Transforming Food Systems for Improved Nutrition

On April 26, 2019, from 12:00 – 14:30 in FAO’s German Room, the Private Sector Mechanism (PSM) of the UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS) will host an event in Rome to present forward-looking policy recommendations to be considered for inclusion in the Voluntary Guidelines on Food Systems and Nutrition. This event will provide an opportunity to have a first exchange of views on these recommendations with CFS stakeholders. It will also show how the Guidelines could significantly contribute to transforming food systems to deliver food that is available, affordable, acceptable, safe and of adequate quantity and quality. The PSM believes that the Nutrition Guidelines will help achieve the global nutrition goals and the agenda 2030. 

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Background 

In 2018, CFS endorsed the Terms of Reference for the preparation of the CFS Voluntary Guidelines on Food Systems and Nutrition by its 47th session in 2020. These Voluntary Guidelines will be the first global multi-stakeholder policy instrument on Food Systems and Nutrition endorsed through an inclusive, multi-stakeholder process. 

The CFS policy process will follow the conceptual framework introduced in the HLPE report using the three constituent elements of food systems – food supply chains, food environments, and consumer behaviour – as main policy entry points. 

The Private Sector Mechanism, which comprises private sector actors involved in agriculture, food security and nutrition, including farmers, input providers, cooperatives, processors, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), food companies, and more, has developed the below 17 recommendations that could significantly contribute to transforming global food systems:

1. Join Up Policies
2. Food Losses and Waste
3. Address Climate Change 
4. Link Smallholders to Markets
5. Women’s Empowerment 
6. Capacity Building 
7. Investing in Nutrition 
8. Data Collection & Monitoring
9. Food Safety 
10. Facilitate Trade in Food
11. Consumer Education & Marketing
12. Labelling 
13. Evidence-based policies
14. Innovation
15. Inclusion 
16. Technology Development & Adoption
17. Partnering for Outcomes

Within this context, PSM would like to welcome participants to an interactive session which will offer the opportunity to CFS stakeholders to share views on and clarify the concepts and ideas presented in the recommendations in order to build common ground in view of the preparation of the CFS Voluntary Guidelines.

Objectives

• Create a dynamic and interactive session that engages all attendees and allows them to contribute meaningfully from their respective backgrounds.
• Give attendees the opportunity to understand recommendations presented by PSM and share views on the concepts and ideas presented. 
• Spark conversations about opportunities and challenges towards transforming the food system for improved nutrition. 
• Lay groundwork for coordinated efforts and future discussions.

Program and Set-Up

The event will be set up as a series of rapid-fire presentations to present the set of recommendations followed by an interactive Q&A session to build shared understanding within participants. 

The event is intended to be informal and interactive. As such, frequent interventions and active participation by attendees is encouraged at any time. The full event program can be found here: 

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Organizer Contacts

To RSVP for the event, please send an email indicating your interest to the Private Sector Mechanism (PSM) Secretariat, Sid Mehta: sid@emergingag.com