RESETTING THE FOOD SYSTEM FROM FARM TO FORK. Setting the Stage for 2021 World Food Conference

RESETTING THE FOOD SYSTEM FROM FARM TO FORK

Food systems dominate every aspect of our lives and inter-connect us all - families, communities, nations. When food systems fail, health, education, economy, environment, peace, and security are all threatened. Resetting the food system is critical to national, regional and global agendas, and requires urgency and bold leadership to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. Our agricultural and health systems have to pivot quickly to grow nutritious food that is accessible to all people in the world, in a way that is regenerative for the planet. This requires a holistic vision that connects food, health and environment, especially in light of Covid-19. An interconnected food systems approach is urgently needed going forward.

The "Resetting Food Systems from Farm to Fork" forum, jointly organised by the Barilla Foundation and Food Tank, is intended to accelerate change, encourage systemic thinking, break persistent silos and advance a solution-oriented approach. The main messages emerging from the keynotes and panel discussions are the following:

  1. Farmers, fishers, and pastoralists play a pivotal role in fostering change in global food systems. They are custodians and stewards of valuable traditional and indigenous knowledge and urgently need to be brought to the table to effectively shape decision-making processes. Farming communities need support and incentives to shift towards more sustainable and agroecological farming approaches to ensure food sovereignty, increase productivity and resilience against external shocks, while preserving biodiversity and ecosystems. The key challenge is to provide equitable access to land, markets, seeds, and technologies to all farming communities, as well as ensuring decent livelihoods for all, especially for the most vulnerable groups such as women, indigenous people and youth.
  2. Innovation in technologies, financial incentives, public policies must accelerate the transition of agri-food systems towards equity, resilience, healthiness and sustainability. Technology must be appropriate for diverse communities and cultures. Farmers and businesses need to be supported in having access to the innovation ecosystem and strong capacity building. Regulation and public policy must ensure that the value generated with the use of digital technology along the agri-food chain is distributed fairly to farmers. Public policies, distributed and decentralised governance, and elevating community-led data management is necessary to transform the food system. Large public investments (e.g. in water and logistics infrastructures, digital connections and technical assistance) are also important.
  3. Sustainably produced, high-quality nutrient-dense foods must be accessible and affordable for all. This is fundamental for global health, well-being and environmental security and requires coherent policy reforms and serious economic incentives. Traditional sustainable diets, integral to local communities, should be recognised. Food and agriculture related policies and actions that deliver multiple benefits (e.g. in terms of poverty reduction, increased equity, job creation, economic growth, and reduced environmental impacts) should be prioritised - as championed by the EU Farm to Fork Strategy.
  4. Food businesses across the globe must urgently rethink their strategies and operations to align with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement on climate change. To do this we need: engagement with farmers and food suppliers; investment in sustainable agricultural practices that also contribute to equitable livelihoods; agreeing performance measurements better aligned with Agenda 2030; scaling up of sustainable practices and promoting sustainable dietary patterns. Food and agriculture businesses must boost resilience to grapple with current and future global shocks. We urge them to demonstrate strong commitment to achieve the purposes of the UN Food Systems Summit.
  5. Alliances between chefs and hospitality, producers and consumers are vital to introduce responsible consumer habits, enhance regional food systems and uncover the true costs of food. Although the hospitality sector represents just one part of the food chain, chefs can act as key connectors and use their influence to help consumers break cultural, political and economic barriers and shift to better diets and lifestyles through delicious meals and menus.

The Barilla Foundation and Food Tank jointly welcome the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, a collective journey for the transition to healthier, more sustainable and equitable food systems, as part of the Decade of Action to achieve the SDGs. This is intended to be a people's and solution-oriented summit, and will require all of us - civil society, scientists, businesses, policymakers, farmers, fishers, pastoralists, indigenous people, activists, citizens - to engage and become key agents of change to transform global food systems in a circular way, from farm to fork to disposal. We urge the global community to join forces by igniting a multi-stakeholder debate and working synergistically towards a UN Food Systems Summit that successfully:

  1. Aligns around a shared sense of purpose, that enables all stakeholders to craft their diverse visions for a healthier, more inclusive, sustainable and resilient food system. These visions are essential to provide clear guidance around the concrete and tangible actions that are required to advance towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to change the narrative of food system transformation.
  2. Connects, mobilises and invites all actors in the food system on a collective journey that leads to a transformed food system. This requires establishing and strengthening partnerships for change and aligning investments. Knowledge exchange, sharing of experiences and good practices - as well as greater coordination, transparency and accountability - can ensure that no one is left behind and that collective action is larger than the sum of its parts.
  3. Raises awareness and empowers citizens to make appropriately sustainable choices as consumers, by fuelling a scientifically grounded and action-oriented public discussion. This will enable us to be change makers for a transformation of the food system. The establishment of a multidisciplinary inter-governmental body to provide science-based knowledge and risk assessments on the state of agri-food systems will have the potential to support the transition and inform policy making.

The Covid-19 pandemic is a global wake-up call to reset our global food system now.
Join us to nourish our people, our planet, and our economies.

The future of food is in our hands.
Let's make the future grow!

Marta Antonelli1, Million Belay2, Barbara Buchner3, Danielle Nierenberg4, Livia Pomodoro5, Gabriele Riccardi6, Camillo Ricordi7, Gerry Salole8, Riccardo Valentini9, Stefano Zamagni10

1 Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition Foundation
2 Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa
3 Climate Policy Initiative
4 Food Tank
5 Milan Center for Food Law and Policy
6 University of Naples Federico II
7 University of Miami
8 Impact Trust
9 University of Tuscia, RUDN University of Moscow
10 John Hopkins University
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