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Breakout Room 2 : Seaweed Mapping This breakout room had an expert with a background in robotics and mapping. The expert discussed the various reasons mapping seaweed is important and methods through which this could be carried out. The group envisioned the seaweed value chain to be one where seaweed forests were mapped to understand their diversity and ensure harvesting and farming was carried out in a sustainable manner. 1. Transparency: Right from harvesting to remuneration, where it is going and what it looks like ecologically. All of these combined should make the value chain adaptable an... Read mored manageable. 2. Data: To create an equitable industry around seaweed, we have to make sure that it is done without exploiting the ecological balance. Both in terms of food security and climate solution, seaweed is considered a great solution. But before we begin to extensively work within the ecosystem, we must have baseline data to work with to know how much can be harvested sustainably. We must collate this data before launching an industry around it. 3. Conservation: To create a sustainable supply chain we need to know where and what species of seaweed is present to better conserve them. Discovering tide pools, marine creatures, documenting species in the particular area will help provide an understanding of the intrinsic and ecosystem value of the seaweed forests 4. Coastline Management: Mapping seaweed can be useful for managing the coastline better and understanding the biodiversity and ecosystems present in these areas. The coastline is one of the most vulnerable spaces to climate change. It in addition isn’t very well regulated. The laws that can change the way the coastline looks in the future, as Goa has seen recently with the new Coastal Regulation Zone Plan. If seaweed forests are mapped - then the government can avoid designated spaces that have seaweed forests to ports or other large maritime infrastructure projects and can instead plan for demarcating these areas for conservation and as traditional fishing zones. What are the actions needed to create a climate-resilient, socially equitable, and environmentally sustainable seaweed value chain? 1. Seaweed mapping can be carried out through Spatial Analysis carried out in macro scale where the whole coastline is documented bit by bit and they can be stitched together to create high resolution images. 2. This method can be used to identify potential tide pools or sites with seaweed. Satellite data and aerial drones are flown over the potential areas to collect the data. A tide pool mapping can be as short as 20-30 mins. Processing the data requires bandwidth and some technical skills. Most projects can be done within a week. Software like Mappillary can be used in the process. Challenging side is the actual plan and design for the particular project, the legalities, social, ecological, how to use the data etc 3.The data collected does not have to be technical, it can be done with a community of people as a learning experience. A GPS tagged photo is valuable as well in seaweed mapping or identifying sites. A collaborative approach would be very valuable in bringing out this outcome. Mapping seaweed forests can be a very effective citizen science initiative. 4. Identifying the species present in these areas are also incredibly important to the mapping process.Photos of marine species can be added to any citizen science platforms like iNaturalist helps you identify what you see can be a good learning experience and data for others.Using platforms available to everyone is extremely important to the mapping of seaweed and marine life present.These are all the different levels of mapping that vary from least expertise needed to the highest level where technology comes in the form of robotics. All of these methods will lead to more comprehensive data. 5. An ideal way of going about mapping seaweed forests and tidepools would be an interdisciplinary mapping process of the tidal ecosystem using tech, ecologists, social scientists etc. Read less

