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Health advocates should support food sovereignty of islands, as an intervention to address the epidemic of noncommunicable disease. New coalitions, alliances and networks of health professionals committed to food systems change would be a good indicator of progress Give farmers back their land. Address colonization, militarization, land conversion and urban sprawl. Land ownership and access are difficult issues that require legislative and executive action as supported by communities. Good baseline indicators of marginalized farmers is necessary to set targets. Support should be provided to sm... Read moreall and indigenous farmers and fisherfolk by providing opportunities to expand production through financial and technical assistance. National, state and local policy and decision-makers have to move local food production higher in the political agenda and link it to health outcomes, preventable death and social costs. Change the narrative around noncommunicable disease and instead of blaming individuals, address the underlying causes of health disparities, such as the food system as a determinant of health. Public health should focus on social determinants of unhealthy diets and undertake research involving communities to immediately respond to ill-health caused by the food system. Use family-centered approaches within communities to address unhealthy diets. Food prescriptions or produce prescriptions should be expanded as the standard of care for a therapeutic model for noncommunicable diseases and conditions. Community health workers can play an important role in non-pharmacological interventions for better health by enabling communities to grow their own food and consume more fresh produce from land and sea. Current food systems destroy the “connectedness” of people to the land and sea that sustains them. The dominant food culture reinforces the expectation that all food should be available all year round. Seasonality of food is a traditional concept that reminds people that they are part of a larger ecological system that sustains life. At the highest level of governance of islands, campaigns should be mounted to "eat local", "grow and gather local" and "eat healthy" within the context of indigenous wisdom and cultural heritage. Nutrition and healthy diets through sustainable and resilient food systems is the ultimate form of prevention of noncommunicable disease. Public health institutions must include this in their curriculum. Designate national farm lands, in the same way that national parks are designated to protect these. High level decisions need to be made about land use and land use policy to cover the long term impacts of mono-cropping and loss of biodiversity. Communities can manage "endangered agricultural land" by using ancestral knowledge and practice. Research on healthy diets need to be inclusive and useful to the communities. It is of critical importance to engage communities in meeting the gaps in data. Community assessments of needs in relation to availability of food and alternative ways of providing for nutritional needs of various age groups. Economic and financial planners should redirect tourism strategies toward promoting local food production and providing tourists opportunities to eat local food. Agritourism is a viable approach. Organize local food festivals. Shine a spotlight on delicacies and special foods of a region. The education sector needs to be provided with financial support and capacity to educate the next generation in food production and food security as a matter of human survival. Courses need to be developed, teachers equipped and students provided with opportunities to explore how culture, science and values intersect in the field of food production. Use social network analysis and a social constructivist approach to understand how stakeholders are invested and use this to mobilize different sectors toward policy and act Counteract aggressive marketing and promotion through regulations like zoning of locations of fast food establishments, taxation of harmful products, product labelling among others. Read less

Why we need to act urgently Unhealthy diets and food insecurity are urgent and serious threats to health and survival to more than 63 million people who live on islands.. There are significant data gaps in knowledge about unhealthy diets and food insecurity in island populations.It has been difficult to characterize dietary intake in islands due to research biases in dietary assessment of locally consumed food. Islands have been excluded from the determination of the nutritive content of indigenous food. The US Dietary Guidelines do not contain commonly found food in islands (e.g. “ulu” (b... Read morereadfruit), jackfruit, sugar apples, “Jacks” (small fish), cassava). The guidelines affect how health advice is given to patients, how institutions purchase food and design meal plans, and how families are fed during emergencies. The Mediterranean diet and DASH have been cited as guidance. A Pacific food guide with 3 food groups - which is more typical of how Pacific Islanders think about the food: proteins, vitamins and minerals and staple food is available http://manoa.hawaii.edu/ctahr/pacificfoodguide/index.php/about-the-guide/ However, this is not widely understood, adopted in a systematic way. Community needs assessments on food security are needed in all islands to enable prioritization of groups at highest risk. What we need to do together Advocates for public health and sustainable island food systems of the world need to demand that research funds flow toward expanding the knowledge base on island diets and the assessment of the nutritive value of local produce. Otherwise, institutional procurement of food (e.g. in schools) will continue to be predominantly imported food items, creating a vicious cycle of dependence and preference for imported food. To shift to healthier diets, communities need to be in charge. Decision-makers need to listen to communities and understand their challenges. Top down approaches alone are not effective. It is important to have a “together approach” - working from the ground up and from the top downward. Restaurants and the food industry influence what people eat and many establishments are shifting to healthier menus. Chefs have a strategic role in popularization of locally grown products through satisfying dishes. Agro-tourism can be a strategy to stimulate local production of food. Action is needed to counteract easy access to cheap and unhealthy snacks and excessive consumption of fast food. Policies that restrict access to unhealthy food might include zoning to regulate fast food locations, taxation and other fiscal measures that impact both on supply and demand. How we will do it Comprehensive approaches/strategies that engage multiple sectors (i.e. health, education, health insurance companies, nutrition, culinary art, hospitality, tourism, producers, retailers) are essential to changing consumption patterns. A research network and centralized data center among island states, territories and jurisdictions is needed to identify and fill knowledge gaps that inhibit policy and programs for food equity ACTION POINT: Establish a multi-centered research initiative involving all island food system stakeholders to assess nutritional content and pricing of local food as an urgent public health measure. Preserve and transmit indigenous and ancestral knowledge and practice in food production by including this in the school curriculum and make it a requirement for graduation. Food production can be an effective way to teach science and culture in a practical way. ACTION POINT: Prioritize the opening of funding tracks to support new educational programs for all youth on food production that links science and culture education. Tourism and the hospitality sector can play a positive role in making healthier diets easier to access. Policies and campaigns to promote local produce can become part of tourism promotion. ACTION POINT: Engage with the tourism sector at global, regional and local levels (e.g. hospitality sector, airlines) to market the local tastes and flavors of indigenous food as part of tourism promotion. “Produce prescription” should be part of the standard of care, covered by health insurance other health financing modalities as a therapeutic model for the prevention, management and control of noncommunicable conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity. ACTION POINT: Establish a global, national and regional network of public health institutions committed to developing guidance on the use of “produce prescription” as a non-pharmacological and community-based intervention that is universally available to communities at risk for NCDs. The medical and public health sector should support advocacy for food sovereignty in all islands in order to achieve better population health outcomes, particularly among farming and fishing communities. ACTION POINT: Create global, national and local coalitions of medical and public health practitioners that will champion transformation of food systems as a strategy to prevent and control NCDs and develop strategies to address the health and nutrition needs of farmers, fisherfolk and other producers. Who the key actors are Food distributors Health workers who provide produce prescription Political leaders Chefs Medical professionals Consumer groups News organizations and media Community leaders Cultural practitioners Tourism sector and organizations Researchers on aquaculture and seaweeds Read less

