UNFSS. Pre-Summit of the UN Food Systems Summit

26 - 28 July 2021. Rome. Pre-Summit of the UN Food Systems Summit

The Pre-Summit of the UN Food Systems Summit set the stage for the culminating global event in September by bringing together diverse actors from around the world to leverage the power of food systems to deliver progress on all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The event, took a hybrid format, with an in-person component complemented by a vast virtual programme and platform. Through the Pre-Summit, the UN Food Systems Summit reaffirmed its commitment to promote human rights for all and ensure the most marginalised groups have an opportunity to participate in, contribute to and benefit from the Summit process.

Main Programme | Overview
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26 July 2021. Opening Plenary – A Bold Ambition to Improve Food Systems

Opening – The Foundations of the Food Systems Summit and the Process to Date

Food Systems Summit Video (3 mins)
Keynote Remarks – H.E. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations

Panel Discussion – Getting All the Ingredients on the Table

Dialogues – Dr. David Nabarro, Senior Advisor, Food Systems Summit Dialogues
Independent Dialogues – Ms. Elizabeth Nsimadala, President, Pan Africa Farmers Organization (PAFO) and President, Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF)
Scientific Group – Prof. Joachim von Braun, Chair, Food Systems Summit Scientific Group
Action Tracks – Prof. Saleemul Huq, Chair, Action Track on Building Resilience to Vulnerabilities, Shocks and Stresses and Director, International Center for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD)
Constituencies – Ms. Anne Nuorgam, Chair, Permanent Forum Indigenous Issues
Levers of change, Finance - Ms. Mari Pangestu, Managing Director of Development Policy and Partnerships, World Bank

Reactions

H.E. Ms. Beatriz Argimon, Vice President, Uruguay
H.E. Gerd Müller, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany
Ms. Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL)
Mr. Peter Bakker, President and CEO, World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
Ms. Ma. Estrella Penunia, Secretary-General, Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA)

Panel Discussion – What It Will Take to Rise to Our Ambition for 2030

H.E. QU Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
H.E. Gilbert Houngbo, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
H.E. David Beasley, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP)
Dr. Inger Andersen, Chair, UN Task Force and Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Closing Remarks, Dr. Agnes Kalibata, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the 2021 Food Systems Summit

26 July 2021. Achieving Zero Hunger: Nutritiously and Sustainably

Driven by climate, fragility, conflict and now COVID-19, hunger is increasing sharply. Reversing this trend is a key test for food systems transformations and many member states have signaled their determination to do that. Science tells us what to do to get back on track to meet SDG2 on Zero Hunger and nourish the future: focus on empowering the excluded while improving access of food producers and food processors to finance, inputs, technologies, and markets in ways that are that consistent with the Paris Climate Accord and 2030 Agenda.

This session reviewed the priorities of Member States, reviewed the current state of food insecurity, showcase some of the potential solutions emerging from the Summit, aims to align and mobilize resources to support national action to end hunger by 2030.

Moderator Dr. Lawrence Haddad, Chair, Action Track 1 and Executive Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)
Moderator Ms. Maureen Muketha, Summit Youth Representative, Founder, Tule Vyema, Kenya

Framing Remarks – Science Perspective

Prof. Joachim von Braun, Chair, Food Systems Summit Scientific Group
Prof. Sheryl L Hendriks, Head of Department and Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development at the University of Pretoria, South Africa

High-level Statements

H.E. William Dar, Secretary of Agriculture, Philippines
H.E. Josefa Sacko, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission
H.E. Tereza Cristina Corrêa da Costa Dias, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply, Brazil
H.E. Samantha Power, Administrator, USAID

Potential Solutions from Action Tracks

Mr. Andrew Youn, Senior Partner, Executive Director and Co-Founder, One Acre Fund
H.E. Dag-Inge Ulstein, Minister of International Development, Norway
Mr. Jesús Amadeo Martínez Guzmán, General Coordinator, Foro Indígena Abya Yala (FIAY), El Salvador
Ms. Ndidi Nwuneli, Managing Partner of Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition Ltd, Nigeria
Mr. Sunny Verghese, CEO, Olam International

High-level Statements

H.E. Oumer Hussein Oba, Minister of Agriculture, Ethiopia
H.E. Karina Gould, Minister of Development, Canada
H.E. José Ángel López Camposeco, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food, Guatemala

Panel Discussion: How Can the End Hunger, Nourish the Future Coalition Help Mobilize a Sustained Response to the Alarming Hunger Numbers?