Breakout Room 1 - Production and policy The most important outcome of this breakout room was the realization that India has inadequate policies for the safeguarding and sustainable harvesting of seaweeds. Four main policy gaps recognized were: 1. Lack of policy for the mapping and safeguarding of seaweed forests ( seagrass beds are notified as protected areas under the Coastal Regulation Zone Rules 2011, however seaweeds are not given this importance) 2. Lack of guidelines for the industry when it comes to the the sustainable harvest and production of seaweeds. 3. Lack of safety standards when... Read more it comes to communities ( largely women) harvesting and producing seaweeds in rough waters. 4. Lack of policy when it comes to using seaweeds in foods that have the potential to improve the nutritional quality of food ( for example - there was a suggestion to include seaweeds into common salt so it could be used as a natural form of iodized salt for communities lacking in iodine). When it came to discussing the actual farming of seaweeds there were additional gaps discussed were: - Lack of awareness of seaweed farming - Lack of information on local seaweeds and how to farm them - Low pay for seaweed farmers - Limited zones where seaweed can be grown ( limited to shallow bays and islands) whereas better production methods could allow for deeper water seaweed production Some suggestions for actions to close these gaps: - Toolkits and training for farmers to diversify into seaweed production - More research and funding into seaweed production (especially native seaweed) - Consider seaweed in food security policy - Private sector integration for support for seaweed-based nutrition - Diversification of aquaculture landscapes, of cultivated species, of seaweed based applications and solutions. Here there was the suggestion to use Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture (IMTA) to grow seaweed along with other species such as muscles and oysters. - Designing of different/safer seaweed farms to protect safety of coastal communities (mainly women) who farm, harvest and process (at present most of the women who harvest are dependent on men to drive the boat to the rafts/farms) - Hold seaweed consuming/ dependent industries accountable to fairly pay those at the grassroots. - Incentivize the use of seaweed based materials/products by shifting the perceived value of seaweed products The group also identified certain actors needed to take this forward - Researchers and research institutions - Farmers - Coastal communities - Private sector industries - Policymakers - Conservationists - Designers How could these actions come to fruition? - Incentivizing shifts in the existing models - Incentivizing procurement of seaweed - Incentivizing the expansion of landscape under seaweed production - Incentivizing the exploration of native species and their production and potential - By creating a shift in the value assigned to seaweed and its derived productions - By applying technology to make the use of seaweed-derived products more efficient, cost-effective and lucrative - By considering all stakeholders involved in the production and use of seaweed - By considering seaweed ecosystems as rich, diverse ecosystems, similar to land forests, and treating them as such. Read less

Drawing on the current situations of other supply chains like cacao, seafood, etc. we recognized that it's important to have conversations on seaweed in India now, at an early stage rather than in hindsight, when the industry has grown to a point where we don't have a lot of control over it. In the Discussion Group on Equitable Livelihoods, the conversation revolved around how organizations like C-Scapes would be responsible for translating the discussions and having conversations with coastal communities that are the most important stakeholders in the seaweed value chain. India needs more inc... Read morelusivity, more safety standards, more involvement from banks and governments, and more research. Right now, the seaweed industry is dominated by a top-down or industry-led movement that looks at solely creating revenue from seaweed, but ideally, it should be from communities that are most affected and have the highest stake in this particular value chain. Safety standards and pricing could be improved too. In the group Mapping Seaweed, we saw that it's important to have a conversation about how we can map seaweed and look at its intrinsic value. India has incredible seaweed reserves that contribute significantly to our biodiversity. Hence, developing ways of mapping the seaweed so that we can secure it for current and future generations is essential. We need to do it inclusively and have stakeholders, such as members of the fishing community, also involved. In the group that focused on Nature Positive Seaweed Production, it was observed that there's not enough research to look at specific seaweed species. Right now, there’s a large push to farm Kappaphycus Alvarezii, and Gracilaria Xorticata, or seaweeds commercially viable for hydrocolloids. But if we're developing more food products or nutritional products, then we need to look at the farming methods that grow those types of species. Land-based seaweed production can also grow seaweed in an integrated way, for example with shrimp farms, and open ocean farming methods such as Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA), can be used wherein which seaweed can be grown along with other species like mussels, oysters, and certain local fish to mimic natural ecosystems. The next group, Sustainable Seaweed Innovation, explored how a range of seaweed ingredients could be produced for the health food market and the beauty industry. We saw that further conversations in innovation need to be guided by science as one may not want to get into a market where a rare seaweed is required, or a species is overharvested. We observed that it is important to have some safeguards developed along with the growth of these innovations. For the final group, Cooking with Seaweed, it was noted that seaweed has a lot of potential as a food source. Seaweed forests are very biodiverse and important for our coastline. Therefore, we need to first look at how we can have a precautionary and sensitive approach to cooking with seaweed before we exploit it for the market. The government is currently incentivizing the expansion of seaweed industries for pharmaceuticals, feed industries, etc. but we need to look at it in terms of conservation. We need to be asking a lot of questions at this stage, such as - Who are the main players in the current market? Who has the most power along the supply chain? How can we get more communities integrated into the system? Instead of a traditional top-down way of forming policy, we need to use a more localized and biodiverse approach to growing our seaweed industry. At last, an action plan needs to be more inclusive than the Dialogues held. It would not be fair to have an action plan that doesn't include more conversations with communities and stakeholders that haven't been mapped yet. Read less