Healthier islands through sustainable food systems seeks to underscore the convergence of food systems, public health and nutrition through the forward looking statement: ‘Food as medicine’, as a core strategy for healthier islands through sustainable food systems is a holistic approach to the prevention and control of non communicable diseases like diabetes and risk factors like hypertension and obesity --- as environmental modifications focus on food as a solution and not a cause of ill-health by ensuring that all people in all islands have access to healthier, affordable and locally pro... Read moreduced and gathered food from sustainable resources. Unhealthy diets are the leading risk factor for death in many countries of the world. The island populations of the world have the highest rates of noncommunicable disease (NCD), premature death and disability (e.g. strokes, amputations) from conditions like diabetes, hypertension and obesity. Among the underlying drivers of the NCD epidemic, unhealthy diets have the greatest contribution to risk for poor population health outcomes in islands. Overconsumption of unhealthy food is underpinned by food systems that make processed food (e.g. canned, packed, preserved) that are high in salt, sugar and trans fats as well as “fast food” -- convenient, inexpensive and easy to access. At the same time historical and structural drivers (e.g. colonization, militarization, urbanization) have displaced small and indigenous farmers and made production of local food from the land and sourced from the sea expensive and difficult to access. Westernization of the diet in islands is exacerbated by aggressive marketing of unhealthy food and easy availability of snacks and other food products that provide high caloric content but low nutritive value as well as an acquired taste for Western food that negates ancestral heritage and indigenous knowledge about "eating for health". This situation is related to trade policies, hence islands are in a dire situation where “We grow what we do not eat, and eat what we do not grow”. Changing the narrative around the notion of health and the relationship of food systems to population health is of critical importance. We define “health” as not just what is physical, but it includes the mental, social and spiritual dimensions of being. “Eating for health” therefore, is about food that meets the nutritional needs of the body, but also reinforces the “connectedness” of our sustenance to the land, the sea and the seasons. “We are what we eat” - articulates a holistic view of culture and identity in relation to a holistic view of food. Access to “natural” or “ancestral food” is inextricably linked to healing and recovery, especially when one is “unwell”. Eating what is locally produced entails “being comfortable in our own skin” and intuitively leads to balance. In some Pacific islands, people are insulted when taught what to eat. Eating is a natural process and should not be taught. It is important to understand the “natural context” of eating a healthy diet or “healthy eating” as an interaction between human beings in a social and ecological environment where nourishment can come from what is grown and gathered in one’s surroundings. There is a need to reassess the ecological resources for providing food within islands to include not just agriculture but aquaculture and the use of other resources like seaweed. Re-educating families, schools and communities about the benefits of producing and consuming local food is an uphill battle in the face of aggressive marketing and advertising of processed food. Educational institutions play a big role in ensuring that the youth experience food production as a part of learning science and culture. Tourism, the hospitality sector and the culinary arts are stakeholders and partners in promoting local food. Community leadership in shifting consumption to healthier diets is key. Read less

There was a near total convergence of thoughts and analysis in terms of the food systems as they exist now and already summarized above. We, however, recommend that a series of focused commodity based workshops held amongst the farmers and with other actors in the food systems. This will allow the relevant stakeholders to discuss issues pertaining to the development of the food system they all want. While these may be implemented on frequent bases, the results would be a solid view and resolution by the stakeholders on the food system they want that is perceived to be profitable for all and al... Read moreso addressing issues of environmental safety. Under the current arrangement where we tried to extract this issues through simultaneous group discussions in at least seven sub-groups, the kind of focus herein probed was not possible within that short period of time. Read less