Moderator H.E. Mary Robinson, Former President, Ireland
H.E. Olusola O. Idowu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Nigeria, and National Convenor
Ms. Tania Martinez, Professor, Greenwich University, United Kingdom
Mr. Maximo Torero Cullen, Chief Economist, Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
Ms. Irish Baguilat, Coordinator for UN Decade of Family Farming and Women Farmers' Agenda, Asian Farmers Association for Sustainable Rural Development
Mr. Takaaki Nishii, President and CEO, Ajionomoto, Japanese food and biotechnology corporation

Closing Remarks

Mr. Maximo Torero Cullen, Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Ms. Ute Klamert, Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Advocacy, WFP

26 July 2021. The Triple Challenge of Meeting Food Insecurity, Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss

Our food systems thrive on nature and the services it provides, but the ways we currently grow, process and consume food are destabilizing our planet. Food systems are the biggest drivers of biodiversity loss and major contributors to climate change but they also have the potential to be part of the solution. By acting with urgency to transform our food systems at scale, we can tackle the triple challenge of reversing biodiversity loss and land degradation, limiting climate change and feeding the world while respecting planetary boundaries.

This session discussed the ambitious and urgent actions needed to deliver food systems which are equitable, net-zero emissions and nature positive.

Moderator – Mr. David Lane, President, The Annenberg Foundation Trust
Science Perspective: Nourishing People within Planetary Boundaries Prof. Partha Dasgupta, Frank Ramsey Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Action Tracks, What Solutions are Possible? The Last Nine Harvests: Pathways to 2030.

Dr. João Campari, Leader of the Global Food Practice for WWF International and Chair of Action Track 3

Panel Discussion 1 – How Can We Make 2021 the Start of a 'Decade of Action' for Food, Climate and Biodiversity Goals?

Mr. Nigel Topping, High Level Champion for Climate Change at COP26 and Race to Zero
Ms. Elizabeth Mrema, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity
H.E. Janusz Wojciechowski, Commissioner for Agriculture, European Commission
H.E. Lord Zac Goldsmith, Minister for Pacific and the Environment at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), United Kingdom
Mr. Sun Tan, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Dr. Andrew Steer, President and CEO, The Bezos Earth Fund
Ms. Florence Jeantet, Managing Director, One Planet Business for Biodiversity (OP2B)

Panel Discussion 2 – Food production that works for nature, climate and people

Dr. Shakuntala Thilsted, WorldFish, World Food Prize Winner 2021
Dr. Rattan Lal, World Food Prize Winner 2020
Ms. Melissa Pinfield, Executive Director, Just Rural Transition Secretariat Meridian Institute
Ms. Ma. Estrella Penunia, Secretary-General, Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA)
H.E. Moussa Balde, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Equipment, Senegal
H.E. Mahendra Reddy, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Waterways, Fiji
Mr. Tom Grasso, Senior Advisor, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
Ms. Vicky Taulli Corpuz, Tebteba Foundation

26 July 2021. Science and Innovation for Food Systems Serving People and Planet

The session presented the science, including social sciences and natural sciences, for food systems transformation that supports the objectives of the UN Food Systems Summit. Advanced and emerging sciences as well as traditional knowledge are considered. We scrutinize propositions, draw attention to conflicting agendas, and seek synergies based on the best peer-reviewed science, successful examples at national and local levels, and quantitative model findings at global levels.

Block 1: Bio-Science, Digital Sciences and Agronomy Innovations

This segment focused on innovations at the frontiers of science for food systems in the areas of bio-, digital and agronomy sciences. Is took stock of the important new and emerging innovations in these fields and discuss how to put them effectively to work to transform food system, how potential risks and unintended consequences can be minimized and what ethical considerations need to be taken into account.

Prof. Louise O. Fresco, Vice Chair of the Scientific Group, President of the Executive Board, Wageningen University & Research
Prof. Elizabeth Hodson de Jaramillo, Professor Emeritus School of Sciences of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, and member of Inter American Network of Academies of Sciences (IANAS)
Dr. Lee Recht, Head of Sustainability, Aleph Farms
Dr. Manuel Otero, Director-General, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)

Block 2: Science Serving End Hunger and Safe and Nutritious Food for All

This segment focused on technological, institutional and policy innovations to eliminate hunger, malnutrition and poverty and to ensure availability, affordability, and uptake of nutritious foods. What are the innovations from the frontiers of natural, applied, economic and the social sciences that hold promise for improving productivity, reducing inefficiencies in resource distribution and empowering marginalized and excluded communities and groups?

Dr. Kaosar Afsana, Vice Chair of the Scientific Group, Professor Public Health, BRAC University
Dr. Claudia Sadoff, Managing Director, Research Delivery and Impact of the CGIAR System Organization (CGIAR)
Dr. Godfrey Bahiigwa, Director, Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission
Ms. Polina Shulbaeva, Coordinator for IIFB, CBD process
Mr. Paul van de Logt, Head, Food and Nutrition Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands

Block 3: Science and Institutional Innovations for Food Systems Sustainability

The segment focused on the scientific, policy and institutional innovations that can most effectively deliver sustainable food systems that are climate-neutral or climate-positive, regenerative, and protect biodiversity and the environment. What are the institutional, policy and technological innovations for sustainable harvesting of natural resources, sustainable agricultural practices, and sustainable consumption patterns?

