read less

This dialogue focused on the role of nutrition science in food system transformation. Participants felt that the food system presented challenges but also presented opportunities for meaningful change. However, sectors need to be aligned in their vision and understanding of the required changes. Leaders in food system change need to consider whether actions are adjustments, reformative or transformative. Five key recommendations came from the discussion groups. They are outlined below. 1. Develop a consistent understanding of terms and goals (e.g. food system; nutrition science; nutrition prin... Read moreciples, goals of food system transformation) and clearly articulate them. • Human rights should be the centre of all discussions and an equitable food system is the goal. • The shared vision of a food system needs to encompass health, equity and environmental sustainability. This vision should also acknowledge that radical transformation may not be comfortable, and not all will win. • All sectors of the food system need to understand the definitions and goals of food systems, and they need to be owned by everyone. Outcomes will suffer if there is not a shared vision. • A better vision is needed for Australian agriculture as we are currently not ‘nutrition secure’ (see topic 4, below). • Nutrition science should include foods, dietary patterns and be aligned with broader frameworks such as ecological nutrition, rather than just focusing on nutrient composition. 2. Consider the types of evidence used to inform policies and food system transformation • Policy actions that focus on nutrients, foods, and diets need to be aligned and considered within a much broader food system framework that includes ecology and sustainability. • The ‘hierarchy of evidence’ used in policy decisions to rank the types of evidence needs to be reconsidered. For example, remove parts of the hierarchy of evidence that are only relevant to clinical studies so that it is more relevant to food systems. We also need to think about who the current hierarchy benefits e.g. food industry may benefit from emphasis on clinical trials, which may not have benefits for public health. • Consider how we frame and assess evidence, and subsequently incorporate this into nutrition policies and guidelines needs to be further analysed. Approaches used need to be fit-for-purpose and enable the inclusion of sustainability messages and equity. • Nutrition policies need to be more closely aligned and embedded in other sectoral policies, e.g. agricultural policies. 3. Foster inclusion in food system debates and policies • Consider how the debates can shift to focus less on the global north. • Marginalized groups, farmers and primary producers deserve greater recognition at the policy table and global dialogues. • Practitioners and researchers need to communicate and work together more. • Evidence and stories from different sectors need to be combined to create change. • The nutrition discipline needs to encompass and be more informed by other sectors in the food system, e.g. agriculture. • Transformation in the food system is also political and social. Thus, food system transformation requires strong engagement from all sectors, including civil society and respectful inclusion of Indigenous knowledges. Similarly, nutrition science is multidisciplinary and in order to make change, nutrition scientists need to incorporate all of these elements. 4. Address power dynamics in the food system • Power and political determinants must become more prominent in discussions of addressing the food system. Very few events and reports are up-front about how the food system has evolved in the context of corporate power, and thus we fail to hold corporations accountable and truly address the harms associated with industrial food production. 5. Solutions must be systems-conscious • The food industry works in an integrated way, and so must be regulated in a globally coordinated fashion to protect health and the environment. • NOVA can be a helpful tool for us to regulate food industry because it encapsulates not just technical or reductionist components but is inherently conscious of social drivers and holistic dietary patterns. • Utilising multinational organisations to work with industry and utilising some of their power may be a way forward – so that governments and advocates for sustainability and health are better united. Including the voice of the consumer at the forefront may help. • Technical solutions could disincentivise the creation and implementation of more holistic/ transformative solutions. But pushing for transformative change may lead to silver bullet solutions, and transformative change is not necessarily how change happens in reality. Read less