Poultry Development Envisaged Piggery Food System: The Food System Producers want The farmers’ desire is to produce enough chicken meat and eggs meeting the demands of the country. This will be made possible by a local hatcheries that supply quality chicks, reliable supply of quality cages and feeding equipment and quality feed for the broilers and layers. Consistent access to water and agricultural sites will enable farmers to meet the standards of rearing, protect the communities against pollution, make expansion of enterprises possible and enable participation in formal markets. Farmers w... Read moreish for a poultry industry with functional aggregators and abattoirs in all the regions of the country. The guidance of service providers is central as knowledge and skills on proper rearing is of paramount importance. Women and youth are active in this industry and programs that support and capacitate them are much needed. 7.1 Current situation The participation of women and youth in poultry production is noticeable, but they are faced with challenges of food insecurity. Their desire and efforts could use support through trainings, organising them into groups and easy access to land and credit facilities. 7.2 Visionary statement To have an education system that grooms children into agriculture from a tender age, this will instill and encourage youth to be valuable to these enterprises as some still view poultry industry as inappropriate for them. A support system for women and youth who are already in the industry in the form of trainings among others to capacitate them with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in poultry production. Farmers envisage a future where women and youth have landholding rights and simplified means of renting or buying land for production. 7.3 Factors that can derail attainment of the vision Lack of training and support programmes to build on the required skills and knowledge to succeed in this enterprise. Policies and regulations that do not allow women and youth to have landholding rights and credit facilities could be another hindrance. Associations are needed for youth and women, to provide a platform where motivation will be drawn from each other, and this makes them easily reachable for trainings and other forms of capacitation. 7.4 Value chain linkages Layers Hatchery ------- Farmers -------- Markets and Consumer Broilers Chick Supplier------Producers-------Distributor-------Processor--------Market Interactions on poultry farming must include the following stakeholders: • Research and development • Policy makers • Private Sector • International Non-government organisations • Extension service providers • Farmers’ associations 7.5 Challenges • Lack of knowledge and skills on production • Poor quality and low quantity of produce needed in the markets • Lack of corporation within poultry farmers, as this would empower them to meet the demands of the market. 7.8 Solutions • Organising farmers to work collectively to meet the market demand. • Continuous and frequent trainings on bookkeeping, technical skills and knowledge for poultry production. • Financial aids for farmers in the form of loans and grants. • Establishment of an agricultural bank to meet the farmers’ financial needs. Read less

Dairy Development Envisaged Dairy Food System: The Food System Producers want Producers wish to produce good quality milk in adequate quantities to satisfy both local and international market demand, that is, they want to commercialize the dairy industry. Thus, a shift from purchasing feeds must be realized and emphasis be on fodder production as dairy cattle can potentially produce enough milk when crazed on fodder with limited supplementary feeding. Producers also perceive availability of milk collection centre in rural areas essential as that will cut off unnecessary costs and gravitate all... Read more the efforts towards improving the production and productivity. At least one processing plant must be established in every town and be independent but ensured that it is guided by and adhere to sound regulations. In an effort to accumulate more value on milk, processing must be diversified. This has proved to meet all customer needs and preferences whilst generating more revenue. Use of modern technology must be exploited especially during milking where producers should consider use of milking machines and Artificial Insemination during breeding. 6.1 Current situation The sub-sector is dominated by men, that is, women and youth are rarely involved in dairy industry. Thus, extension service has a lot of work to do to ensure that women and youth see value in this endeavor. 6.2 Visionary statement Sensitization and mobilization programmes must be pursued to capture women and youth interest and eventually inspire them to take action. The sole purpose should be to see women and youth actively engaged in rearing dairy cattle and earning a living. 6.3 Factors that can derail attainment of the vision Societal perceptions that this endeavour can only survive and be sustainable in the hands of men can cloud and even discourage women and youth to consider taking it. Moreover, the fact that they do not own capital assets such as land, makes it difficult for them to acquire credit for lack of collateral. Thus, awareness campaigns and intensive training by extension services and advocacy by civil societies on inclusion and support for women and youth is essential. 4.1 Value chain linkages Producer------ Aggregators-------Processors---------Markets and Consumers. 4.2 Challenges and solutions The biggest problem that hinders producers to participate in markets is low production which is attributable to high costs of feeds. Hence, it is important that educational programmes on fodder production be held for farmers to empower them. Read less