The Seaweed Dialogues in India were held to focus on mapping the seaweed landscape in India, and understanding how seaweed impacts ecology, climate change, livelihoods, and nutrition in India. In India, the states of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu dominate large-scale seaweed production. 282 seaweed species have been reported along Tamil Nadu's 1,000km (621 miles) coastline alone and in total, as many as 841 species of seaweed thrive along the Indian coast, though only a few are cultivated. The government’s policies are likely to stimulate production further across various states. As seaweed garners... Read more importance, we aimed at hosting a conversation that provided an understanding of what the seaweed space currently looks like in India. We also wanted to understand how it can engage audiences in safe production and responsible consumption of seaweed without adversely affecting biodiversity and the ecosystem. The Dialogues were aimed at creating a platform for a rich and engaging conversation from individuals, organizations, experts, and novice enthusiasts from various sectors. Since the industry is at its nascent stages in India, we invited participants from technology, policy, innovation, conservation, and food to discuss all the facets of seaweed. Our focus was to bring together as many experts, who often operate in silos, to come together and engage. We also began an online community called Seaweed Saturdays as a precursor to the Seaweed Dialogues to provide context to individuals who may have expertise in livelihoods, or innovation, but are still new to seaweed. The reason for bringing these individuals together followed Action Track #1 “Ensure access to safe and nutritious food”, as India has a high proportion of vegetarians who often lack protein, and seaweed has the ability to bridge that gap. It is touted as the next “superfood” but also holds the potential to meet the nutritional requirement for a larger population. This was a part of our conversation in the Discussion Group labeled “Conservationist Approach to Cooking and Eating with Seaweed,” We focused on Action Track #2 “Shift to sustainable consumption patterns” - by bringing in speakers and participants from demand markets, e.g. innovators and chefs. The goal of this was to look beyond seaweed as a superfood and explore how to sustainably use the ingredient. The conversation also involved how to sustainably source particular species of seaweed and the building of direct connections with the communities involved in farming and harvesting seaweed. This was a part of our Discussion Groups labeled “Sustainable Seaweed Innovation” as well as “Conservationist Approach to Cooking and Eating with Seaweed.” Action track #3, “Boost nature- positive production” was a part of our conversation on sustainably farming seaweed, and the Discussion Groups “Mapping Seaweed in India” and “Seaweed Production & Policy”. The first aimed at using technology to map seaweed species along our coastlines, while the second looked at the benefits of growing seaweed for the environment and coastal communities. It also evaluated how to do so conscientiously, and explored how policy can shape better practices. Currently, India has no policy that looks at seaweed, but as it increases the budget spends for seaweed, we wanted to bring in the discussion of how policy can be a tool in ensuring native species are encouraged and the biodiversity is retained, in an effort to balance people, planet, and profits. Action Track #4 “Advance equitable livelihoods” and Action Track #5 “Build resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks, and stress” were both a part of our Discussion Groups “Equitable Livelihoods” and “Seaweed Production & Policy”. We explored how the coastal communities, and primarily the women in these communities, can be provided fairer rates, and what can be done to safeguard their lives and incomes by evaluating safety standards and market practices. Post our dialogues, our focus remains to continue these multi-disciplinary conversations in an effort to chart the actions that are required to positively impact the production and consumption of seaweed in India via Seaweed Saturdays. Read less

1. Las actuaciones restrictivas del Estado venezolano con respecto al funcionamiento de las organizaciones no gubernamentales (ONG), organizaciones de la sociedad civil (OSC), organizaciones comunitarias, centros de investigación y otros, ha producido un temor de publicar datos sobre las situaciones encontradas. 2. En este sentido se considera prioritario facilitar la acción de las organizaciones de ayuda humanitaria, con fines de ejercer mayor libertad, considerando el bienestar de las poblaciones afectadas. 3. Este escenario de confrontación política actual en Venezuela debe atenderse co... Read morenciliando los objetivos e intereses comunes de los sectores de la población más afectados, los más vulnerables. 4. Dirimir las diferencias pasa por establecer diálogos intersectoriales con activa participación de gobierno nacional, agricultores familiares, gremios agrícolas-agroindustriales, la academia entre otros actores. 5. En el marco de la mesa Sistemas Productivos en Venezuela: Desafíos para su Sostenibilidad un punto divergente importante fue que la reducción del uso de agroquímicos mejora la sostenibilidad pero ese no podía ser el único medio para la preservación del ambiente y la biodiversidad en Venezuela, ya que los sistemas productivos se encuentran muy afectados por la crisis y en un primer momento se tendrá que convivir con las tecnologías vigentes. Atender sistemas productivos tan afectados apelando en un principio a métodos agroecológicos podría disminuir sustancialmente la producción y los rendimientos agrícolas. Read less

