WEBINAR: Sharing experiences between Asia, Africa and the Near East: Harnessing local agriculture production system for healthy diets

31 March 2021. FAO Regional Offices for Near East and North Africa (RNE), Asia and the Pacific (RAP) and Africa (RAF) organized a special virtual event on “Sharing experiences between Asia, Africa and the Near East: Harnessing local agriculture production system for healthy diets”.

See the recording @ https://fao.zoom.us/rec/play/d5WpcIRzjwCNHXLD2Kva8O2O_ZJKKEPk7e3mVw63tHdHUPm92KhbUApatNlIHWgGozc2ihuHJ16PXFp8.PKN08ldRVXVYzXQt

 Passcode: REG3103+

Poor diets are the main contributor to the global burden of disease, accounting for 20percent of premature disease-mediated mortality. Approximately 3 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet, and more than 3 billion people suffer one or more manifestations of poor nutrition. A healthy diet is the foundation for good nutrition, human health and well-being. 

Profound changes needed in production systems and consumption patterns to combat nutrition problems and ensure that healthy diets are available, affordable and accessible for all.

Transformation of agriculture production system will require science-based solutions to support decisive and effective policies, well-targeted investment and use of science to guide practice. Agriculture production that supports and promotes healthy diets, will need a multi-level, multi-actor, multisector and multidisciplinary approach that brings agriculture, environment, natural resources, food, health, trade, economics, rural development agenda together.

Affordability is also a key aspect related to dietary choices, considering that the cost of a healthy diet is almost 5 times the cost of the energy sufficient diet, as estimated in SOFI 2020  

• 
  Opening remarks: Mr Serge Nakouzi, Regional Representative a.i., FAO Regional Office forthe Near East and North Africa (RNE) 
• Keynote presentation: Dr Mahmoud El Solh, Member of Steering Committee, High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE), Committee on World Food Security (Former Director-General, ICARDA) - Harnessing the benefits of diversified agri-food system for healthy diet

Part 1:

• Moderator: Dr Ismahane Elouafi, Chief Scientist, FAO
• Dr Shakuntala Thilsted, Global Lead, Nutrition and Public Health, WorldFish (Member of Steering Committee, HLPE, CFS; Vice Chair, UN Food System Summit 2021: Action Track 4:Advance Equitable Livelihoods)
• Dr Yemi Akinbamijo, CEO, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)
• Prof. Kadambot Siddique, Hackett Professor of Agriculture, Chair and Director, University of Western Australia (FAO Special Ambassador on International Year of Pulses)
  Resources:
  ARTICLE Rediscovering Asia’s forgotten crops to fight chronic and hidden hunger - Published: 15 February 2021
  Joshi BK, R Shrestha, IP Gautam, AP Poudel and TP Gotame. 2019. Neglected and Underutilized Species(NUS), and Future Smart Food (FSF) in Nepal. National Agriculture Genetic Resources Center (NAGRC, National Genebank), NARC, Khumaltar, Kathmandu, Nepal.
• Dr Aly Abousabaa, Director-General, ICARDA

Part 2:

• Moderator: Dr Máximo Torero Chief Economist, FAO
• Thanawan Tiensin, Chair of CFS (Permanent Representative of Royal Government of Thailand to UN and Food Systems Summit Champion)
• Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Mheiri, Minister of State for Food and Water Security, United Arab Emirates
• Dr Ferdinal M. Fernando, Assistant Director, Head of Health Division, ASEAN Human Development Directorate, ASEAN Secretariat
• Dr Fati N’zi, Head of Human Capital and Institutions Development, NEPAD/AUDA

Related:

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