Wool and Mohair Development Envisaged Wool and Mohair Food System: The Food System Producers want First and foremost, producers perceive rangeland improvement very important in the improving of the industry. Thus, all relevant stakeholders must play their role to ensure sustainable rangeland management which will in turn improve productivity of wool and mohair in the country. Supplementary feeding was also highlighted as imperative so that when rangelands did not produce adequately due to several factors such as climate change, animals will still have feeds. They perceive the industry to have ... Read moreknowledgeable and skilled producers with technical backup support regarding fodder production and ration formulation. Farmers also confirmed that it is highly important to have local breeders so that the economy of the country increases. Currently, there are efforts to identify and train some of the progressive farmers to become breeders through WAMPP. There should be a consistent mountain of knowledge and skills to ensure that they produce stock that can compete in international markets so that farmers are not tempted to buy stock from outside the country. Establishment of parastatal premised on sound regulatory and institutional framework to govern wool and mohair activities in the country. Wool, specifically, is the number one agricultural commodity. Thus, government support is necessary for wool and mohair to immensely contribute to the economy of the country. The infrastructural development in woolsheds consistent with international woolsheds infrastructure must be developed. Lesotho has been producing wool and mohair for decades and selling to South Africa through brokers and livestock products marketing services (LPMS). However, there are no wool and mohair brands and this poses a challenge of how wool and mohair fibre can be sold in international markets. 5.1 Current situation Women and youth inclusion or participation in the wool and mohair industry is encouraging as it is roughly estimated at 70:30 for men and women and youth respectively. They still need trainings and exchange visits to progressive women farmers to inspire them to participate in large numbers.   5.2 Visionary statement Farmers envisaged active involvement of women and youth in equal numbers as men, competing in production of good quality wool and mohair. They foresee the industry re-engaging, attracting and maintaining youth particularly to be involved in wool and mohair processing. The sole purpose is to tap on their fresh and diverse mind creativity and innovativeness so to produce new designs of wool and mohair products that can attract international markets 5.3 Factors that can derail attainment of the vision Regulatory and institutional challenges that eventually results in the development of wool and mohair industrial policies and regulations that are silent about the needs of women and youth. Hence, numerous policy dialogue fora must be held where different stakeholders with women and youth at the centre, are brought together to consider how they can work and move together for the success of the industry. 5.4 Value chain linkages Breeder ------ Producer-------Wool and Mohair processors. 5.6 Challenges It was emphasized that wool is number one agricultural commodity in Lesotho, nevertheless, there are no niche markets developed – the country is not strategic regarding which markets to sell wool and mohair products. 5.7 Solutions There is dire need to establish niche markets where national wool and mohair products can competitively sell. Read less

4. Cereal Cropping Development Envisaged Cereal Food System: The Food System Producers want Farmers’ vision embrace increased production of cereals adequate to meet the country’s needs. This will be made possible by local availability of reliable suppliers of quality inputs that are suitable for our soils. Access to land regardless of age and gender is critical as this enables equal participation of all groups in cereal production. A future with farmers that are resilient to vulnerabilities and shocks, and access to contingency funds in such times. Formulation of plans and policies cognisa... Read morent to the current hindrances is urgent. Adoption of conservation and climate-smart agriculture are recommended to address the challenges brought by climate change must be upheld. 4.1 Current situation Males have landholding rights, while women and youth may have none, posing a challenge to their endeavours in this industry. High unemployment is forcing people to try other means of living that include agriculture, yet the desire of women and youth to tap into cereal production is stalled by lack of access to land, financial, technical skills and knowledge. 4.2 Visionary statement Equal access of all parties to land. Trainings and support tailored for women and youth to flourish in cereal production. Financial aids in the form of loans and grants to support the take-off and expansion of existing enterprises. 4.3 Factors that can derail attainment of the vision Lack of enforcement of land laws as agricultural sites are being given up for residential purposes. Lack of clear contracts on block farming. Land should be given to youth and women who are willing to venture in agricultural activities. 4.4 Value chain linkages Producers recommended that buyer-seller meetings and farmers’ market day are frequently held 4.5 Challenges Low production and quality of produce Lack of continuous open markets available to farmers Lack of education on markets Lack of joint operations by farmers 4.6 Solutions Trainings on participation in markets, technical skills and knowledge. Establishment of open markets for farmers to continually sell their produce. Establishment of commodity groups for collective yields that can meet market demands. Read less

Apiculture Development 3.1 Envisaged Apiculture Food System: The Food System Producers want Farmers dream to have different bee varieties to accumulate as much production and other products as possible. Access to sites that are suitable for bee farming to maximize yields and protect the communities. This will enable increased profits that will support farm livelihoods. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food security should negotiate with financial resource providers to create revolving funds that aid producers to buy modern equipment that support production of high quality and larger quantities.... Read more Farmers want to see beekeepers as empowered individuals who can run bee enterprises and compete in local and international markets. All the stakeholders successfully engaged from farm to fork. We need to secure sites that favour the production of different kinds of flowers. Exposure to educational trainings and field tours is much needed to develop the knowledge and skills required for production of bees. Similarly, business skills are also considered important. Local suppliers of the equipment could reduce the heavy costs. 3.2 Current situation Since the industry is still in its primary stage, it is too early to determine the extent to which women and youth participate in this industry. However, women and youth show interest but are discouraged by seasonal profits. 3.3 Visionary statement Farmers envision 60% of women and youth participating in beekeeping as this industry does not require weighty manpower, women and youth would do well. 3.4 Factors that can derail attainment of the vision Lack of knowledge and skills thus, training and exchange visits are imperative. 3.5 Value chain linkages Producer ------- Processor ---------Markets and Consumers 3.6 Challenges and solutions Locally produced honey is not available in the formal markets, as production is still very low and farmers are the ones who determine the selling prices without considering the market prices. Expertise on apiculture is needed. Read less

