Explore Official Dialogue Feedback

Southern Africa faces an uphill battle to achieve food and water security. Research shows that roughly 43% of the region is either arid or semiarid and that 70% of its people rely on rain-fed agriculture. These circumstances have been worsened by unusual times – bringing age-old questions back to the fore – such as can Southern Africa feed itself and does the region have enough water to do so? The United Nations Food Systems (UNFSS) Southern Africa dialogue attempted to answer these questions and provide some solutions. The dialogue unpacked the way food systems can be localized and transf... Read moreormed in a water-constrained region in such a way that acknowledges WEF nexus linkages, promotes regional trade and enhances equity and inclusion. The UNFSS Southern Africa dialogue highlighted six key thematic areas on which participants were required to engage in an interactive manner that allowed for small group discussion, collective brainstorming, and agenda-setting. The thematic areas covered by breakout groups were: 1). Moving towards low carbon energy for food production; 2). Climate change impacts on water and food security; 3). Policy coherence and institutional coordination in water, food, energy and climate change that operationalize the WEF nexus; 4). Advancing technical WEF models, tools and frameworks for decision making at multiple scales; 5). Putting nature back in the WEF nexus: towards resilient food landscapes; and 6). Community approaches to operationalize the WEF nexus. Each group was required to discuss a series of prompt questions, with an overarching key question in each of the breakout discussions. The questions were: 1. How can we sustainably produce more food in the region using low greenhouse gas energy sources? 2. How can we sustainably enhance food security without compromising water security in the context of climate change? 3. What practical steps can/should be taken to ensure policy coherence and institutional coordination to improve water, energy and food security in the region? 4. How can WEF nexus models/tools facilitate new understanding of interdependencies and trade-offs in the WEF nexus, as well as foster data sharing and enhanced decision-making in the region? 5. How do we build more resilient food and livelihood systems while protecting critical water sources, biodiversity, and other ecosystem services? 6. How can we promote equity and inclusion in WEF nexus governance to create opportunities for transformation towards more just food, water and energy systems? Using interactive virtual facilitation tools such as jamboards, mentimeter, and mural, with collective brainstorming approaches such as the 3-Horizon approach, facilitators guided breakout discussion participants in identifying actions in the next 3 years that will have the greatest impact on the discussion topic, determinants of success of those actions, and partnership arrangements that need to be prioritized etc. Read less

The main area of divergence was related to how to understand the role of women in food systems. Some people posed a traditional role for women, for example: educating women so that they feed other people well. That is, planning a nutritional education so that women make good decisions, taking 100% responsibility for their reality and the reality of their family, when the conditions in which they daily live do not allow them. On the other hand, some people brought a more transformative view of the role of women in food systems.

#5 For Action Track 5 it was concluded that the following were the key solutions: Equitable livelihoods and redistribution of value Articulate actions against gender-based violence in rural areas, such as physical, economic and patrimonial violence. Promote legislative and parliamentary actions for gender parity and the incorporation of an intercultural perspective in decision-making. Promote the recognition of rural women leaders, as well as grassroots organizations and movements of indigenous and Afro-descendant women. Rethink the mechanisms of social protection and care to achieve a shared ... Read moreresponsibility between men and women. Establish funds and financing mechanisms to make these proposals possible. Read less

#4 For Action Track 4 it was concluded that the following were the key solutions: Resilience in adverse situations Ensure equitable access for women to credit and insurance. Mobilize social protection and care policies for rural women with gender-sensitive budgets, allocating resources and coordinating initiatives in the territories. Increase the availability of information that allows better analysis of difficulties, gaps and roles of women in food systems.

#3 For Action Track 3 it was concluded that the following were the key solutions: Positive production for nature Incorporate the gender approach in sustainable agricultural policies and make it possible through action plans and the articulation of participatory and multisectoral platforms. Promote the association and organization of women producers, from an intercultural perspective. Introduce clear measures so that women have better access to financing, technology, information, and training.

#2 For Action Track 2 it was concluded that the following were the key solutions: Change in consumption patterns Make visible the ancestral knowledge and knowledge of rural, indigenous, and Afro-descendant women on food and agrobiodiversity. Promote the participation of consumer organizations to strengthen education and access to information on healthy eating.

