Explore Official Dialogue Feedback

Member State Dialogues: 490 Intergovernmental Dialogues: 6 Independent Dialogues: 674 Global Summit Dialogues: 10

This page allows anyone to explore responses from Dialogue Convenors to section 4 of the Food Systems Summit Dialogues Official Feedback Form. Section 4 is organised into 4 sub-sections that allow Convenors to detail the “Major Focus” of their Dialogue as well as the outcomes including the “Main findings”, “Outcomes for each Discussion Topic” and “Areas of Divergence”. Anyone can use this information to develop their own synthesis of Dialogue Feedback. For this reason, results can also be filtered by Action Track or keyword. Syntheses of Official Feedback must respect the Food Systems Summit Principles of Engagement and used in the context of the Dialogue that took place.

For researchers and advanced synthesis, an XML export is available here (last updated ).

Independent Dialogue

The role of nutrition science in transforming to healthy and sustainable food systems

Geographical focus: Australia

Major focus

The focus of the dialogue was to explore the role of nutrition science in transforming food systems for health, equity and environmental sustainability. The rationale to this focus was that there are many technical and conceptual challenges in understanding how dietary patterns and foods are associated with health, equity and environmental sustainability. These challenges are exacerbated by the existence of competing worldviews about using evidence to inform food and nutrition policy activities. We sought to examine the role of nutrition science to contribute to global food system transformati... Read moreon in the context of the challenges and competing worldviews. This dialogue engaged Australian experts and leaders in nutrition science and policy as well as collaborators with expertise beyond nutrition science. This dialogue is of importance because the ‘game changing solutions’ proposed as part of the UN Food Systems Summit need to be transformative to create a food system that is healthy, sustainable and equitable. Adjustments proposed to date, such as reformulation or food labelling schemes, will be insufficient to make the necessary changes to transform the food system, and have limited opportunity to address food system outcomes beyond nutrition. Actions proposed as part of the summit process also need to be evidence-based. Thus, this dialogue was focused on how nutrition science can be leveraged to address systemic issues and transform the food system. Read less

Action Track(s): 1, 2

Keywords: Data & Evidence, Environment and Climate, Governance, Human rights, Innovation, Policy, Trade-offs

Bahamas - Stage 1

Food Safety for Improved Health and Consumption

Area of divergence

There were no areas of divergence regarding the food safety of the country. Participants are all in agreement that there is a lot of work to be done to ensure safe and nutritious foods to all. The most urgent need is defining a regulatory management system that can diligently work towards the enforcement of food safety policies.

Action Track(s): 1

Keywords: Governance

Bahamas - Stage 1

Food Safety for Improved Health and Consumption

Discussion topic outcome

Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation Challenge (i): There is a lack of human resources such as food inspectors – trained persons who can conduct safety checks throughout the supply chain Solution: -The Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Environmental Health, and Ministry of Health and other key agencies conduct food safety training to ensure that all persons in the food system receive the same level of training. -Digitalize the regulatory system for ease of use, efficiency and accessibility by all stakeholders (ie authorities, food inspectors, food retailers/wholesalers and transport agen... Read morecies) to ensure knowledge is widely disseminated for compliance Challenge (ii): Animal slaughter is unregulated in the rural (Family) Islands, it is unclear what sanitation and slaughter process are being carried out, and how the animals are being transported. Solution: -Food safety training which can be linked to the farm registration to ensure farmers are trained. -Certified facilities for meat products can be established by farmers cooperatives/associations, with support of governing authorities, to ensure good food safety practices are being implemented Challenge (iii): Unmonitored use of unsafe pesticides and chemicals in local fresh and value-added agri-food production Solution: -Develop an extensions services unit that is dedicated to policing the use of unsafe pesticides and chemicals; ensure regular visits to farm, farm stores and agro-processing facilities -Make available continuous training on good agricultural practices for the safe use of agro-chemicals and pesticides Read less

Action Track(s): 1

Keywords: Finance, Governance, Policy

Bahamas - Stage 1

Food Safety for Improved Health and Consumption

Discussion topic outcome

Importance of Food Testing and Laboratory services Challenge (i): Lack of diagnostic capacity to test foods - insufficient facilities, supplies for testing, limited equipment and testing capabilities. Solution: -Increase investment in the development of additional food laboratories in the most populated islands -Increase investment in equipment and facilities of testing labs -Increase the cost of testing to supplement the maintenance of equipment and procurement of testing supplies -Encourage the private sector to partner with the government to provide food testing in private laboratories Chal... Read morelenge (ii): Lack of enforcement of policies such as food labelling; some labels of imported foods are not in English and there is the concern on the safety of foods labelled “export only” Solution: -Increase food inspections to prevent labelling fraud -Generate public awareness on ‘how to understand food labels’ and recognize any labeling fraud -Local consumer responsibility can be encouraged where consumers take photos and report on incorrect food labels -Outline specific food labeling policies required by exporters to permit imported foods to further verify the safe consumption of foods. Challenge (iii): Food testing of local fresh and value-add agri-foods production Solution: -Require that all agri-foods must be tested and certified by a food testing laboratory before entering the domestic market -Encourage food associations and/or cooperatives to acquire food testing equipment/facilities to ensure quality local agri-foods are being provided to the markets Read less