2. Fruits and Vegetable Development Envisaged Fruits and Vegetables Food System: The Food System Producers want Farmers envisage a food system where research station is actively involved in generating technologies that adapt to the local environment. Reliable input supplies of high quality standards must be ensured. Access to agricultural land must be granted to those who have interest in engaging large scale production at reasonable costs. The need to grow diversification of production should go beyond canning and drying must be overemphasized. Farmers wants to see fruits and vegetable produc... Read moretion undertaken in protective structures to protect against harsh environmental conditions. Sensitization of insurance companies to establish agricultural insurance is imperative. Continual and regular trainings to capacitate farmers on upcoming technologies. Ensure use of climate smart agriculture given unending climatic challenges. Organic farming must be rapidly explored as it yields high profits. To ascertain this vision, farmers recommended that adequate budgetary allocations be considered to ensure that research develops, test and adapt technologies and for extension to disseminate and equip farmers with the skills and knowledge to implement the technologies. Formulation of policies that harmonize the operations of different stakeholders to avoid duplication and waste of resources are also necessary. 2.1 Current situation Participation of women and youth in horticulture is relatively lower than that of males and there are no support programmes for women and youth. They are disadvantaged in terms of possession of land resources. 2.2 Visionary statement There should be education and support programmes that are specifically developed for youth and women to enable them to participate in production of fruits and vegetables. Equal access to land as their male counterparts. 2.3 Factors that can derail attainment of the vision Perceptions that horticultural endeavor is more inclined to males given the labor requirements which might explain the lack of interest of women and youth. In order to develop capacity of women, custom-made education and support programmes must be developed to encourage them to participate, these include field days where motivation can be instigated from other women that are already in the industry. Promote equipment that does not require immense manpower. 2.4 Value chain linkages Research and development------Input suppliers-------Primer------production-----Harvesting------aggregation------storage------Packaging--------Distribution------agro processing------Markets and consumers The farmer plays almost every role, as they produce, process and take the products to markets. 2.6 Challenges • Low and unsustainable production hinders the farmer from participating in formal markets as they require reliable and consistent supply. • Lack of farmers’ dialogue sessions to discuss different aspects of a product from farm to folk was considered as a stumbling block towards participation in local trading and marketing. • Farmers are not organized in cooperatives but in silos that hinder them to produce adequate quantities to meet the market demands. • Producers do not meet contract farming agreement requirement due to unreliable supply and lack of bodies that regulate quality standards. • Producers do not have relevant technical and managerial skills consequent to poor extension services to produce quality marketable products. 2.6 Solutions • Introduce frequent producer meetings to discuss different production aspects. • Develop horizontal and horizontal networks that link all players. • Introduce aggregation sector and promote contract farming. • Conduct value chain and skills capacity development trainings. • Conduct farmer buyer forums to pave way for the producer producer-buyer expectations. Read less

Piggery Development Envisaged Piggery Food System: The Food System Producers want Producers perceive access to agricultural lands as the most important especially because piggery industry requires well-drained sites far from homestead. Production of breeding stock was highlighted imperative since the standards can easily be regulated and breeding material storage be established. The dream is to have stable and sustainable piggery production, through adequate production to meet the demand and supply international markets. The necessary prerequisites should include: established local input suppl... Read moreies, access to financial recourses, continuous technical support from extension service providers, diversification of piggery products to increase income and active participation in formal markets. The importance of having access to proper sites cannot be over emphasized because the piggery industry require proper drainage systems to protect the environment. The voice of the producers with special attention to women and youth must be considered in the formulation of policies, incorporating among others e-extension services and the clientele be empowered to use these ICT platforms. Open trade needs regulation based on local supply levels. 1.1 Current situation There is a growing involvement of women and youth in piggery industry, with the majority operating at subsistence level and only a few smallholder producers participating in the markets. There are limited agricultural competitive grants in the form of projects that have specified tenure, implying that only a few have access to financial aid. Women and youth do not possess land and this stalls up scaling of enterprises and access to credit facilities. Women and youth in piggery enterprises have technical needs such as know-how on executing veterinary operations. 1.2 Visionary statement Active involvement of women and youth to undertake the piggery industry successfully where their voices are heard and have access to the necessary resources needed for an enterprise to be stable and sustainable. There should be equitable distribution of land to women and youth to enable maximized production and participation in the markets. 1.3 Factors that can derail attainment of the vision Policies that are formulated following a top-down supply driven approaches that do not consider the voices of women and children. To keep the sectorial vision on the rail, policy dialogues giving women and youth an opportunity to give opinions. The UN agencies, non-governmental organization's and national farmers’ unions (LENAFU) provide technical support and hold farmers’ forums where farmers can discuss issues in the industry. 1.4 Value chain linkages Breeder------producer-------market (formal and informal) consumer 1.5 Challenges • Low and unsustainable production. • Most producers operate as individuals and cannot meet the market demands. • Absence of a regulatory body of standards. • Lack of skills to produce acceptable products in the markets, and this reflects lack of extension services. 1.6 Solutions • Establishment of agricultural innovation grants to support farmers and easy access to financial resources. • Farmers be organized to work as groups to encourage collective yields that can meet market demands. Out grower contracts that entails sub-contracting of smallholder farmers by developed producers also makes it possible to meet market demands, thus enabling participation in local trading and marketing. • Establishment of an authoritative body to regulate and enforce adherence to standards. • There is a need for frequent monitoring by extension service providers. 1.7 Coalition of Farmers and other Local Stakeholders that Facilitate and Manage the Agricultural Innovation Process A structure that allows interaction among and between all stakeholders using stakeholder forums, group social media, regular meetings. Read less

