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Indigenous Perspectives on Food Security and Food Systems Explained the significance of The Dish With One Spoon If everyone only took what they needed, humans could live more sustainably and co-exist/share resources with other organisms Indigenous Peoples viewed all organisms as equals Processed food is ruining the diet that our [Indigenous] ancestors provided us ~ Cat Criger (guest speaker) “Even nature is telling us that sugar should not be a part of our diet” ~ Cat Criger (guest speaker) “I find it's crazy that processed food manufacturers design processed food for them to not be fill... Read moreing or satiating” ~ Julianne Ho (participant) People further up north don’t have much access to fresh foods, so they rely on processed foods When they do receive fresh food, it is very expensive Prior to colonization there were completely healthy, sustainable food systems present and food was eaten in moderation and never wasted Spoke about the Buffalo slaughter committed by colonizers as part of the genocidal project in what is currently Canada and how that was such a harmful and absurd practice because it completely toppled an entire food system (intentionally) Read less

The Root Causes of Food Insecurity in Toronto & the Role Emergency Food Support Programs Play in Alleviating these Issues There are more emergency food programs in Canada than there are grocery stores/places to purchase food Poverty is the driver of food insecurity It is exacerbated due to housing insecurity, precarious jobs (gig economy), and the erosion of social assistance rates) 40% of food bank users have a post-secondary degree 41% of food bank users are single 8% are seniors (this number has tripled) Communities most impacted by COVID-19 mirror communities that are most impacted by ... Read morefood insecurity These communities often include Black people, Indigienous peoples, and people with disabilities Food banks are extremely reliant on private donations Numerous individuals typically only have $7 to spend on daily meals This makes it difficult to afford nutritious food, which would impact the health and wellbeing of individuals Also limits the selection (cannot purchase foods they like/want to eat) The Premier recently posted a tweet encouraging people to donate to food banks for Thanksgiving This is ironic when considering how their policies are in part responsible for the food security crisis Youth could donate to or volunteer at food banks, educate others on food insecurity, and continue caring about the issue Read less

There was major agreement on the role that wealth inequality had played in food accessibility. There were other miscellaneous discussions such as how the pandemic has affected food systems and about how the diversity of beliefs could impact/hinder us when finding solutions. We also talked about what youth could contribute to food systems. Individual actions we can take would be to 1) turn towards more whole plant-based diet, 2) plant food/pollinator-friendly gardens in our backyards, 3) educate our peers on food systems, 3) donate to and volunteer at food banks, 4) do any volunteering/work tha... Read moret helps relieve wealth inequality in our community Read less

We explored three different issues surrounding food systems: 1) animal agriculture and the global environmental impact (ecological impact on climate, land, biodiversity from animal agriculture and a recommendation towards shift to whole plants foods as staple foods). 2) Root causes of food insecurity in Toronto (wealth inequality → high housing prices, etc.) and the roles that emergency food programs play in alleviating those issues (as a necessary but band-aid solution) 3) Indigenous food systems (pre-colonial food systems and Indigenous philosophies around food and sustainability as a fram... Read moreework for understanding the challenges and potential solutions in our current food systems) Read less

Overall children were in agreement about the strengths and vulnerabilities of food systems, how to improve food sustainability, the issues that needed addressing, and the stakeholders that should be focused on. There were certainly different focal points. For example, some children focused on financial and educational support for farmers, while others focused on government legislation around food safety and food systems. But ultimately we see these as overlapping and supplementary, rather than divergent. To make food systems more sustainable and nutritious, a holistic approach will be needed i... Read morenvolving a broad range of different actors and interventions. Read less

At the end of the workshop, the children engaged in a whole-group plenary discussion, where we asked them the key messages they wanted to convey to the UN. Overall, children felt the UN was responsible for ensuring food security, environmental preservation and ensuring equality. This was tied to understanding people’s difficulties, with special consideration for places and groups that experience greater insecurity and marginalization. The UN was also seen as an entity responsible for collaborating globally to bring about social change. Four key themes emerged from our workshops: 1. Education... Read more: the UN should teach people about climate change, environmental protection, recycling, food systems; it should raise awareness of food inequality and show people the benefits of nutritious and sustainable practices, like eating seasonally “further promote socialization about climate change, the food systems, and the 2030 SDGs, so that the world community is more aware of the condition of the earth” 2. Inclusion: the UN should listen to young people, create offline (e.g. forums) and online (e.g. platforms) spaces for them to share their views, collaborate with them, and involve them as government intermediaries “I hope UN continues to invite youths from various countries to participate in every activity because youths are the future leaders of nations. Let youths learn how to protect the world” 3. Regulation: the UN should regulate food production, establishing laws to tackle global warming, keeping food producers accountable, auditing programs to ensure compliance, addressing plastic and deforestation, and controlling chemicals/pesticides “UN intervention to countries must be more aggressive. For example, an international Environmental Impact Analysis seems to need to be agreed. Auditing food producers must be conducted from upstream to downstream.” 4. Support: the UN should support sustainable food production, strengthening infrastructure, enhancing distribution, and implementing programs that make food more affordable and accessible, especially for those most impacted by food poverty and climate change (e.g. indigenous communities) “support access to nutritious foods for low-income and vulnerable population”, “defend the rights of indigenous people”, “strengthen the supply chain of foods” Read less