Prof. Mohamed Hassan, Vice Chair of the Scientific Group, President of The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS)
Prof. Thomas W. Hertel, Professor of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University and Executive Director of the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP)
Ms. Geraldine Matchett, Co-CEO and CFO, Royal DSM
Ms. Su Kahumbu Stephanou, Founder and CEO, iCow
Mr. Patrick Caron, International Director, Montpellier’s University

26 July 2021. Agroecology for Food Systems Transformation

H.E. Moussa Balde, Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development, Senegal
H.E. Julien Denormandie, Minister of Agriculture and Food, France
Mr. Papa Abdoulaye Seck, Ambassador, Permanent Representative to FAO, IFAD and WFP, Senegal
Ms. Rachel Bezner Kerr, Professor of Global Development, Cornell University, US
Mr. Vijay Kumar, Vice-Chair on Producers, UNFSS Champions Network, India
H.E. António Francisco de Assis, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Angola
H.E. Dr. Miguel J. Garcia-Winder, Ambassador, Mexico
H.E. Mahindananda Althugamage, Minister of Agriculture, Sri Lanka
Ms. Ma. Estrella Penunia, Secretary-General, Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA)
Ms. Musonda Mumba, Chief of the Terrestrial Ecosystems, UNDP
Mr. Emile Frison: Independent Consultant, Agriculture, biodiversity and sustainable food systems. Member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES), co-lead of UNFSS solution cluster Agroecology
This solution cluster is putting forward agroecological and regenerative agriculture approaches as a key lever to transform food systems, guided by the 13 principles of agroecology set out in the HLPE (2019) report.
Dr. Joao Campari, Global Leader of WWF's Food Practice, leading the Network´s efforts to enhance the sustainability of the global food system, Action Track 3 Chair of the UN @FoodSystems Summit
Sandrine Dixon-Declève, Senior Associate and faculty member of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). Action Track 5 Chair of the UN @FoodSystems Summit

26 July 2021. Official Ceremony and Global Town Hall: Rising Up to the Future We Want

As the pinnacle moment in the Pre-Summit and in the entire Food Systems Summit process to date, this session with the UN Secretary-General and Heads of State and Government will lay out how transforming food systems around the world can help deliver on all shared goals for people, planet, and prosperity. It will set a bold tone of leadership as Member States step forward with their visions and top priorities for national and regional pathways for food systems transformation to achieve the SDGs by 2030. As a People’s Summit, it will also feature a global town hall segment that engages countries, national dialogue convenors, and constituencies all around the world to draw out the most critical transitions needed to support these visions on the ground and at the front lines of food systems.

Moderator – Ms. Monica Maggjoni, Journalist

Sequence 1: High Level Leaders Segment – Framing the Future We Want

Welcome Remarks H.E. QU Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Remarks on The Future We Want H.E. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations

Head of State Remarks

H.E. Mario Draghi, Prime Minister of Italy
H.E. Paul Kagame, President, Rwanda and Chair, African Union Development Agency
H.E. Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States, Vatican and Representative of H.H. Pope Francis

Sequence 2: Accelerating the Critical Transitions Required (90 mins)

Building on the leadership and commitments of the high-level segment, the session will explore how the global community - including more than 140 national conveners - is doing in navigating many of the critical transitions that will be required to achieve the 2030 Agenda through food systems. The session seeks to boost ambition, share experiences and lessons, and inspire others to do more in developing pathways and coalitions towards the Summit in September.

UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed

26 July 2021. Jeffrey Sachs' speech at the UN Food Systems Pre-Summit

27 July 2021. BETTER FINANCE BETTER FOOD - How to Scale Finance for Sustainable Food Systems

The Finance for Sustainable Food Systems panel event brought together public and private actors from across food and finance systems to explore opportunities to tackle barriers to investment in sustainable food systems and to build an ambitious shared vision of financial systems that underpin sustainable food outcomes. This session

positioned food as a key solution to deliver on critical issues (including COVID recovery, economic growth, climate action, restoration of nature & human health);
informed an emerging shared vision for a food finance architecture that delivers on sustainable food outcomes (including the shifts that need to occur to build this);
shared best practice between finance and food system stakeholders, identifying successes to replicate and scale.