The main finding for all commodity groups point to a food system stuck in a subsistence production node trying hard to make a transition to a semi-commercial /commercial value chain point. Two livestock commodities are a model for all others. These are the wool and mohair on the one hand, and the dairy production on the other. The first is anchored by a National Wool and Mohair Association which dates back to the 1950s when a drive was initiated to improve the breeding and selection of Angora goats and Merino sheep as the mainstay of the wool and mohair industry. The production node is charact... Read moreerized by a collective of smallhoder farmers depending on intensive grazing in the rangeland commons. It has also been supported by government subsidies in terms of veterinary services and supply of drugs. The greatest failure of the wool and mohair industry has been the inability to develop a processing node in Lesotho rather than exporting a raw product. The natural resource dependence of this industry is often blamed for the current environmental problems in the rangelands commons characterized by soil erosion and land degradation. The second is the dairy industry. This also has evolved under promotion of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security over the last 50 years. The mainstay of the food system has been the promotion of Brown Swiss and Freesian dairy breeds and government support of the breeding improvement programs. This is also plagued by dependence on South African fodder supply because the farming systems in Lesotho have failed to fill up the niche for fodder production with investment in the appropriate farm level technologies to drive and support fodder production. There is a decentralized milk aggregation system in the lowland districts with local district town based milk collection centers supplying the milk processing plant in the capital city. The processing plant has a recognized dairy brand, processed as fresh-pasteurized and sour milk products which has successfully penetrated the wholesale and retail chain stores in Lesotho. Despite this moderately strong footprint in the economy, this odd foot system lacks processing diversity into other milk products and is as a whole plugged by the subsistence supply constraints at the production node of the value chain. The third is the poultry industry with two sub-systems of egg and broiler production. This food chain has evolved under a strong support and subsidy of the Government of Lesotho. The performance of this food system has fluctuated significantly since its inception and has experienced its fair share of political and corruption shocks over time. The feed supply supporting system has always been strongly South African although the emergence of the local flour mills provided a strong local investment in animal feeds which continues to the present day albeit strong competition. The chick supply value chain node has also been characterized by lack of investment locally rendering its dependent on import of chicks and/or laying point chickens. In the early days of the egg industry, a national aggregator system emerged in the form of the now defunct Egg Cycle Institution which was a private sector cooperative initiative with decentralized collection and marketing centers throughout Lesotho. At its height, the institution could meet the egg demand of the country to the exclusion of the South African import. It will suffice to day the institution was shocked to extinction by political and corruption forces within the food system. Currently, the marketing node of the egg industry is disorganized at best but still has a strong weak footprint in the local supply chains although the lions share of the local market is dominated by imports. The broiler production, was similarly promoted and supported by the Government. The production node of the value chain in this food system is also characterized by subsistence level production chains from small farms a few hundreds to large farms of 1000s of broilers. The stock supply chain has gone from failed Government attempts to catalyze chicken supply farms to the current system fully dependent on broiler chick imports anchored by local private sector business players playing a middle man role. Local investment drives for chick production in this sub-sector have been tried but success are far outnumbered by failures despite the apparent potential of the industry. This includes attempts at local aggregation through local investment in abattoirs or slaughter houses. The local demand for poultry meat products far outstrips the supply capacity hence a very strong import supply into the country. The crop based sub-systems of the food chain i.e. cereal production and horticulture (vegetables and fruits) reported a consensus that the current state of the food system is rudimentary and undeveloped. It is characterized by subsistence level operations for production with farm gate sales with undeveloped value chains. In horticulture, in particular, the production nodes are characterized by lack of investment in irrigation and protected agriculture initiatives. There is, however, an emerging World Bank supported initiative for fruit production with potential to provide niche production of fruits with a lead time of about two weeks ahead of the South African supply chain. The system was put to a test in the current season and was able to supply high quality apples for a period of three months with import channels closed. Read less

The following guided the dialogue process on our selected commodities for the discussion; (i) Advancing equity, openness, and fairness in the governance of value chains, including in international trade, (ii) Enhancing availability and equitable access to factors of production, (iii) Technological innovations and adaptations, (iv) Investing in the next generation of farmers, (v) Shifting to sustainable and nature positive production, (vi) Priorities for public and development investments Our focus was rolled out into two key steps: The first was to analyze in detail the current state of food s... Read moreystems by commodity in Lesotho. This was a force field analysis of the current state of food systems. 1. This was set to built towards a farmers’ position paper/ statement on the Food system they want covering the following issues: 1.1 Externalization of production processes, to ensure profit maximization by the farmers and bearing the consequences for humans and the environment. In these output, we shall seek to design systems’ structures and functions as they occur in the current real world as the basis on which a positive concept then identifies points of entry for desirable systems’ changes (Positive Approach) Questions for Discussion a) Please outline the structure of the food system for your specific commodity. Who are the players? What are the key nodes in the structure? b) What are the factors limiting production, productivity, profit margins, farm livelihoods and the environment in your commodity? For each factor, please identify entry points for improvement of current systems. ii) How are these factors affecting your production processes? iii) How are these factors affecting productivity? iv) How are these factors affecting profits? v) How are these factors affecting farm livelihoods? vi) How are these factors affecting the environment? 1.2 A normative statement for a Lesotho Food System that farmers want. The statement shall indicate capacity to deliver immediate benefits to farmers and provide a vision for other value chain players. At this level, we shall seek to postulate a set of objectives and aims to shape the systems to serve the stated objectives of a desired food system. Question for Discussion a) Make visionary statement of the Lesotho you want in agriculture. b) What factors will influence your capacity to deliver immediate benefits? c) Provide vision statements of the value chains in your commodity. 1.3 A participatory, systems-oriented innovation concept statement emphasizing capacity strengthening of farmers with particular attention to women and youth empowerment. Here we seek to take a positive approach to improve the existing system structure. Questions for Discussion a) Analyze the situation in your commodity today? b) Where would you want to be in 10 years’ time? c) What factors can derail your vision and dreams for the farmer you want to be? d) What factors can derail your sectoral vision for the sector you want to be? e) What capacity development is needed to keep your sectoral vision on the rails. f) List and discuss any capacity development needs particular to women and youth? 1.4 A statement on the food system or value-chain approach that link farmers and local traders to markets. Questions for Discussion (Force Field Analysis) a) Please project (futurist) a value chain system that links your commodity to local traders and markets nationally? b) What are the constraints in your commodity that limits your participation in local trading and marketing arena in your districts and Lesotho? c) Please make suggestions on how these challenges can be overcome. 1.5 Formation of a loosely structured coalition of farmers and other local stakeholders that facilitate and manage the agricultural innovation process. The objective here is to explore complementarity of the positive and normative approaches in the theory of food systems. Questions for Discussion a) Please design a network structure (s) that can help your commodity association /club and other local stakeholders (consumers, traders) to facilitate and manage the agricultural innovation process in your commodity. Read less