Action Track(s): 1, 3

Keywords: Data & Evidence, Finance, Governance, Policy

Bahamas - Stage 1

Food Safety for Improved Health and Consumption

Discussion topic outcome

Food storage and transportation’s impact on health Challenge (i): Undetermined governmental regulatory system to enforce and monitor food transport and storage Solution: -At ministerial level, laws should be synchronized amongst various agencies to ensure the joint engagement for enforcement -Best practices from regional and international countries are adapted to formulate an effective regulatory management system, specific to the needs of The Bahamas -Food retailers/wholesalers and transport agencies are made aware of the regulatory system and trained on the proper standard operating proced... Read moreures for adhering to the policies Challenge (ii): Unregulated food storage and transport, especially from and to rural (Family) islands Solution: -Increase inspections of vessels responsible for food transport to ensure that their facilities and standard operating procedures (ie. maintained proper cooling systems) are implemented for safe storage and delivery of food; impose a fine or penalty for not adhering to regulations -Increase inspections of food retailers/wholesalers facilities for safe food storage; impose a fine or penalty for not adhering to regulations -Food stores and food transport agents need to ensure that proper facilities are made available for storage to reduce food waste Challenge (iii): Lack of public awareness- persons are not aware of the resources available on proper food safety handling Solution: -Education is key, but it needs national support - not from a political party -There should be food safety guidelines set for food wholesalers/retailers to follow when importing foods to ensure that imported foods are safe for public consumption -More stringent requirements should be placed on the exporter to ensure that the product being exported is safe. As the importing country, we have to hold exporters accountable to distributing safe foods and prevent labeling fraud. -Consumers need to be made aware of the linkages between unsafe foods and personal health to understand the importance of safe food storage and transport; link food safety in transport and storage to health and disease prevention. More food safety information sessions are needed throughout the islands; this can be done through social media, digital text notifications, pamphlets, posters and televised public service announcements. Challenge (iv): Data collection required to capture information on food transported inter-islands and how they are being stored Solution: -Data is collected for food imported into the country but not transported throughout the islands. Food inspectors can be assigned to each island to document food transport and storage. -Food transport vessels should be held accountable to record and report food transport to various islands; they should be able to also produce this information to food inspectors. -Data on food waste due to inadequate food transport, storage or expiring should also be recorded by food inspectors Read less

Action Track(s): 1

Keywords: Data & Evidence, Governance, Innovation, Policy

Bahamas - Stage 1

Food Safety for Improved Health and Consumption

Main findings

Unregulated food storage and transport throughout the country Proper food transport and storage enhances food safety, helps maintain nutritive value of foods and reduce waste. The country’s regulatory system of enforcing and monitoring safe food storage and transport is inadequate. There are few laws and regulations that address this issue but they are governed by various governmental agencies. There is no one specific authority body that has full responsibility over food storage and transport therefore information on how this regulatory system is being monitored and evaluated is disjointed ... Read moreand undefined. A systematic approach involving all key stakeholders is required for an efficient regulatory management system. Need for additional food safety testing laboratories There is only one food testing laboratory in the country. This lab consists of a microbiology lab and a chemistry lab that receives samples from the general public. The current role is food testing for salmonella, coliforms, E.coli, staph aureus, listeria, etc. and providing reliable results. Challenges relate to accessing supplies needed for testing; maintenance of equipment; limited equipment and testing capabilities. Considering that there is only one facility in the country, there is a delay in providing results. Additionally, often agri-foods that may require testing enter the markets without being tested.There is also the need for more testing of locally produced agri-foods as opposed to only testing imported foods and food for export ( mostly fisheries products). Implementation of food safety regulations There is a need to enforce grades and standards, which implies training and technology transfer, and improvement of short- term storage facilities to ensure that the quality and safety of the agri-food product is maintained. This will require additional food inspectors and enforcement throughout the food supply chain. Public awareness of the importance of safe foods on personal health must be generated. As persons become more aware of the linkage between one’s health and safe food storage and transport, they will be more inclined to hold authorities accountable to enforcing an efficient regulatory system. A national food safety system requires the involvement of both public and private stakeholders. Read less

