FOOD SYSTEMS DIALOGUES
25th & 26th October, 2018
New Delhi, India
Background Note
The challenge: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – and the future of our planet and its people – depend on well-functioning food systems everywhere. They should be sustainable, produce foodstuffs that are affordable, safe and nourish people in ways that are sustainable, regenerating ecosystems, reducing greenhouse gases. They must ensure prosperity for all producers (especially women and smallholders) to have decent livelihoods and for processors and distributors. They should make the lowest possible contribution to climate change. Yet most current food systems are not working properly – for people, for the planet and for our common future.
Although we may share a vision of a food system that delivers for all, leaving no one behind – there are a broad range of views on how to make that happen. However, we would probably not agree on how to make it happen and work together. The food systems community has different approaches to weighing up evidence, establishing policies and devising programmes. There are also a variety of views on the kinds of incentives and regulations that are needed to transform food systems. Many stakeholders have found that if we are able to appreciate each other’s points of view and find ways to agree on what should be done, we are in a better position to align our efforts and make a lasting difference together.
The Dialogues will succeed if they help different actors within food systems to work together effectively, as well as to align and, where possible, combine their efforts, because they better understand and appreciate each other. This requires careful framing – and, when necessary, reframing - of issues. It also requires that there are open interactions between actors in a context characterized by mutual respect. The Dialogues are designed to be interdisciplinary, cutting across sectors, involving key contributors from a range of entities (including local and national governments, consumers, farmers, businesspeople, civil society groups and international organizations). They will use a common conceptual framework but not shy away from identifying and seeking to understand areas in which there is no agreement.
All aspects of food systems can be explored – including horticulture, livestock, fish (and oceans), all crops (including cash crops and forestry), as well as priorities for consumers, processors and producers, the economics of food and the financing of food systems. It is expected that the FSDs will examine specific challenges – such as ensuring all people’s access to sustainable and healthy diets, livelihoods of small-scale food producers, as well as sustaining biodiversity. They will also examine opportunities and risks – including the use of incentives to drive sustainability in food systems, changes in consumer preference and bio-innovations to making food systems more localised.
The Food Systems Dialogues (FSDs) was initiated by EAT, the World Business Council on Sustainable Development and the World Economic Forum. The Food Systems Dialogues are planned to enable different stakeholders in food systems to debate, increase impact of effort, align what they do with and make a lasting impact that benefits both people and the planet. The Workshop is facilitated and supported by Dr. David Nabarro, recipient of “2018 World Food Prize”. We hope it will be the beginning of series of annual events, which will critically and continuously shape the narratives in the years ahead.
The Dialogues and opinions will be collated and be available to all who wish to access them.