Experiences of Food Children pointed out that food is fundamental for obtaining energy and sustaining life. Food is a primary need for survival, a basic requirement for growth and health. However many children also linked food with joyfulness and happiness. Food was delicious and to be enjoyed, sometimes with family. These responses suggest that food for children is a mix of the material and the aspirational. Children focused on taste, health, and affordability when talking about foods they liked and conversely aspects like bitterness, smell, and unhealthiness when talking about foods they dis... Read moreliked. When asked about foods they would like to eat but couldn’t, children often focused on price; these desirable foods were simply too expensive. Availability was also an issue, with foods not available in local markets, and health effects (too much fat/sugar) also a factor. Some children could choose the food they ate, but some could not, whether due to seasonal availability, price, or parents overseeing cooking. In the Netherlands, it appears that overall children are able to exercise agency over what they eat. ‘Yes [I have a choice], but in consultation. Yes if I buy it myself’. Challenges to Food Systems One core activity in the consultations was food mapping. Children mapped a food system around them, visualizing how food moved from the farm to the plate. Overall children demonstrated a deep understanding of food production, especially when it was a local staple food or meal. Children then reflected on what the vulnerabilities or weak points in these systems were. The main vulnerability voiced by the children was poor availability of food. Poor availability was due to minimal stock in the markets, distance from the farming areas, and problems with food distribution. Access to food is also significantly affected by poverty and disruption to food production by season/natural disaster. Another predominant concern was the poor quality of food due to water pollution, use of artificial fertilisers, and unhygienic market conditions. These concerns highlight once again how interconnected food systems are, with economic (e.g. high food prices) and environmental (e.g. flooding, low crop yields) frequently overlapping. In the Netherlands, children were particularly concerned about food systems damaging the environment and the ethical treatment of animals. ‘Stricter laws on CO2 emission’. “No more battery chickens! [literally: ‘bloated chickens’, in Dutch ‘lofkippen’”. Strengthening Food Systems Children completed activities designed to provide concrete suggestions for change at different levels of society, from family to community, industry, and government. They also wrote a “postcard to the President,” outlining key changes that need to happen and how children could input into these shifts. Many children saw potential in empowering communities to grow their own produce and learn more about sustainability. Farms and farming also emerged as a frequent theme, with children suggesting it should be promoted as a vocation and supported with financial incentives and training. Proximity of both food production and food consumption, as mentioned above, was a key concern. In response, children stressed that farms and markets should be local and accessible, moving from ‘far away to being close’. Many of the childrens’ suggestions strongly link food security with food autonomy: import less, regulate more, and invest seriously in local farms and infrastructure, producing enough cheap, nutritious food for all. Children in the Netherlands highlighted that it is important to make healthier food more affordable overall, and expressed concerns about the environment, such as CO2 production, which need to be addressed to strengthen food systems. ‘Make healthy food cheaper than unhealthy food and make it affordable for everyone’. Read less

The workshop-based dialogues explored children’s and adolescents’ perceptions and lived experiences of their food systems, focusing on the issues of food poverty and climate change. Each country participating in the workshop-based dialogues conducted a minimum of two workshops with different participants; one workshop focused on food poverty and the other on climate change, enabling deep exploration of topics in the time available. Naturally, these topics and their discussions cut across all five Action Tracks. Workshop-based dialogues explored children’s perceptions of food poverty and ... Read moreclimate change through the following activities: Activity 1: This activity aims to surface what children think about food and what food means to them, this activity explores What children find appealing about food and what their aspirations are around eating to help inform aspects of food choice within their own food environments and systems. Children create a ‘food cloud’ by writing or typing foods they like and dislike. Activities 2 & 3: To explore their food systems, children drew a map of how food arrives on their plate, marking where their food is grown, how it is transported, and where it is bought and consumed. They then map the constraints in their food systems, as they relate to food poverty and climate change, and propose solutions to these constraints. Activity 4: This activity explores how children want to engage with these issues. Children were asked to explore what different people can do to help make sure that the foods we eat don’t negatively impact the environment. Using a series of different levels of circles from individual through to community and national levels of governance what actions can be taken in their food systems to create positive change? Activity 5: This activity generates children’s calls to action to address the impacts of food poverty and climate change on their food systems. Children write a leader to their leaders, outlining their call for change. Workshops concluded with a plenary discussion to draw our key insights. These workshops enabled children to contribute their insights and perspectives to the ongoing debates across all action tracks. They discussed challenges and proposed how to enhance their access to safe nutritious foods. They identified barriers to sustainable consumption patterns in their communities and suggested ways to shift behaviors. They identified that young people have a vital role to play in boosting positive production which, in turn, will contribute to more equitable livelihoods. And they called on governments to take concrete action to support vulnerable communities and to build the resilience and a brighter future for all children and adolescents around the world. Read less