Action Track(s): 1

Keywords: Data & Evidence, Governance, Policy

Bahamas - Stage 1

Food Safety for Improved Health and Consumption

Major focus

Topic: Food Safety for improved health and consumption. Description: Food Safety plays a critical role in the food systems; the ramifications of the cost of unsafe food extends beyond human health issues. Contaminated food hampers socioeconomic development, overloads healthcare systems, and compromises economic growth and trade. From food production to food consumption - food safety is a shared responsibility. This Dialogue will examine the importance of food safety in the food systems for improved health. The objective of discussions was to identify transformative ways to ensure that safe and... Read more healthy foods are produced, imported, and consumed in our communities. Participants was divided into 3 breakout discussion groups to discuss the following topics: 1.Food storage and transportation’s impact on health 2.Importance of Food Testing and Laboratory services 3.Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation Read less

Action Track(s): 1

Keywords: Environment and Climate, Governance, Policy

Global Dialogue

Food from the ocean, rivers and lakes – essential for our food systems

Geographical focus: No borders

Area of divergence

There were some divergences during the break-out groups. These included: • The extent to which changing consumer behaviour would help in forcing the necessary changes in aquatic food systems, and food systems more broadly when it comes to food loss and waste. Some felt consumer behaviour would prove powerful, others felt that regulations and incentives would prove more successful. The conclusion reached was that all three approaches would be needed to reduce food loss and waste. • Whether small scale actors should join forces with bigger companies to scale their production and get their pr... Read moreoducts to market or whether small scale producers would receive better food security and livelihood outcomes from organizing amongst themselves in cooperatives with institutional support. • The extent to which aquaculture can help improve nutrition globally was questioned, with some feeling that developing sustainable aquaculture practices will help remove pressure from both aquatic and terrestrial food systems, while others are skeptical about its role in helping nutrition in low income countries, particularly given lack of finance for technology etc that helps improve sustainability. Read less

Action Track(s): 1, 2, 3, 4

Keywords: Environment and Climate, Finance, Trade-offs

Global Dialogue

Food from the ocean, rivers and lakes – essential for our food systems

Geographical focus: No borders

Discussion topic outcome

Group 10: Managing fisheries for climate change – reducing emissions and enabling adaptation (climate-resilient fisheries) Discussion framing statement: By 2030, aquaculture and wild caught fisheries are managed to minimize GHG emissions and maximize resilience in the face of impacts of climate change. Natural resources from rivers, lakes and the sea must be protected by considering the entire habitats and including human activities. For the goals to be achieved a management system needs to be in place. For the management system to work it needs to be science based (including traditional kno... Read morewledge), collect data that can be processed and modelled for foresight to be used in decision making. Both the most important stocks and the habitat need to be conserved using an ecosystem approach integrated into the management system. Policy and decision making needs to be inclusive and democratic. It needs to take account of equity and rights, including the right to food and nutrition as well as gender issues and the interests of youth and marginal groups. New technologies and management is important but new management methods and technologies need to be introduced on a time horizon commensurate with the speed of environmental change. There will be tensions and trade-offs such as between local food production and production for foreign currency earning and ways of production. However, loss and waste need to be reduced, utilization of unused and invasive species needs to be considered in an innovative way and aquaculture, particularly homestead, may be considered as solutions. These trade-offs and solutions need to be managed in the interest of the community as a whole. Taking into account the right to food and the right of the coastal communities. External actors can and are needed for support with resources for investment but particularly for data generation and policy advice but also with convening power. Support should be long term, secure and inclusive. The outcome should be that more blue aquatic food should be accessible for the most vulnerable and livelihoods of vulnerable communities are strengthened. Read less

Action Track(s): 1, 3, 4, 5

Keywords: Data & Evidence, Environment and Climate, Finance, Governance, Policy, Trade-offs, Women & Youth Empowerment

