Let us cultivate a food system that is healthy and sustainable, nature positive, resilient, and make sure the access to good nutrition as well as decent livelihood for all. We believe, nature will permit a prompt response if we can move forward meaningfully, because, “Whenever life can grow, it will. It will sprout out, and do the best it can”.

Food Security and nutrition is an essential component of the Sustainable Development Goals. The second goal of sustainable development aims to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, as well as promote sustainable agriculture within 2030. Since we are only nine years behind from the end of the time horizon to achieve these goals, the world is witnessing increasing conflict, mass displacement, climate vulnerabilities, economic slowdowns and declines, public health emergencies, and so on. These devastative human experiences have only heightened the challenges of the SDG goals and undermined food security around the world. In these circumstances, the United Nations (UN) is going to organize a Food System Summit with the global stakeholders of food systems, in September 2021, in conjunction with the UN general assembly. This is called a peoples’ summit. Everyone is encouraged to be reinforced from its resources, and act for transforming the world food systems to accelerate the achievement of the sustainable development goals within its timeframe. All the country, the global leader, the people, the networks, and organizations are highly invigorated to hold diversified dialogues to this cause. We, Bangladesh Civil Society Network for Promoting Nutrition (BCSNPN) and Eminence Associates for Social Development, want to contribute to this global food security and nutrition movement. As a part, we are holding Bangladesh Independent Food Systems Dialogue on a virtual platform, on August 24, as a day-long program with a series of five discussions on five different topics.

Thematic Areas of the Dialogue:

• Human access to nutritious food.
• Shifting diets for healthier and more sustainable consumption.
• Nature-friendly food production.
• Decent livelihood for all who are involved in the food system.
• Resilient food system.

Discussion Topics of the Dialogue:

• How Can We Ensure the Access to Safe and Nutritious Food for All?
• The Role of Women and Young People in Shifting the Diet Consumption Patterns towards Healthy and Sustainable Diets.
• Natural Food Production in Twenty-first Century: Obstacles and Opportunities.
• The Challenges and Chances for Decent Livelihood of the Farmers and Other Food Labors in Bangladesh.
• Peoples’ Engagement for Tackling Vulnerabilities, Shocks, and Stress to Make the Food System Resilient.