Tema de debate 5: Retos y Desafíos Tecnológicos para la recuperación de los sistemas alimentarios en Venezuela: 1. Tomar acciones no solo en la producción primaria, sino en todas las funciones vinculadas a los sistemas alimentarios, desde la finca hasta la mesa partiendo de un enfoque holístico. 2. Fortalecer los desarrollos territoriales locales 3. Enmarcar todos los esfuerzos de los sectores productivos en el marco del cambio climático. No solo con relación a las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero y la deforestación, sino en sus contribuciones con la des-carbonización, uso del... Read more agua y otros recursos. 4. Aprovechar las alianzas globales y regionales que se han venido conformando a través de plataformas donde participan múltiples actores para temas vinculados con la Agenda 2030, los 17 ODS y ahora la Cumbre sobre Sistemas Alimentarios (incluyendo sus cinco vías de acción) ya que por esta vía se actualizan conocimientos y capacidades 5. Elaborar el Plan Nacional de Sequía y monitorear sistemáticamente el impacto de las temporadas de lluvias sobre el sector agrícola 6. Aumentar de forma drástica la innovación agrícola y el uso de las nuevas tecnologías por parte de los agricultores (de la agricultura familiar y otros) para eliminar la pobreza, satisfacer la creciente demanda de alimentos y hacer frente a los efectos adversos del cambio climático. 7. Desarrollar una reforma integral de los sistemas nacionales de innovación agrícola, mejorar la eficacia del gasto público y promover cadenas de valor agrícolas inclusivas con una mayor participación del sector privado. Read less

Tema de debate 4: Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional en Venezuela: retos y potencialidades. 1. Activar el Sistema Estadístico del país, especialmente el relacionado con la seguridad alimentaria como son: Sistema de Vigilancia Alimentaria y Nutricional (SISVAN), La actualización de la Canasta Alimentaria Normativa y la Canasta Básica de bienes y servicios, La Hoja de Balance de Alimentos y las Encuestas de Consumo Alimentario, las cuales tienen un período de más de siete años sin actualizarse. 2. Reactivar el Comité del Codex Alimentarios como un mecanismo para el control de alimentos,... Read more no solo de los producidos en el país, sino también para los de origen externo de cara al factor inocuidad, como condición requerida en el consumo de alimentos seguros para toda la población. 3. Fomentar los diálogos intersectoriales y complementar acciones, para obtener mayor eficiencia y eficacia en la utilización de los recursos bajo la premisa de la Seguridad Alimentaria como Derecho Humano y mecanismo para el fortalecimiento de los medios de vida. 4. Elaborar un paquete de indicadores que permitan el monitoreo y la evaluación de las acciones y los resultados Read less

Tema de debate 3: Sistemas productivos en Venezuela: Desafíos para su Sostenibilidad. 1. Aumentar sustancialmente la producción agrícola vegetal y animal, para contribuir efectivamente a conformar una oferta de alimentos que sea suficiente, que contribuya al logro de la seguridad alimentaria con aporte mayoritario de la producción nacional 2. Usar tecnologías, prácticas agronómicas y productivas amigables con el ambiente, que garanticen mejoras de productividad y beneficios económicos para los productores que a su vez convivan con las tecnologías vigentes para ir generando progresivam... Read moreente procesos de adopción de nuevas tecnologías menos susceptibles de generar impactos en el ambiente 3. Ejecutar un programa de reforestación nacional y de recuperación de las cuencas hidrográficas. Abordar la inseguridad personal y las continuas violaciones a la propiedad privada en las áreas rurales (invasión y expropiaciones de unidades de producción agrícolas) las cuales obstaculizan que la producción agrícola tenga mayor sostenibilidad Read less