#1 For Action Track 1 it was concluded that the following were the key solutions: Access to safe and nutritious food Incorporate the gender approach in regulations, policies, and productive and food security programs. Promote community education initiatives in nutritional matters, with cultural relevance and co- responsibility between women and men. Strengthen specific institutions such as women's ministries and policies for the promotion of production for women.

The main finding of the Regional Dialogue was the need to work with gender transformative, intersectional and intersectoral approach, in all sectors. In this way, it was agreed that to achieve food and nutrition security and to contribute to the sustainable development it is fundamental to pay attention to women’s rights (SDG 5).

The transformation of food systems is a political, economic and environmental issue, but above all it is a question of gender equality. The stark inequalities experienced by women and girls are both a cause and a result of unsustainable food systems, unfair access to food, consumption and production. Addressing gender injustice and truly empowering women is not only a fundamental prerequisite for transforming food systems, but also a goal in itself. Shaping food systems so that they are conducive to gender equality requires a combination of improved knowledge, sound policies, regulations and i... Read morenvestments throughout the production and consumption process. We need to reframe how we view women and food systems from mainly focusing on the role of women as producers and consumers to thinking about how food and agricultural systems contribute or can contribute to the process of empowering women and how these systems can create an environment conducive to the equal exercise of women's rights. There is also need for a special attention on climate change, urging us to observe “how women's responses to climate change strengthen the resilience of food systems” and “how women can be empowered to lead the development of climate-resilient food and agriculture systems”. A fair, transformative and gender equitable food system can be defined as one that allows countries, communities, households, and men and women, to have what is necessary to produce enough food and have the access to it, for their families and populations through sustainable, environmentally sound and climate resilient practices that favour gender equity and equality. As part of the preparations for the Food Systems Summit, we proposed a regional gender dialogue to engage with governments and the regional integration mechanisms, civil society organizations, indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples, academia, the private sector and agencies of the United Nations System, to discuss the challenges and pathways for the development of a gender just, transformative and equitable food system that allows the full exercise of the rights and empowerment of women in Latin America and the Caribbean. Specifically, the regional dialogue on gender and food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean has identified: (i) a set of solutions and commitments for gender equality in food systems (ii) a regional position on what commitments are needed to achieve gender equality in food systems for the UN Food Systems Summit. The discussions were organized into 5 working groups on each of the action tracks of the Food Systems Summit. Also, there was a sixth English-speaking working group, which worked the 5 action tracks. Attendees were invited to register and select the action track in which they wish to participate. Each group has identified 3 concrete actions/solutions in favor of gender equality and the empowerment of women in the food systems of the region. Each working group had a moderator and a note taker. At the end of the discussion, the three game changing solutions of each group were presented in the screen for general comments. Read less

On the day the dialogue was to be convened, we noticed a gender disparity caused by tradition and culture in the coastal communities on arrival. The dialogue date coincided with the community fishing day; they are in their fishing season. All the men and youth were out in the thick forests leaving only the women at home. This calls for advocacy, awareness creation and sensitization on gender equality and inclusion of the indigenous women for a sustainable food system. In the course of the dialogue, the participants complained that prior before now, the perennial flooding that occur in their co... Read moreastal communities usually happens around August till October every year. But in this year 2021, it rained for three consecutive days non-stop between 10th and 12th of April and all their cultivated farmlands were washed away by floods. When this kind of thing happens, they don’t get any form of help or intervention from anywhere, majority of the farmers cannot afford to buy seeds and other farm inputs to replant or cultivate back their farms, causing greater danger to food insecurity and on their livelihoods. We took the remaining part of the discussions to the fishermen where they are carrying out their activities and captured them in pictures as shared in the official feedback form. Read less

1. Ecosystem Restoration through the planting of crops with different characteristics together in one place will recover lost food heritages and provide abundance of different food varieties. 2. There will be restoration and recovery of various fish stocks, other aquatics in our wild rivers and trees in the forests. 3. Increase in income and improved livelihoods of indigenous people, smallholder farmers and fishermen households. 4. Community resilience can be achieved through community enterprise and infrastructural development.