Participants had the perception that investment firms look solely into the profit-and-loss of the company. In fact, the company’s sustainability plan is an important factor that is considered, even though these plans may be realized in five to ten years’ time. This meant that more companies should include sustainability in their growth strategy and as consumers, we can promote sustainability by supporting products that are from sustainable sources. As much as we understand the importance of consuming nutritious food, they are often pricier than other less-healthier alternatives. Companies ... Read moreare challenged by the need to lower the barrier to purchase and the need to make these products easily accessible. Read less

Resilience in food supply chain: COVID revealed the vulnerability of our food systems and the potential disruptions that are currently out of our control. Supply chain management can play a crucial role to reduce wastage that may be a result of miscalculation of demand, disruption of logistic, etc. However, we need a superior supply chain system that can make prediction of different scenarios and makes the best decision to ensure a steady stream of food supply at different times of the year. Hence, companies such as manufacturers need to embrace machine learning and adopt AI to make this possi... Read moreble. However, this often involves Technology, Teamwork, Talent and Capital. Read less

Positive nutrition: With the increasing trend of healthy living, food manufacturers are also looking into offering healthier products. However, new innovations are often bounded by the lack of consumer demand and infancy of technology. Time and effort are required to educate consumers on the benefits of the innovation and the product must be easily accessible. Government can support sustainability by offering grants, subsidy or even tax-relief to companies so that these food products are affordable to the public.

Food waste: While millions are living in hunger, food wastage continue to rise. Panelists agreed that food waste is a pressing issue and stakeholders in the value chain has a role to play to make the change. Not-for-profit organizations are making the change by converting edible food waste into meals, to reduce the starvation rate in the country. Food manufacturers can potentially collaborate with these organizations to bring nutritious food to the table of the less fortunate. In addition, food manufacturers require good communication strategy to educate consumers on how individual can play a ... Read morerole to protect the environment. At the same time, food manufacturers have to set the strict requirements for both the upstream and downstream channels to reduce food wastages. Read less

The future of food supply chain requires the availability of real-time data across the entire supply chain, from end-to-end. Real-time data must be provided in a way where stakeholders can easily understand and act. In addition, food supply chain requires the ability to predict demand based on both the historical data and taking the current situation into consideration. With the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology and machine learning, this can be made possible. A resilient food supply chain would also require the technology to predict and react to unforeseen circumstances. Majorit... Read morey of the food waste from manufacturers comes from the innovation process and the seasonal products, which have a shorter shelf life. Panelist also shared that consumers wants to know they can help to contribute to the environment and this plays a role in their decision making process. Along with trust and transparency, both internally and externally, this can help to strengthen our food systems. Collaboration can make a significant impact in addressing several aspects of the food systems. For instance, to ensure that the up and coming nutritious food such as plant-based protein are accessible for all (Track Action 1 and 2), including the less well-to-do, food manufacturers will need to increase their scale to lower the production cost. Collaboration comes into play to increase demand for the product. For instance, organizations can collaborate with well-known chains to promote the benefits of consuming the product. Meanwhile, individuals can also be an advocate by spreading a word-of-mouth. When the consumers replace their diets with these nutritious food, it increases individual’s nutrition intake while reducing the agricultural and environmental impact to the planet. This goes beyond the short-term goal of turnover but its educates consumers and achieving the long-term goal of sustainability. Firms with sustainable plans are highly sought after by investors. Adopting a sustainability initiative as part of the strategic plans helps to better respond to the consumers’ need, builds a purpose to the brand and attracts talents for long-term growth. Read less

The focus of the dialogue is to explore the most urgent topic in our region (Singapore and Malaysia) and how the different Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are intertwined. More than 4,000 tons of food waste in Malaysia are disposed daily but in fact, are edible. This has an impact to the environment as agriculture land were used to produce the food items and the production of methane from food waste is harmful to the eco-system. Landfills are also taken up by food waste. Panelists also discussed on how different stakeholders such as food manufacturers and the supply chain can make an impa... Read morect to the Food System. Food manufacturers is placing a high emphasis on innovating nutritious products to the consumers while minimizing its environmental impact. Our food supply chain is vulnerable, especially highlighted during the pandemic, where the supply of food becomes uncertain. The discussion intends to find out how organizations can work together to build a resilient logistic system that matches the demand and supply of food at different times of the year. Read less

Several issues that were not covered in the discussions and need to be explored further are: • Food loss: promoting innovation and utilizing technology, program and policy to address the issue • Access to food for people with disabilities: how to ensure access to healthy food for this group • Enabling policy, environment regulation and incentive for start-ups and SMEs providing local, fair, healthy and sustainable food • Financing and investment for a healthy, equitable and sustainable food system • How to scale up best practices.