* Participants recognized the inherent link between environment and trade, and the importance of sustainable production and consumption, but differed on whether sustainability should be embedded into our trade ecosystem and what such an approach would entail given differing approaches and measurement and fear over trade barriers. Preference was noted for a balanced and integrated approach to sustainable agriculture that reflects the unique opportunities and challenges of Canadian agriculture. * Diverging viewpoints on whether farmers are receiving the right signal from government and the marke... Read moret. Farmers need to see the value to their farm, and be financially compensated to account for additional time, cost, and resource burden. Farmers cannot pass on the costs, as they have little to no influence on price. Many of the farmer participants raised the trade-off between regulatory and incentive levers and the importance of transparency and showcasing the value of the proposed approach before deciding on a path forward. Read less

Discussion question 4 -- The Food Systems Summit calls on everyone, everywhere to mobilize towards action. How do we learn from each other? Identify one way that we can work together. * The integrated nature of our food system, as well as inclusiveness and collaboration between actors were common themes. Participants expressed a need for various actors to learn from each other and collaborate on solutions. We are stronger together. * Primary agriculture should adopt a larger food systems perspective and explore opportunities to further engage in food systems conversations to pursue a more inte... Read moregrated and comprehensive approach and understanding. * Build better connections between farmers, markets, and food retailers. Read less

Discussion question 3 -- What policy levers are needed to both influence change and support the growth of different markets for the food systems for the future? * Food system actors need to work together to articulate policy asks in unison, so the government receives appropriate signals and is empowered to develop the strongest, most effective policy approach. Those most impacted should be engaged in development and design. * Policy approaches should look at how to de-risk access to different markets, to create an enabling environment for innovation, and to attract more value-added processing ... Read morenationally (food production in Canada). Many of the solutions focused on regulatory improvements such as reducing barriers to inter-provincial trade, improving Canada’s processing competitiveness, addressing labour shortages, and bringing more technologies to farmers. * Policy levers should focus on incentivizing and not regulating changes in behaviour. Alternatives options or innovations need to be available before regulation or policies are set if widespread change is expected. Selecting appropriate baselines and recognizing local and regional context also strengthens policy development. A competitive environment is required to attract investment in value-added processing. Consumer choice and individual needs should be respected (price, locale production method.). * Policy levers, investment strategies and approaches should reflect Canada’s geographical size and terrain, climate, and population diversity. * Adherence to rules-based trade and recognition of global standards significantly increases resiliency of our food systems. Read less

Discussion question 2 -- The development of different markets – local, regional, national, and international – is core to a vibrant Canadian food system. Too often they are viewed as mutually exclusive. What synergies exist and how can they be leveraged? * Participants were asked to consider the trade-offs between different markets. From a Canadian context, viewing markets separately was seen as myopic as it fails to account for interlinkages, existing barriers and necessities related to size and geography. Canada is made up of various local, regional, national, and internationally focused... Read more markets (imports and exports) where food is required to move from areas of surplus to deficit to meet consumer food demands and sustain the livelihoods of those who rely on agriculture and food production. Imports are required to adequately provide for the food and nutrition needs of Canadians whereas exports support a vibrant agriculture and food sector. * Recognizing and capitalizing on existing synergies were viewed as important. An understanding of supply chains and interlinkages needs to be considered. To maximize production and reduce food waste, sub-products and their markets also need to be understood. For example, soybean meal for feed is a by-product of food and oil as is using all parts of the animal. It was also noted that the ability to access both domestic and international markets was integral to attracting private sector investment to Canada. Read less