After an interactive and robust discussions with our indigenous people, the following conclusions emerged from our Dialogue: 1. We need to scale up indigenous knowledge and promote generational knowledge transfer that is rapidly dying out due to the pressures of food security and urban rural migration through adequate collaboration and partnerships with stakeholders at the national, state, local government levels, civil society organizations and the private sector. 2. To build indigenous people’s skills with sustainable technology and digital tools that will integrate trainings, research and... Read more service to community to close the gender gap and enhance sustainable food systems. 3. Indigenous people are closer to nature and the importance of indigenous knowledge cannot be overemphasized because traditional farming practices are more ecologically sensitive, nature friendly and sustainable. We suggested linking grassroots organizations in need of funding with financial/donor institutions that are looking to finance green initiatives to consolidate more on the diversification of our biodiversity and enhance sustainable food systems. 4. Research institutions, Universities, civil society organizations and private sectors should be made to provide capacity building training and agricultural technologies solutions to these indigenous people in the socially and economically disadvantaged communities. We shouldn't leave it for the government alone. 5. To be mainstreamed in our policy making that agriculture should be seen as a business and not just a culture that can provide financial as well as ecological returns to our households, community and the planet. 6. There is an urgent call to action to empower the indigenous women and youth from the disadvantaged and underserved coastal communities to mobilize and become the core of generational knowledge transfer facilitating development that spreads from not just farmer to farmer but also to the children in their households and also the men in their lives. 7. It is of utmost importance to carve out tailor-made solutions not just based on research alone but according to farmers needs and provide market access and linkages, mobilizing resources and harnessing partnerships for greater leverage, innovation, and impact on nature, people, livelihoods and our ecosystems. Read less

Our Dialogue focused on identification of ways to reduce the risk of food production caused by climate crisis and the engagement of indigenous people’s knowledge and empowerment of marginalized and vulnerable people to create a sustainable food system. Indigenous people and smallholder farmers understand the environmental, climate, social, economic, and health impacts of our complex food systems. Participants suggested that to reduce the risk of food production caused by climate crisis, we need to diversify and sustain production strategies that is customized to our geolocations, cultures an... Read mored different variety of crops. In shaping the transformation of food systems, indigenous peoples and smallholder farmers are to be given a place at the table with other key stakeholders to scale up their indigenous knowledge as recommendations are being developed and implemented. On the conservation of our food heritage: Challenges posed by the extinction of our various food varieties and the way forward and challenges to food systems sustainability caused by the impact of climate change on our environment in the coastal communities. The participants robustly discussed on the conservation of food heritage and ensuring food security for ecologically vulnerable and socially marginalized coastal communities of indigenous farmers and fishermen, concluded as follows: i) Customize technology innovations and solutions to fit into indigenous farmers geography and climate as a strategy for boosting nature positive production. ii) Also, detection of warnings and early or late planting of different crops to mitigate against floods, droughts and other threats/natural disasters building resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks and threats. While exploring indigenous people and small-scale fishermen knowledge and ideas in ensuring the long-term viability of our fish stocks and aquatics for sustainable food systems and indigenous people’s knowledge on sustainable management of our forests to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of our territorial ecosystems. Participants acknowledged that provision of irrigation facilities and small dams using our water-bodies littered all over the place to increase production capacity of smallholder farmers for food security will create a sustainable food system. Discussing the exploration of indigenous people’s knowledge, skills and experiences to halt biodiversity loss and create abundance of food varieties, it was noted that equipping the indigenous people with the technical know-how to increase productivity both in crop production and fishing in wild rivers and provision of quality and improved seed varieties on our alluvial soils to increase crop yields is of utmost importance to ensure access to safe and nutritious food for all. Provision of storage facilities and value-addition through processing to encourage the availability and affordability of food all year round; post-harvest handling and management to curb food loss, glut and wastage will also create a tremendous shift to sustainable consumption patterns. Provision of access roads to farm locations for easy off-take of produce to where they are needed was also mentioned. Access to finance and other project interventions by indigenous people in the disadvantaged and underserved communities. Women and youth participants also clamored to be engaged not only as producers but also as food processors; provision of localized support for them on access to funding and digital financial inclusion for processing and marketing will promote equitable livelihoods. Read less