Tema de debate 2: Rol de la mujer venezolana y su aporte a los sistemas alimentarios 1. El contexto de la pandemia por COVID-19 ha reforzado la carga de trabajo de las mujeres. Las mujeres manifiestan sentirse agobiadas por esta sobrecarga. Aunque no está tipificado en ley, como un tipo de violencia actúa como tal dado que el trabajo doméstico se ha incrementado debido a la suspensión de responsabilidades inherentes a la familia por parte del estado, imponiendo a las mujeres, jornadas de trabajo doméstico intensas causándoles: agotamiento extremo, reducción de tiempo para sí, tensiones... Read more sobre la administración de la casa y en algunos casos depresión ante la responsabilidad que recae sobre ellas. 2. Este escenario de tensiones se agudiza cuando en los hogares las mujeres han tenido que convivir con parejas violentas, enfrentándose a situaciones de violencia basada en género. 3. Ante estas situaciones es importante propiciar espacios formativos que posibiliten un ambiente de cooperación equitativa en relación a las diversas tareas de la vida cotidiana, a fines de que el hombre y demás miembros de la familia se conviertan en aliados de la mujer. 4. Deben fortalecerse las políticas públicas dirigidas a mujeres. Al tiempo que puedan mejorarse los canales de denuncia en caso de violencia de género. 5. En este sentido es importante el enfoque de género en cualquier abordaje que pretenda desarrollarse sobre los sistemas alimentarios venezolanos ya que las mujeres están desprotegidas desde el punto de vista alimentario y tienen una carga importante en la producción de alimentos. 6. El levantamiento de cualquier información para la creación de bases de datos con respecto a los sistemas alimentarios venezolanos debe estar transversalizada por el enfoque de género. 7. Existe una gran brecha con respecto al acceso a la tierra y los recursos en lo que refiere a las mujeres y son tareas pendientes sobre las que avanzar en términos de titularidad de tierras. 8. Deben desarrollarse medios de vida que posibiliten el empoderamiento de las mujeres en función de erradicar las desigualdades y brechas que tienen consecuencias por ejemplo en términos de violencia, trabajos riesgosos como medios de vida (prostitución y trata de niñas y mujeres) 9. Es importante impulsar redes de mujeres donde puedan develarse este conjunto de desigualdades. De manera que las mujeres puedan tener decisión sobre si y puedan manifestarse. Read less

Tema de debate 1: Agricultura Familiar: Contribuciones a la Seguridad Alimentaria: 1. Dimensionar el aporte de la Agricultura Familiar a través de un estudio exhaustivo ¿Quiénes deben participar de este estudio? Las organizaciones de base, de la sociedad civil (OSC), el sector académico: universidades, centros de investigación, el Estado y las organizaciones multilaterales. Entre otros actores. 2. Crear un marco jurídico que garantice la propiedad para los agricultores con los mismos atributos que tiene cualquier propiedad (casas, vehículos, otros) 3. Diseñar políticas públicas y pr�... Read more�cticas institucionales que favorezcan el desarrollo de la agricultura familiar abarcando: Asistencia Técnica, mejoramiento de la infraestructura: vialidad y telecomunicaciones, asistencia sanitaria y financiamiento 4. Instar al Estado venezolano a que garantice la seguridad de los bienes y las personas. Read less

