Food Systems Summit

Food Systems Summit. Convened by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in 2021, this global gathering aimed to transform how the world produces, consumes, and thinks about food. It was designed to launch bold new actions and partnerships to deliver progress on all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, each of which relies to some degree on healthier, more sustainable, and equitable food systems. The summit leveraged preparatory work including independent dialogues and scientific reports to forge a consensus for change ahead of critical meetings like the Convention on Biological Diversity COP15 and the UN Climate Change Conference.

Background and context

The impetus for the summit emerged from deepening crises within global food systems, starkly highlighted by rising hunger statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme. Persistent challenges included environmental degradation from agriculture, economic inequities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the sector's significant contribution to climate change and biodiversity loss. The concept was formally announced in 2019, aligning with the Decade of Action on Nutrition and building upon previous frameworks like the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Key preparatory bodies included a Scientific Group chaired by Joachim von Braun and an Advisory Committee with members such as Agnes Kalibata, who served as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy.

Objectives and themes

The summit's primary objective was to awaken global consciousness and spur actionable commitments to achieve sustainable food systems by 2030. Its five interconnected thematic areas, or "Action Tracks," focused on ensuring access to safe and nutritious food for all, shifting to sustainable consumption patterns, boosting nature-positive production, advancing equitable livelihoods, and building resilience to vulnerabilities and shocks. These tracks were designed to foster cross-sectoral collaboration, integrating insights from the Committee on World Food Security and the One Health approach. The process emphasized "solution clusters" to address systemic issues, linking food security with climate action as seen in initiatives like the Glasgow Climate Pact.

Key outcomes and declarations

The principal political outcome was a statement of global consensus from the United Nations General Assembly, which did not take the form of a negotiated declaration but rather captured collective ambition. More concretely, over 100 countries presented national pathways for food systems transformation, and hundreds of voluntary commitments were registered in a public online registry. The summit catalyzed major multi-stakeholder initiatives, such as the School Meals Coalition and the Coalition of Action for Soil Health. It also reinforced the centrality of food systems in other global frameworks, influencing subsequent discussions at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference and the World Health Organization agenda on non-communicable diseases.

Participation and stakeholders

The summit employed an unconventional, inclusive model, engaging a wide array of actors beyond traditional state diplomacy. Over 1,000 independent Food Systems Summit Dialogues were held in more than 145 countries, involving farmers, youth groups, and women's organizations. Key institutional participants included the World Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the World Economic Forum. Representatives from major corporations like Unilever and Nestlé participated alongside leaders from La Via Campesina and the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems, creating a complex and sometimes contentious multi-stakeholder environment aimed at democratizing food governance.

Criticisms and controversies

The summit faced significant criticism from various civil society networks and some member states, who argued the process was unduly influenced by corporate agribusiness interests and lacked transparency. Groups like the Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples’ Mechanism boycotted the official proceedings, organizing a parallel counter-mobilization called the Global People’s Summit on Food Systems. Critics contended the summit's approach favored technological and market-based solutions over agroecological reforms and failed to adequately address issues of corporate concentration, intellectual property rights, and the primacy of human rights frameworks as upheld by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These tensions highlighted deep divisions over the governance of global food policy.

Legacy and follow-up actions

The summit established a lasting architecture for monitoring and continued dialogue through the United Nations Food Systems Coordination Hub, hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome. A follow-up stocktaking moment is scheduled for 2023 to assess progress on national pathways and commitments. Its legacy is evident in the heightened integration of food systems transformation into the agendas of major environmental conferences, including COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The summit's emphasis on systemic interdependencies continues to influence policy discussions within the G20 and financing strategies of institutions like the International Monetary Fund and the CGIAR research network. Category:United Nations summits Category:2021 conferences Category:Food policy