Discussion question 1 -- Action Track 5 is looking at how to increase resiliency to vulnerabilities, shocks, and stress to achieve food system transformations. How do we create more resilient markets? * International trade will play a central role in addressing some of the challenges experienced by our food systems. The COVID-19 health crisis had the potential to become a food crisis nationally, but decisions to keep borders open to goods and essential services and not impose trade restrictions maintained functional supply chains and mitigated impact. Concern with growing protectionism was not... Read moreed, as was modernization of the World Trade Organizations and global food safety standards to provide predictability and mitigate risk (from external shocks and stresses). * Complementary to international trade, participants expressed interest in building stronger domestic markets – examples cited were value added on the Prairies and national fresh food and vegetables. Diversified market opportunities ensure resiliency by providing opportunities for farmers, reducing over-reliance on one country, supplier, crop, and product type, and ensuring more stable food supply. Participants expressed various benefits to processing raw commodities closer to production (jobs, economic development, hedge against international trade volatility) and shared potential opportunities. Various barriers were noted including Canada’s smaller population base, its geographic size and diversity, scalability, and its regulatory environment. * COVID-19 exasperated Canada’s systemic labour shortage in the agriculture and food sector. Restrictions to the movement of people (within and outside of Canada) and increased health and safety precautions placed significant pressure on our system from production, processing, packaging, and delivery. Canada’s fresh fruit and vegetable supply, livestock and seasonal products were most impacted jeopardizing production (fresh food cannot wait) and availability of food to consumers. * Various examples throughout the supply chain on how innovation can drive solutions were provided. At the farm-level, farmers require a complete toolbox, including biotechnology and crop inputs, to respond to evolving agronomic, disease and consumer pressures and to both mitigate the impact of climate change and contribute to global climate change goals. One size does not fit all, and any efforts to remove technology or apply a singular approach was viewed as counterproductive to the larger SDG and FSS goals. Farmer participants noted concern with singular, prescriptive approaches, such as agroecology and regenerative agriculture, and their applicability to a Canadian context. For value-added, innovation can drive increased productivity in Canada’s food supply (robotics) and address labour shortages. For consumers, clarity in labelling and improvements in packaging to support sustainable consumption (recycling, extends shelf life, portion sizes). Read less

While various themes emerged and solutions were shared by panelists and participants, common themes emerged. 1) Trade Resilient Ecosystems. A trade resilient ecosystem will provide predictable rules to manage disruptions from external market shocks and to safeguard our food systems from instability. 2) Trade-off between international and local markets. Market diversification activities (local, regional, international) can be pursued with little or no trade-off. Many interlinkages and synergies already exist and can be leveraged to strengthen and enhance our food system. An enabling policy and ... Read moreregulatory environment can protect food safety and enable sustainable consumption while encouraging private sector involvement. 3) Investments in value added and domestic food production. Strong value added and local and regional food systems are needed to increase consumer choice/availability of domestic food supplies and diversify market risk. Increased investment, innovation, and productivity can overcome existing barriers. 4) Innovation to advance system transformations Innovation throughout the supply chain from farm to consumers will drive transformations related to nature positive agriculture, sustainable consumption, food safety and food waste. No one size fits all, and different national/regional approaches, farm sizes and production practices need to be recognized. 5) Non-traditional partnerships. Increased collaboration and non-traditional partnerships are needed to drive a food-systems approach. Partnerships between primary agriculture, dieticians, food retailers and civil society, such as environmental non-government organizations or consumer groups, would create stronger, more collaborative approaches. 6) Policy levers and incentives. Policy should focus on enabling and incentivizing change (and not regulating). Alternative options or products need to be available before widespread change can be expected. Creating economic incentives, selecting appropriate data baselines, and recognizing local and regional context will strengthen engagement in sustainability measures. A competitive environment is required to attract investment in value-added processing. Read less

The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector has placed significant focus to continuously improve the sustainability of agricultural production and its contribution to our national and internationally food systems. As we move towards 2030, Canadian agriculture has a role to play in sharing our learnings, determining areas for further enhancements, and offering solutions for our future food systems. The dialogue brought together a diverse set of food system actors to discuss what has worked best in the development of domestic and international markets for Canada and what “big ideas” are ne... Read moreeded advance food system transformation. It had the dual purpose of ensuring the best global outcome while positioning Canada as a sustainable supplier of food in the markets of today and the future created from the Food System Summit. Access to a variety of markets (local, regional, national, and international) is a critical component to building a resilient farm and agriculture sector in Canada and around the globe and to mitigating the impact of vulnerabilities, shocks, and stresses – ACTION TRACK 5. Markets are not homogenous and occur at local, regional, national, and international levels. These markets coexist and intersect and, with proper policy and guidance, can transform the future of our food systems to deliver innovative socio, environmental and economic solutions. Core to any food systems are opportunities for farmers to sell what they produce. Markets connect farmers and consumers to opportunity enabling product diversity, nutritious food, and sustainable production and consumption. More largely they support vibrant family farms and rural communities by providing an important risk management function and a strong foundation to advance the Sustainable Development Goals. Canadian agriculture is rooted both domestically and internationally. Whether it be cereals, pulses, canola, soybeans, beef, pork or value-added products, Canada’s agriculture and food system relies on trade. Farmers can sustainably produce high-quality products but, as it stands, our domestic market alone lacks scale and is too small to support all of the Canadians who earn a living in agriculture and food and to ensure the efficiencies of scale to guarantee national food supplies. More largely, Canada imports food to ensure and sustain adequate food supplies and security. While Canada is a trading nation, new value added and farm to fork opportunities and increasing pressures on our food systems are creating new markets domestically. Consumers’ increasing interest in and support for local, regional and national food provides additional opportunities to diversify and to generate healthy food systems. Many successful farm-to-fork businesses have emerged to fill this space, as well investment in renewable fuels to advance our climate change goals. The Dialogue explored the role these different markets play in advancing food system transformations, the interplay, and solutions to increase nutrition and sustainable consumption, to boost environmental sustainability and to achieve more equitable livelihoods and resilience. The major focus was the creation of resilient markets, identification of existing synergies, policy levers to influence change and the food systems of our future and opportunities to better learn from each other and work together. Read less