Global Dialogue

Food from the ocean, rivers and lakes – essential for our food systems

Geographical focus: No borders

Discussion topic outcome

Group 9: Managing fisheries for climate change – reducing emissions and enabling adaptation (climate-resilient fisheries) Discussion framing statement: By 2030, aquaculture and wild caught fisheries are managed to minimize GHG emissions and maximize resilience in the face of impacts of climate change. The panellists agreed that the 10-year timeline delineated in the framing statement was unlikely if not impossible to follow. However, they discussed some opportunities for adaptation and mitigations that could be implemented even if the 2030 deadline is not met: • Moving to an electrified fl... Read moreeet • Providing and/or changing infrastructure • Expand the number of small-scale fisheries • Implementing safety and security standards at sea using coastguards • Hosting more workshops/ expanding understanding of adapted fisheries management in response to climate change • Climate proofing new innovations into mitigation or resilience so that you are not working with soft science • Technical innovations, in terms of engines and improving the gears to make them more fuel efficient Improving management of fisheries was described as “the cornerstone of improving the GHG emissions in wild caught fisheries.” In many regions where countries shared waters, their management plans are completely different, which has led to lack of coordination at a regional level. More cooperation forums between different nations are needed, as is a shift to the regional management of fisheries, so that stocks are jointly managed and rather than governments trying to make the best use of the catch individually. Fisheries management was also discussed in terms of ensuring equity and climate change adaptation. From a broader socioeconomic perspective, this means thinking about individual harvesters who operate their own vessels, and whose livelihoods depend on the vessel. Instead of rationalizing the vessels, we must think about how to green the vessels. In terms of climate change adaptation, this means understanding trends that are occurring in ocean conditions and how they affect fish stocks, but also understanding how the ocean’s carbon storing function can be maintained to benefit the ocean and its marine ecosystems’ health. This is where the mitigation efforts such as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) play an increasingly important role. Another topic of discussion was food loss since 8% of GHG emissions come from seafood loss. This led to a debate on consumer power, although there was disagreement on the extent to which consumers had real power to transform the sustainability of the fishing industry. They did point to increasing consumer awareness on specific issues in the fishing sector and consumers understanding of their role in changing or influencing the larger food system. Opinions differed as to whether changing consumer behaviour would create the necessary change in the system, particularly since sustainably sourced products tend to have a higher price point, often people putting off. But others believed that more money and politicians getting involved in changing consumer behaviour would help. A combination of promoting a product that is sustainably sourced with low climate impact while at the same time implementing regulations and a global standard for what a country can import was suggested. This also means tackling fishing subsidies for large vessels and focusing instead on subsidizing just green or sustainable fisheries. The importance of equity and socioeconomic solutions to the problems in the fishing sector was frequently raised - in terms of the relationship between how seafood is viewed in a country, as a luxury or a necessity, and the management of the fisheries sector. The importance of looking at the equity of a solution when thinking about any adaptation or mitigation efforts to climate change was highlighted as key. The effects of climate change will not be felt equally around the world - the small island states (or large ocean states) who rely on the fishing sector for work and livelihoods will unfortunately bear a lot of the burden. A solution without taking into consideration larger equity problems cannot be a solution we pick Read less

Action Track(s): 2, 3, 4, 5

Keywords: Environment and Climate, Finance, Governance, Innovation, Policy, Trade-offs

Global Dialogue

Food from the ocean, rivers and lakes – essential for our food systems

Geographical focus: No borders

Discussion topic outcome

Group 8: Connecting land and ocean-based food systems for food security, environment and climate gains Discussion framing statement: By 2030, land-based agricultural systems will be designed and managed to maximize production while minimizing impact on the land, climate, and waters (e.g. minimizing nutrient and pollution run-off and erosion and use of unsustainable fish meal as feed). Key Messages: • Innovation is required: looking for new ways to do aquaculture to increase production with minimal degradation and waste. For example, is there any way to innovate on fish feed? Can feed be prod... Read moreuced from waste? • Encouraging greater biodiversity and ecosystem restoration/rehabilitation are vital o Using mangroves to capture carbon; selling the carbon to the external market instead of selling the tree o Using seagrass to conserve and rehabilitate • Must be mindful of downstream effects and the linkages between all parts of food systems o We need to become much better at talking very explicitly about the links between oceans and climate—for example, the effects of agriculture run off impacting aquatic ecosystems and food o It is important to reduce pollution from mining; with shared bodies of water, mining pollution flows across borders and into shared water supplies. • We need to expand consumer’s palates and cultural preferences to include a broader diversity of aquatic foods o Do we have food safety regulations put in place for new types of aquatic foods that aren’t conventionally eaten? o How to get more young people to eat aquatic foods? • Important to have policies to support small-scale fisheries, women, and youth • Implementation of new practices is often the biggest challenge. o In Africa, the implementation of changes has been a challenge o What existing instruments could the FSS help implement? o Important to not create another new system, but work within what already exists o There is often a lack of education and awareness. • There are ‘more than triple wins” that we can commit to; we need to look at multi-stakeholder engagement; conservation, rehabilitation, consumption, nutrition Read less

Action Track(s): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Keywords: Environment and Climate, Innovation, Policy, Trade-offs, Women & Youth Empowerment

Global Dialogue

Food from the ocean, rivers and lakes – essential for our food systems

Geographical focus: No borders

Discussion topic outcome

Group 7: Connecting land and ocean-based food systems for food security, environment and climate gains Discussion framing statement: By 2030, land-based agricultural systems will be designed and managed to maximize production while minimizing impact on the land, climate, and waters (e.g. minimizing nutrient and pollution run-off and erosion and use of unsustainable fish meal as feed). There was much diversity between the different nations and regions represented by the participants in this discussion. Some countries were more agriculture focused, some more fish focused. There was consensus tha... Read moret there are many issues related both to land-based and water-based agriculture that impact oceans and other bodies of water. For example, using sea products to feed animals on land is affecting both ocean ecosystems and local food security. We discussed a wide array of people who need to be involved in changing both land and water-based food systems including governments, private sector and local communities. In order to transform these systems we need to focus on capacity building, notably for government staff to create conditions to get everyone to the table to make local decisions. We discussed the need for integrated approaches across watersheds and the need to break down silos. The way we structure ourselves works against integration. We also focused a lot on the need to empower women, youth, and other local stakeholders. Read less