1. A través del diálogo se ha reconocido de forma consensuada que la pandemia por el COVID-19 ha agudizado la crisis venezolana, la cual ya tiene larga data y se resume en la declaratoria por Naciones Unidas de una Emergencia Humanitaria Compleja en el año 2015. 2. En función de ello se reconoce conjuntamente que mientras esta situación persista debemos fortalecer las ayudas humanitarias en lo que va de este año (2021) y el próximo (2022) tomando como referencia las acciones humanitarias en otros países. 3. Si bien el punto antes expuesto atiende a lo más inmediato y urgente, las disc... Read moreusiones han encontrado como punto común el trascender este enfoque a través del fortalecimiento de los medios de vida, con fines de superar el período de emergencia y pasar a la etapa del desarrollo del país, haciendo de la Seguridad Alimentaria un concepto amplio y estructural con enfoque de derecho. Esto nos convoca a su vez a mirar holísticamente las cadenas agro-alimentarias. 4. En virtud de estos elementos resulta importante preservar los sistemas de producción que han sobrevivido a la crisis general y en particular la crisis de la producción agroalimentaria nacional. 5. En relación al punto anterior es vital destacar el papel de los agricultores familiares con énfasis en la participación activa de jóvenes y mujeres, quienes han sorteado, en buena medida, parte de los embates de la crisis. Este reconocimiento a su labor pasa por desarrollar un marco jurídico favorable a través de políticas públicas que propicien condiciones para facilitar su trabajo. 6. Referirse a los agricultores familiares amerita seguir profundizando conceptualmente en este sector productivo y además tratar de dimensionar el tamaño e impacto de la agricultura familiar en el país. ¿Cuánto empleo se genera a partir de la agricultura familiar? ¿Cuánto contribuye a la alimentación de los venezolanos en términos de cantidad y variedad? ¿Qué tanta integración familiar pudiese estar produciendo a nivel comunitario? ¿Cuál es su contribución a la sostenibilidad ambiental? Partiendo del hecho que apelan a semillas autóctonas, abonos orgánicos, bioinsumos, cultivos asociados. 7. Este esfuerzo de medición requiere de un robusto sistema de recolección de información. En este sentido, se ha reconocido serias debilidades en la producción y socialización de datos por los organismos gubernamentales. Si bien las organizaciones de la sociedad civil, ONG’s y demás centros de investigación han logrado colectar un volumen de información importante con respecto a los sistemas alimentarios venezolanos y la seguridad alimentaria, toda una campaña de desacreditación y criminalización por parte del gobierno nacional recae sobre estas entidades dificultando incluso el despliegue en los territorios mediante la aplicación de sanciones. 8. Se reconoce conjuntamente que la aplicación de sanciones por el Estado venezolano ha debilitado considerablemente no solo la actuación en terreno, sino todo el tejido social organizativo comunitario. En buena medida se han desmembrado organizaciones productivas territoriales de gran trayectoria, en algunos casos siendo permeadas por el partido oficial de gobierno para convertirse en un apéndice del mismo. 9. De lo antes expuesto se deriva una necesidad colectiva de hacer una recomposición de todo el tejido social organizativo venezolano. De manera tal que, pese a las dificultades que puedan presentarse, existan organizaciones solidas con capacidad de respuesta en escenarios de fragilidad institucional y política. 10. Para responder a esta necesidad se visualiza establecer más plataformas colaborativas que sean sostenibles desde el punto de vista administrativo, que se tracen metas realizables y concretas que permitan alcanzar los niveles necesarios de solidez organizativa. Read less

El diálogo tuvo como centro de análisis los sistemas alimentarios en Venezuela, vistos estos desde un enfoque integral que permitiera ubicar sus principales debilidades, fortalezas y desafíos. En este espacio destacamos principalmente el papel de los agricultores familiares y las mujeres como actores fundamentales para alcanzar la Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional. El análisis se circunscribió en el contexto de la emergencia humanitaria compleja en Venezuela y la pandemia de COVID-19, la cual terminó de develar el conjunto de precariedades, realidades y carencias que afrontan los grupo... Read mores antes mencionados en términos de infraestructura: vialidad, sistemas de riego, tecnologías agrícolas. En lo jurídico, un total desamparo por falta de titularidad de tierras y en relación a los servicios públicos, el deterioro progresivo de los servicios de agua, luz, gas, conectividad, así como el servicio de salud. Si bien estos temas se perfilaron como temas de mayor inmediatez y urgencia, el análisis se orientó a considerar que el enfoque de los sistemas alimentarios implicaba ver el concepto de Seguridad Alimentaria ampliamente y no como un concepto reducido a los problemas coyunturales de corto plazo, sino como una temática estructural que debe verse como un objetivo de desarrollo que requiere de esfuerzos multisectoriales e interinstitucionales para alcanzar la meta de eliminar el hambre. Con base a lo antes enunciado, se determinó la importancia de referirse a la Seguridad Alimentaria como un derecho humano. Sucesivamente se definieron un conjunto de líneas de trabajo vinculadas a las vías de acción. En relación a la vía de acción número 4 se abordó lo referente a las tecnologías, tomando en cuenta la creación de plataformas apalancadas por las nuevas tecnologías digitales, tecnologías para el monitoreo de sistemas de riego inteligentes, la creación de bancos de semillas y su mejoramiento genético. Sobre la vía de acción nº 2 se destacó la importancia de visualizar estrategias para mitigar el desperdicio de alimentos y en función de la vía de acción nº 3 se esbozaron ideas para el diseño de planes de capacitación a productores para un uso eficiente del agua considerando el manejo de cuencas y la gestión de agua de lluvias. Concretamente se insistió en hacer público un Plan Nacional de Sequía para monitorear sistemáticamente el impacto de las temporadas de lluvias sobre el sector agrícola, al tiempo que pudiese fortalecerse la lucha por la desertificación de los suelos a través de acciones de reforestación para atender los desafíos asociados al cambio climático. Finalmente se profundizó en la empleabilidad con especial atención en los sectores rurales, lo cual atiende a la vía de acción nº 4. De igual manera se abordó la promoción de distintas formas de asociatividad, bien sea a través de programas integrales de producción o programas de empresas que logren combinar características sociales y productivas. Read less

