Transforming food systems: Regional policy brief

Abstract

The ‎UN World Food Systems Summit (FSS) 2021 marks a ‎‎‎‎milestone to promote actions that aim at overcoming challenges and delivering healthier, more ‎‎‎‎sustainable, and inclusive food systems and to deliver progress globally across all the Sustainable Development ‎‎‎Goals (SDGs). In that respect this report was prepared to provide harmonized pathways and game changers to overcome common and regional challenges that limit the transformation of the food system into an inclusive, healthy, sustainable, and resilient systems. The proposed game changers when implemented by a variety of actors in the food system would potentially reverse the current performance of food systems, improve outcomes, and support the achievement of the associated SDGs.

Regional priorities for food systems transformation are also highlighted for each of the five different regions and were based on discussions held in regional processes and consultations, including the 2021 regional forums for sustainable development that followed up and reviewed the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the transformation of regional food systems. These diverse and regional dialogues provided a platform for food system stakeholders and actors to identify these region-specific pathways and actions for equitable and sustainable food system transformation, and to raise awareness on food system action at the regional national and sectoral levels. Finally, a number of propositions are listed for translating global momentum into regional development in order to ensure radical changes in the way food is produced, processed and consumed, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic, and to achieve positive outcomes in relation to food security and nutrition.