UN Food Systems Summit – Will the Summit generate real change?
Dec 18, 2020
According to recent FAO reports, global hunger and food insecurity have continuously risen since 2014.[1] Deforestation, ongoing conflicts, unprecedented biodiversity loss and marginalisation of small farmers and peasants have contributed to a global food system failure.
Thierry Kesteloot of Oxfam, gave an online training on the UN Food Systems Summit on 12 December. A food summit that - so it seems - wants to address the lack of sustainability and resilience of our food systems. Solidagro's worldwide supporters were present in large numbers. Fairouz Gazdallah, Solidagro's policy officer on the right to food, highlights a number of critical concerns that were addressed during the seminar.
Towards an Alternative Summit?
A global conference on the transformation of our food systems is an initiative that was necessary and pressing after years of policy work by food rights movements. The announcement was well received by civil society and was seen as an avenue to finally shed some light on the social and ecological problems associated with industrial food systems.
However, it is doubtful whether we can expect a participatory food policy process, in which agroecology and human rights play a central role. From the outset, corporate interests has dominated the food summit agenda and there is reason to think that the causes of our failing food system will, therefore, not be addressed critically enough.
Despite the disappointment, civil society refused to throw in the towel. The Civil Society Mechanism, the network of civil society organisations at the Committee on World Food Security, has called for a collective process to be launched to challenge the UN Food Systems Summit and to promote inclusive, transformative and sustainable solutions that transcend corporate interests.
How will Solidagro join the conversation?
Solidagro is committed to support its partners and networks in Belgium, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Philippines, Mali and Senegal in formulating recommendations through alternative channels, mobilising public opinion and participating in the national dialogues within the framework of the UNFSS.
Would you like to stay informed about the developments surrounding the UN Food Systems Summit in Solidagro's intervention countries? Do you want to get involved and think about ways to achieve a sustainable food system? Do you have specific questions about the activities and developments around the UN Food Systems Summit? Let our brand-new policy officer Fairouz know: fairouz.gazdallah@solidagro.be.
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[1] The state of food security and nutrition in the world safeguarding against economic slowdowns and downturns. 2019. FAO