Action Track(s): 1, 3, 4, 5

Keywords: Governance, Trade-offs, Women & Youth Empowerment

Global Dialogue

Food from the ocean, rivers and lakes – essential for our food systems

Geographical focus: No borders

Discussion topic outcome

Group 6: Promoting investment in aquatic and “ocean-smart” land-based food systems Discussion framing statement: By 2030, public and private investments in land- and water-based food systems will be climate and ocean “smart”, ensuring the rights of small-scale producers and minimizing impacts on land and water ecosystems. The themes discussed included the fact that foods from the ocean are not getting the same government attention within ministries and regulations as terrestrial food and this can be contributing to lack of investment and governance. Changing consumption was also discus... Read moresed, looking at historical change in places like Japan and what we need to envision moving forward in the future. How we directly start to invest in those diets in the future is important. Investing in infrastructure is also needed to minimize waste. If we are looking to the ocean to produce protein, how do we minimize negative impacts and what type of planning, policy and reform should be pushed for? Science needs to be rooted in the planning. The push for women within the sector is also important. The importance of storytelling in influencing food pattern consumptions and driving investment was also discussed. We need to get the story right: blue food is nutritious and it employs women. The story is not getting the attention it deserves. We need policy and governance that supports this. We need to focus on science-based research to develop planning and ultimately lead to sustainable policy. We need to invest in technology. Read less

Action Track(s): 1, 2, 3

Keywords: Data & Evidence, Environment and Climate, Finance, Governance, Policy, Women & Youth Empowerment

Global Dialogue

Food from the ocean, rivers and lakes – essential for our food systems

Geographical focus: No borders

Discussion topic outcome

Group 5: Promoting investment in aquatic and “ocean-smart” land-based food systems Discussion framing statement: By 2030, public and private investments in land- and water-based food systems will be climate and ocean “smart”, ensuring the rights of small-scale producers and minimizing impacts on land and water ecosystems. In summary, the group discussion provided three bottom line messages: 1. Increasing blue food consumption is vital. Our attention must be channeled towards the water systems. This will reduce the pressure on terrestrial production systems. 2. Aquatic and “ocean-smar... Read moret” land-based food production systems have a great regenerative opportunity integrated with natural ecosystems. 3. Policy and capital flow to big scale production does not always produce the value we want. We need to focus more and channel capital to small-scale producers. Blended finance is key. There is an issue of capital not reaching the small-scale-producers. There is private capital available, but it is difficult for investors to find investment ready projects they can support. Many investors are looking for high returns. There are opportunities around blended finance. It is important to work on both sides. Restructure investors to reach the projects, but also work on the small-scale-fishers side. The small projects often need to be aggregated. We also need more data and evidence of the importance of small-scale-fishers in the system. The role of the government is important to enable investments in small-scale producers. The EU-taxonomy will also cover fisheries and fish farms. This is where governments set clear policies on how to invest. If we want the money to go to the right places, government, not only private sector needs to be involved. For financing to be attractive, policies that provide trust and risk reduction is needed. These policies need to be informed through research and data. Further, they need to take several aspects into account (environmental, but also social and economic). Local stakeholders, especially small-scale producers must be heard when policies are developed. How can we feed this into the Food Systems Summit? • We must pay attention to small-scale producers and how to invest in them. Politics are volatile in many countries, which makes this difficult. The Philippines serves as a good example on management of aquatic resources and protection of small-scale producers. • There is a lack of recognition of the contribution of fisheries. Particularly the contribution of small-scale producers to the economies. This must change and investments must be promoted. The contribution is financial as well as positive for climate resilience. • There must be an integration between the wet and the dry. Oceans are driving weather systems, affecting the dry systems and therefore ecosystem goods and services. • Land is often the topic during discussions. But we need more focus on aquatic systems and to ensure that access to finance is equitable. Recognize the need of developing countries and SIDS. Public sector finance will help unlock private sector finance. There should not be a fight between agriculture and the ocean – it is connected. • Too much of the finance goes to big players. We need to shift the policy and investment focus to look at small-scale producers. The solution is not either/or, but blended. • We must create an enabling environment. • Blue food is essential for domestic food security, as well as an important trade commodity. • Small-scale production must complement the large. We cannot take for granted that the potential of the small-scale production will be realized. • Let’s learn from where the agriculture went wrong. • Many fishers are driven from their land due to large-scale production. Can’t drive people further. • We need clear policy attention on both aquatic and terrestrial or we will fail to meet SDG2. • Regenerative production systems are a big area of growth. Seaweed is the fastest growing plant on the planet. • It is important to not only focus on the ocean, but also on rivers and lakes. • Blue food broadly speaking - it affects a majority of the SDGs (10 out of the 17) Read less