Maluku and Papua Maluku and Papua's local food systems are traditionally propped up by non-rice commodities. Sago and tubers, which naturally grow in the forest, are the main sources of carbohydrate apart from bananas. For some of the people living in this region, the forest serves as a “supermarket”, where they also catch animals as sources of protein. Maluku is an area that is rich in fish resources as a main source of protein. However, resources extraction, especially by large-scale fishing industries, has caused damage. Even with the rich biodiversity and local food in this region, inc... Read morereasing rice consumption is also seen in this region, contributed by government rice subsidy for poor households (‘Raskin’). In addition, lack of infrastructure and logistics has made local food prices more expensive. Low demand for local food has demotivated farmers to grow such crops. The shift in consumption patterns due to low food literacy has caused nutritional and health problems in the region, especially among children. The participants believed that support and political will from the government are key to mainstreaming local food through policies as well as promoting innovation by considering social and cultural aspects of the local people Read less

Sulawesi Sulawesi is the largest island in the Wallacea Zone that houses the greatest land and marine biodiversity in Indonesia. However, similar with other regions, rice consumption has been increasing for source of carbohydrate instead of their local food. Awareness on the importance of consuming diverse and nutritious food is also very low. To lessen people’s dependence on rice, the participants suggested the "2 days no rice" program, in which rice is substituted by local food (sago, taro, cassava, sweet potato, banana). Policies for the protection of local food production zones (land and... Read more coastal) are also needed to prevent further conversion for various purposes. Decreased quality of agricultural lands due to the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides as well as the use of various hybrid seeds was also mentioned by the participants as a contributing factor on the production side. Read less

Nusa Tenggara With its unique ecosystem and climate, Nusa Tenggara has a wide range of local food sources from beans and corn to different cereals (sorghum, barley and barley). However, the participants mentioned that climate change has led to more extreme droughts, changing rain patterns and more intense pest and disease problems, which ultimately has caused a decrease in production. The shift in farming practice, such as the use of hybrid seeds, is threatening local seeds with extinction. In addition, the use of government-provided chemical fertilizers and pesticides has slowly eroded the co... Read moremmunity’s organic farming practices. The conversion of agricultural land and mangrove areas was also mentioned as one of the factors disrupting the ecosystem. As in other regions, the younger generation in Nusa Tenggara is no longer interested in agriculture due to the lack of economic incentives. Consumption of rice is also increasing among the people in the region. They also prefer instant food since it is considered more practical and cheaper compared to local food. It is ironic that an area with such high biodiversity and fisheries potential is still dealing with malnutrition, stunting and child mortality due to the lack of food literacy. Producers tend to sell their high-quality food products to buy rice or instant food. The participants agreed that food literacy should be prioritized by involving informal and religious leaders using cultural approach. Read less

Kalimantan Land conversion was highlighted as one of the main issues that have transformed the social landscape of the community. Farmers have been forced to take jobs as mining workers as big companies monopolize the lands. Women slowly lose their roles in the food system due to reduced access to natural resources, especially land. In North Kalimantan, dryland and organic farming practices that are part of the local wisdom are supported and regulated by the local government, but acknowledgment and support remain lacking, particularly from the national government. According to the participants... Read more, a few key elements needed to support the production side are farmer organizations strengthening, added value generation for local foods and increased market access. On the consumption side, the biggest concern of the participants was the shift toward instant food and fast food, particularly among the younger generation. Therefore, massive campaigns and movements to promote local food are key to improve food sovereignty in the region Read less

Sumatra The main issue being discussed in the region is massive conversion of agricultural lands into oil palm plantations and mining areas, which threaten the food system. The participants recommended for government policies not only to focus on certain commodities (rice, corn, soya bean), but to also consider the local potential. The Riau Province in Sumatra is known as one of the biggest sago producers on peatlands. However, low demand for the product has made it difficult for the producers to market their products, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Ironically, the local community, i... Read morencluding the producers, does not consume sago as their staple food. Rice remains their main source of carbohydrate as it is subsidized by the government through community food assistance. The participants also pointed out that ecological farming models need to be strengthened and a strong regulatory framework and campaign is needed to promote the shift to local food (sago). Read less