A divergence of opinion was expressed around plant vs animal agriculture. It can’t be an either or scenario. There is room for both sides and people have to be respectful of diverse opinions. Similarly the differences between large scale commercial agriculture and small holder agriculture was expressed. There is room and a place for both and this needs to be better explained, especially since there is a view that large commercial agriculture and grocery chains are symbols of globalization and politics of food

Access to safe and nutritious food More women are required in farming; end subsidies on monoculture; we need stronger electoral accountability to ensure access to safe and nutritious food; introduce food knowledge (culture, nutrition, sustainability) into school curriculums; start to highlight people incl. farmers who are doing good deeds in agriculture; bring an end to globalization and concentrate on local markets. Consumers chose sustainably produced food Reduce animal consumption to increase land availability for other crops; move beyond a monopolized grain industry to support for other cr... Read moreops; diet diversity can be improved by promoting local community food systems; support local farmers to partner with schools and teach children to grow and cook diverse nutritional foods; build stronger links between healthy eating and health costs; need a standard methodology and labelling for selecting healthy food choices Reduced ag inputs for healthy food Increase the commitment to corporate social responsibility; more research is required on historical and traditional farming practices; there has to be more transparency across the food system; use efficiencies of inputs to protect ecosystems and water. Resilience to extreme events, shocks, pandemics Need a back up supply of diverse raw materials that are locally supplied; reduce food waste and make room for marginalized communities; make stronger rural-urban connections; given the interest of youth in climate, get them involved in various associations to solve the problems. Access to culturally appropriate and traditional food Have students and universities create food maps; need an indigenous food guide and preparation book; access to education on the topic is highly important. Agri-food as a career option Create a bank of agri-food professions and professionals that can be used by career counsellors at high school; use Tik Tok to attract youth to these careers; more professional development programs need to be created to bring youth into the field; make better use of social media and digital tools Elimination of poverty and food insecurity Have tax credits to procure local purchases; buy local; support polyculture; governments need to commit to food security and to understand the desire of Canadians to grow local and eat local; strengthen the link between climate change and food insecurity Read less

Access to safe and nutritious food Better education of consumers; monocultures do not necessarily produce more nutritious food; eliminate waste in consumption; water and food must be considered basic human rights. Consumers chose sustainably produced food Promote diet diversity at all levels of society including in schools; there is a lot of mis-information about health foods; learn to cook and grow local and indigenous foods; farmers offer fresh foods to food banks Reduced ag inputs for healthy food Increase efficiency of production by reducing waste and greenhouse gases; encourage regional s... Read moreolutions based on climate and farmers site specific conditions; undertake surveys to better understand farmers’ practices; demonstrate and share sustainable practices Resilience to extreme events, shocks, pandemics Youth are thinking more about climate change; inclusion of smallholder farmers in the discussion; more proactive support for climate smart faming and permaculture Access to culturally appropriate and traditional food Need a comprehensive audit of cultures and food traditions; universities are food melting pots and can hold food culture nights; Canada food guide has nothing on this topic Agri-food as a career option Not enough is being done on career training; students are not aware of the diversity of agri-career options; there are few role models speaking to schools to encourage youth about careers in agriculture Elimination of poverty and food insecurity More affordable housing and higher wages can lead to elimination of poverty and food insecurity; fair wages for fair work; move away from food banks and charities; encourage more local food consumption at home and in institutions, eg. hospitals Read less