Action Track(s): 1, 3, 4, 5

Keywords: Data & Evidence, Environment and Climate, Finance, Innovation, Policy, Trade-offs

Global Dialogue

Food from the ocean, rivers and lakes – essential for our food systems

Geographical focus: No borders

Discussion topic outcome

Group 4: Supporting and protecting small-scale and subsistence producers of food from the ocean, rivers and lakes Discussion framing statement same as Group 3. To ensure smallholders within the value chain are positioned more centrally in decision-making processes there is a need to understand how to enable these small-scale representatives and producers voices while also shifting the decision-making process to a system that will work within the existing local context. Often times, decisions in the value-chain are centered on the asks of those who hold power. To ensure this shift happens, ther... Read moree needs to be engagement in a diverse set of voices throughout the process. This will require capacity development and training as well as a breakdown of existing barriers such as power differentials. Decision-makers should recognize the value that small-scale fishers and aquaculture provide for a local community and beyond. An option which has been seen within the irrigation sector has been governments devolving power down to small-scale holders so then the decision-making is out of their hands. Although there are problems with this approach, it can be a start to empower local groups, recognising that this approach would also need capacity building as well as infrastructure to support. NGO’s have been successful at this level of organisation and can be important levers to make strategic shifts. Within small-scale fisheries and aquaculture there may be a lack of unity as many groups remain informal. These can become difficult when existing systems at the local, national and regional level require formal registration and recognition for inclusion in discussions. After forming groups and possibly formalizing, in order to be recognized, it is important that groups identify champions within their members who can present their collective voice to government. Informal or formally recognizing groups can also work within their own communities to find solutions to local problems, which in turn can create empowerment and awareness with greater visibility when they approach governing bodies. This could then create a meeting in the middle of top-down and bottom-up approach- marginalizing the power imbalance We need to ensure the participation of these stakeholders in each step of the planning and management process to ensure it is a is collaborative process as well as to ensure buy-in as well as local ownership. There is the broader issue of this need for legal status as a group to participate in government dialogues which results in lack of inclusion for some of these unrepresented voices. Additionally, there is a need for context mapping as issues will vary depending on location and the stakeholders involved. There needs to be greater transparency in the implications that decision making will have on stakeholders at the community level as advocacy and policy influence can have a profound impact (i.e. China’s monetary influence of ports/fish processing in Africa on local communities water and fishing resources) Implementation of voluntary guidelines, created by agencies or intergovernmental organisations like FAO can unite users under one system or network and allows the sharing of experiences due to commonality. The national implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGT) and the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries would be critical to ensure a step towards prioritising value-chain holders rights. 5 Summary Points: 1. Recognize the value and vital contribution that small scale actors along the value chain play in shepherding blue foods through the food systems 2. Make inclusive governance participation the norm and not just the nice to have but the must have 3. Devolve existing power structure to make decision making power more equitable 4. Ensure there is commitment and capacity to implement existing voluntary guidelines such as the FAO Tenure and Small Scale Fishing guidelines 5. Build capacity and facilitate coordination amongst small-holders to demand, and take opportunities for, representing their views, strategies, solutions, and the values they bring Read less

Action Track(s): 1, 3, 4

Keywords: Environment and Climate, Policy, Trade-offs

Global Dialogue

Food from the ocean, rivers and lakes – essential for our food systems

Geographical focus: No borders

Discussion topic outcome

Group 3: Supporting and protecting small-scale and subsistence producers of food from the ocean, rivers and lakes Discussion framing statement: By 2030, small-scale and subsistence actors (from fisheries and aquaculture sectors and including women and other vulnerable groups) are included in blue food decision-making and policy, and trade and economic policy takes account of their roles in providing equitable economic opportunity and nutrition. The discussion was rich, but structured. There were few points of divergence and most participants agreed on the following points. Vision The participa... Read morents would like to see that by 2030, the FAO’s small-scale fisheries guidelines are implemented at the district (local), national and regional level. In addition, support to all sectors was deemed necessary to reach the SGDs. Therefore, the following points should be prioritised: • Local communities need to be included from the start. • Enable SSF-actors to participate in discussion. To do this it is important to have the right language and the right format. The International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture is one such opportunity. Their knowledge and experience must be incorporated in policy development. • Must ensure that any support provided benefits local food security and that economic benefits are retained locally. • Need to change the narrative. There is a positive story to be told that we can greatly benefit if we take care of our ocean. • Address post-harvest losses in the small-scale fisheries value-chain. • Better coordination of support, in order to reach the stakeholders whom most need support. • Enforcing fishing and proper management plan for small-scale fisheries is critical. Important to share best practices in order to do this. Difficult politically for governments to take action to enforce and manage fisheries, because they can become unpopular, but this can be resolved with more data, which would show the cost of inaction. Some governments already working on this through initiatives like the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, under which Panel member countries’ plan to sustainably manage 100% of the ocean under their jurisdiction. • The small-scale fisheries sector is vulnerable to climate change and need tools for adaption, disaster management and preparedness. To ensure that there is progress and success, the following indicators could be envisaged: • Changes to policy and assessments to ensure compliance. • Health of fishing stocks. • Assessment to ensure local socioeconomic benefits are retained locally from local fisheries value chains. Read less

Action Track(s): 1, 4, 5

Keywords: Environment and Climate, Governance, Policy, Trade-offs

Global Dialogue

Food from the ocean, rivers and lakes – essential for our food systems

Geographical focus: No borders

Discussion topic outcome

Group 2: Food security, nutrition and sustainable consumption of aquatic foods Discussion framing statement: By 2030, a greater diversity of sustainable, nutritious aquatic foods are available for consumption. It was a very energetic and engaged group with thoughts voiced by almost everyone present. The participants rallied around a number of key points. One point is that we need to establish the benefits of blue food, with special focus on small fish and other low input species such as bivalves and seaweed, in policies and dietary guidelines, which will require engagement with both government... Read more and business. Importantly, we also need to engage consumers in shifting their diets to consume more sustainable blue food through advocacy, awareness raising, and the leveraging of influencers through various media and marketing channels. Effectively, we need a consumer revolution around blue food by emphasizing nutritional value, removing traditional stigmas (e.g. small fish as a “poor man’s meal”), diversifying offerings and ways of consuming and incorporating them into our diets, and enabling the scaling of production in order to meet and generate more demand. In terms of diversification, the emphasis was not so much on diversifying the types of species we consume, but how we use and consume the species that are already available in the market through products such as fish powder and fish sausage. Furthermore, the group delved into how to minimize blue food loss and waste through various traditional and modern techniques, with the conclusion that by using the whole fish, we would derive more nutritional value overall from our meal. While the group agreed on points discussed the majority of the time, there was a divergence in terms of whether small scale producers should join forces with bigger companies to scale their production and get their products to market or to organize amongst themselves in cooperatives with institutional support. Ultimately, these two strategies are not mutually exclusive and can be complementary. Overall, it was a robust conversation with plenty of food for thought! Read less

Action Track(s): 1, 2, 3

Keywords: Finance, Governance, Policy

Global Dialogue

Food from the ocean, rivers and lakes – essential for our food systems

Geographical focus: No borders

Discussion topic outcome

Group 1: Food security, nutrition and sustainable consumption of aquatic foods Discussion framing statement: By 2030, aquatic foods are recognised by policy-makers as a safe source of nutrients that can help end malnutrition. We need an intentional, directed transformation so that blue food can serve critical social objectives. Fisheries are going through a huge transformation at the moment without any direction, so we need a “blue transformation” – a directed way to transform the sector so that is it geared towards the key objectives (nutrition, social, environmental) we want to achieve... Read more. This “directed transformation” must include moving away from a model of production that only harvests a few species and instead should shift to the production of smaller, local fishes. It must also focus on changing consumer demand through education, awareness raising, innovation, and social safety programs. Dietary guidelines also have an important role to play. Currently, only a small percentage of dietary guidelines include blue food and these guidelines often fail to include the full diversity of possible aquatic food sources. We need to promote the full diversity of foods especially in the lower trophics where blue food also has a lower environmental impact. This transition will also require attention to the blue food value and supply chains and the improvement of traceability. In addition, the private sector has an important role to play in innovation and in investing in cold chain so that blue food can be safe and accessible everywhere. We must also take care of the ecosystems and environmental resources where aquatic food comes from and ensure that aquaculture is done in a safe and environmentally friendly way. In the same vein, we must broaden the frame of our overarching objectives: it is not just about ensuring access to safe food but also to food that is healthy, efficient, and sustainable. Undoubtably, there are a number of obstacles we need to overcome to achieve these goals. One of the challenges is that it is difficult to change people’s perceptions and dietary habits with public campaigns. Though it may be challenging to overcome this barrier, people are now more aware of sustainability and climate change considerations, which can make blue food more attractive. Another key issue in many countries is the lack of access to electricity, which has implications for food safety and transportation. Finally, food safety is critical and it is connected to issues like marine pollution and contamination. These intersecting challenges must all be addressed in a coordinated manner. All actors –governments and the private sector alike—have a role to play in overcoming these issues. We must also ensure that the voices of fishermen are incorporated in these conversations and that they can effectively inform policy making. To achieve food security, nutrition, and sustainable consumption goals, we must create a new and positive narrative for fisheries - one that focuses on their contribution to social and environmental objectives. Specifically, we need to ensure that people know that blue food can be good for their health and the environment. It is also important to elevate the role of freshwater aquaculture and ensure that its contributions to nutrition are not overlooked. Read less