Max: 3600 characters (approx. 600 words) The Discussion Topics and the points that were considered in each Topic are shown below. It will be observed that we used 10 year horizon for each Topic, given that the Summit is aimed at what the food system will look like by 2030. Discussion Topic: In 10 years everyone in Canada has access to safe and nutritious food 1. What approaches would you recommend? 2. What outcomes would you expect in 5 years? 3. What type of collective action do you envisage to start this process? Discussion Topic: In 10 years, Canadian consumers choose [and are able to acces... Read mores] sustainably produced food 1. What recommendations would you make to improve diet diversity among Canadians? 2. What would you recommend as indicators of progress towards improving diet diversity in 5 years? 3. What civil society-based initiatives would you imagine as drivers towards this goal? Discussion Topic: In 10 years, Canada will have reduced agricultural input use while boosting production of healthy food 1. What recommendations would you make to improve the sustainability of the food system? 2. What could be measurable socio-economic and environmental indicators of progress in 5 years? 3. What type of collective action would be required to achieve this goal? Discussion Topic: In 10 years, Canada’s food system will be resilient to extreme events such as shocks like pandemics 1. What changes in public policy and corporate social responsibility are required to build food system resilience? 2. What do we expect to see if we are successful in 5 years? 3. What type of collective action would be required to achieve this goal? Discussion Topic: 10 years, everyone in Canada has access to culturally appropriate and traditional food. 1. What programs need to be funded or extended to support that? 2. How do we intersect various traditions and cultures in the food system? 3. What type of collective action do you envisage to start this process? Discussion Topic: In the next 10 years more Canadian youth are choosing agri-food as a career option and are being trained in a way that meets the needs of this rapidly expanding industry 1. What actions and commitments in next 3 years will have greatest impact on the discussion topic? 2. How will it be possible to tell if these actions and commitments are being successful? 3. What contribution can I or the organization I represent make? Discussion Topic: Dans 10 ans, le Canada aura éliminé la pauvreté et l'insécurité alimentaire dans toutes les communautés. 1. Trois recommandations politiques pour y arriver 2. Qu'espérons-nous voir si nous réussissons dans 5 ans? 3. Quels changements de gouvernance et d'institutions seraient nécessaires pour accélérer les progrès vers cet objectif? Read less

Some participants raised their concern about the absence of discussions on the role of education in spreading food systems approach, highlighting the needs for nurturing future leaders of food systems.

Topic 3: Food Systems Approach to COVID-19 Pandemic • The participants were given examples of how governments can take notice, act with speed and often, act in their own interest when threatened. • The participants understood that “We are all in this together” type problems (such as the pandemic) require strong public institutions at national and supranational levels. • The participants discussed the importance for ensuring food supplies by keep cross-border and domestic trade open during the crisis. • The participants agreed that supporting and protecting food system workers is im... Read moreportant • It was suggested by participants that social protection programs to delivering healthy diets should be strengthened, during the crisis in particular. • The participants discussed the needs for cross- country research to promote One Health • The participants discussed the needs for a systematic global effort to monitor pathogens emerging from animals. Read less

Topic 2: Purposes and modalities of UNFSS National Dialogues • The participants were briefed on the main objective of the UN Food Summit. • The participants were updated on the progress of the member countries of ECO in the preparation for the UNFSS, including the nomination of the national dialogue conveyors, the national dialogue process. • The participants were introduced about many opportunities for national dialogue conveyors and stakeholders to learn about food system concept, approach and preparatory work for the food system summit.

Topic 1: Transformation of food systems • The participants shared a common understanding on food systems by reviewing the definition, conceptual framework and various elements of the systems. • The participants discussed and understood what transformation of food systems mean and why the transformation is needed. • The participants understood the potential cost of not transforming the food systems. Various data was presented, reviewed and discussed. • The participants understood that a business as usual approach to food systems won’t get us to the Paris climate change targets. The pr... Read moreesenter shared relevant data. • The participants understood that the multiple burdens of malnutrition are massive in the ECO region and universaland the double burden of malnutrition is rising in low- and middle-income countries. • The participants understood that food and agriculture have a big part to in the rise of zoonotic spillover events - animals are in close proximity to humans, either because their natural habitat has shrunk or been destroyed, or they are moved from their habitats. Read less