Action Track(s): 1, 2, 3, 5

Keywords: Environment and Climate, Finance, Governance, Innovation

Global Dialogue

Food from the ocean, rivers and lakes – essential for our food systems

Geographical focus: No borders

Main findings

The main findings were: 1. Getting the right narrative and amplifying it – Aquatic food is key for the future: it’s highly nutritious and vital to diets and livelihoods in some parts of the world, it can be sustainable (with the right practices, in the right place, at the right time) and it can help to take pressure off the land to produce more food for a growing population. It must be recognised in global conversations about the food system and be central to food system decision-making. 2. Integration - We should promote aquatic food systems that are integrated, circular and sustainable. ... Read moreWhen they are not, something is going badly wrong. The integrated approach has to link together land and water and must connect multiple actors. That means that integration needs to be part of the communication for the future. 3. Inclusion is vital - Include everyone, from all parts of the value chain and whether a small scale actor or large industry. Small scale fishing is absolutely critical and to protect those small scale actors and the environment, the FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries must be properly implemented. Inclusion must be a key stone of any approach and not just not a token - that means giving the possibility for all voices to be included in food system decision-making. Efforts on including and recognising women in aquatic food production must be scaled. 4. It is all about jurisdiction - The jurisdictional approach is key. Space must be created for the less powerful to have the option to engage in decision-making when it comes to what happens in and around aquatic ecosystems, ensuring that structures/frameworks allow that room for participation. Entitlements for participation should be based on people’s roles and responsibilities. Good regulations are needed, with particular attention needed on local contexts given the regional differences when it comes to aquatic food. A good quality jurisdictional approach is where trade-offs are worked through on a local level. It must also be designed to handle and work through tensions. 5. Values – There is beginning to be a shift from investment for profit to investment for value, where value is defined by the local community. This must continue and be scaled up. The jurisdictional approach is linked to this. 6. Indicators of success matter for accountability - We cannot measure success without indicators, such as the health of fish stocks and broader aquatic ecosystems, the level of socioeconomic benefits are retained locally etc. 7. Management - It is all about management, we have to manage for conservation, manage for preservation, manage for equity and for sustainability. There are a number of basic principles that all stakeholders must have access to: data, science, modelling and capacity building to help implement accessible, inclusive and sustainable food systems. Stakeholders need to be connected to each other and able to access levers and encourage value-based innovation. Accountable partnering will be important in achieving this across geographies. Read less

Action Track(s): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Keywords: Data & Evidence, Environment and Climate, Finance, Governance, Human rights, Innovation, Policy, Trade-offs, Women & Youth Empowerment

Global Dialogue

Food from the ocean, rivers and lakes – essential for our food systems

Geographical focus: No borders

Major focus

Foods from the ocean, rivers and lakes play a vital role in food systems but are often missing from global discussions on food security and nutrition. This Dialogue aimed to address that. A healthy ocean means healthy people – the ocean and other aquatic ecosystems are critical to the global food system and often indispensable in local food chains, but they are at risk if not transformed to be more sustainable, nature-positive and accessible. It is vital that food systems are composed of sufficient, safe and nutritious foods - including food from the ocean and other aquatic sources - that me... Read moreet the dietary needs and food preferences of a growing population. Public and private support for food systems – including policies, regulations, aid, investments, and markets – must better recognize the critical role of food from the ocean, rivers and lakes and the people who produce them. This requires not only direct support for sustainable, climate-smart fisheries and aquaculture, but also recognition of the interconnection between land and ocean food production. This means explicit efforts to ensure land-based food production does not negatively impact the production of aquatic foods or the people who depend on them (e.g. through run-off, erosion, or unsustainable use of fish meal). The Dialogue highlighted to participants that the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit provides an opportunity to address these gaps and develop solutions to feed the world through systems that are good for the land, good for the climate, and good for the ocean. We provided participants a ‘vision for the future of aquatic food production’, in the form of a framing statement: By 2030, aquatic food is fundamental to global food security, with policies and investments in place to ensure sustainable management of the resources and with minimal impacts from climate change and land-based activities. The objectives of our Dialogue were to: • Raise awareness of the importance of aquatic foods to the global food system, and of the importance of protecting the fragile ecosystems they are a part of, in particular the ocean. • Build consensus around the need for making public and private investments in land- and aquatic-based food systems that are ocean- and climate-smart, allowing us to make progress against multiple SDGs. • Ensure just and equitable access to and benefits from ocean and other aquatic-based food systems. • Contribute to the elaboration of a framing ‘vision’ for the future of blue/aquatic foods. Read less

Action Track(s): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Keywords: Data & Evidence, Environment and Climate, Finance, Governance, Human rights, Innovation, Policy, Trade-offs, Women & Youth Empowerment

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