Speakers:

Moderator Mr. Jeremy Oppenheim, Founder & Managing Partner, SystemIQ High Level Remarks
H.E. Sri Mulyani, Finance Minister, Indonesia
Dr. Vera Songwe, UN Under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary, ECA Panel Discussion
Mr. Wiebe Draijer, CEO, Rabobank
Mr. Rodger Voorhies, President, Global Growth and Opportunity, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
H.E. Zainab Ahmed, Finance Minister, Nigeria
Ms. Pramisha Thapaliya, Focal Point, Major Group for Children and Youth, Real Food Systems
Ms. Tanja Havemann, Co-Founder & Director, Clarmondial
Ms. Ma. Estrella Penunia, Secretary-General, Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA)
Mr. Vineet Rai, Founder and Chairman, Aavishkaar Group
Closing Remarks Ms. Geeta Sethi, Advisor and Global Lead for Food Systems, World Bank

27 July 2021.BOLD ACTIONS FOR GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT IN FOOD SYSTEMS

This session presented and discussed priority investments for achieving gender equality in food systems. It brought together leaders to commit to bold actions for addressing gender equality and supporting women’s empowerment across food systems. This will consolidate a multi-stakeholder coalition of actors to lead actions around gender equality and food systems. It presented commitments from Member States and other stakeholders to help mobilize more resources, initiatives and action to achieve gender equality and empower women in food systems.

Moderator Ms. Kawinzi Muiu, Director, Gender office, WFP
Framing Remarks Dr. Jemimah Njuki, Custodian, Gender and Women’s Empowerment Lever of Change and Director, Africa, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
High Level Remarks Mrs. Sabrina Dhowre Elba, IFAD Goodwill Ambassador
Ms. Asa Regner, Deputy Executive Director, UN Women
H.E. Thoko Didiza, Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, South Africa
Mr. Masatsugu Asakawa, President, Asian Development Bank
Dr. Beth Dunford, Vice President, Agriculture, Human and Social Development African Development Bank
Ms. Lucy Muchoki, CEO, Pan African Agribusiness and Agro Industry Consortium (PANAAC)
Mr. Rick White, Chair, International Agri-Food Network & Representative of CFS Private Sector Mechanism (PSM)
Ms. Maria Beronice Sanchez Losada, President, Assembly of Indigenous Peoples for Food Sovereignty
Ms. Jessica Vega Ortega, Co-President of the Global Caucus of Indigenous Youth and member of the LAC Indigenous Youth Network, and Food Systems Champion
Closing Remarks Dr. Jemimah Njuki, Custodian, Gender and Women’s Empowerment Lever of Change and Director, Africa, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

27 July 2021. CATALYZING COUNTRY LED INNOVATION TO TRANSFORM FOOD SYSTEMS

From digitization and blockchain-enabled traceability, to societal, science, indigenous knowledge, and business model innovation, all collectively present an unprecedented opportunity to transform food systems by 2030. The innovation lever for the Food Systems Summit engages public, private and social sectors together with farmer, consumer, and innovator communities and experts, all committed to making innovation a significant enabling factor  for food systems transformation, both in the  lead into the Summit and in alignment with the 2030 Agenda. Focus areas and solution clusters for joint action include data and digital, knowledge and technological, national and regional ecosystems, as well as societal and institutional innovation.

Moderator and Opening Remarks Mr. Sean de Cleene, Member of Executive Committee, World Economic Forum (WEF)
H.E. Phạm Bình Minh, Deputy Prime Minister, Vietnam
H.E. Oumer Hussein Oba, Minister of Agriculture, Ethiopia
H.E. Kotaro Nogami, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan
H.E. Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of State for Food and Water Security, United Arab Emirates
H.E. Ing. Luis Basterra, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Argentina
Ms. Marije Beens, Vice Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Netherlands
Mr. Roy Steiner, Senior Vice President, Rockefeller Foundation
Ms. Hanneke Faber, President, Foods & Refreshment, Unilever

27 July 2021. HUMAN RIGHTS A UNIFIED FRAMEWORK FOR FOOD SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION

Human rights are the foundation upon which equitable and healthy food systems are realizable. A human rights-based approach prioritizes the most vulnerable in food systems and calls for strengthening agency, particularly of women, youth, and indigenous peoples, and eradicating all discrimination related to the access to land, territories, natural resources, and inheritance. The denial of rights and entitlements, through formal and informal institutions and laws, is central to the problem of inequity. Therefore, rights-holders need to be aware and exercise their rights so that they are respected, protected, and fulfilled by the duty-bearers. This session will highlight the importance of human rights and law to play a central role in all Summit outcomes.
Moderator Mr. Olivier de Schutter, Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, and member, AT3, OHCHR
Framing Remarks Mr. Michael Fakhri, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
Keynote Remarks Ms. Michelle Bachelet, High Commissioner, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Ms. Cristina Timponi Cambiaghi, Thematic and Global Policy Senior Specialist, International Land Coalition ILC
Mr. Guy Ryder, Director-General, International Labour Organization (ILO)
Mr. Francesco Rocca, President, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
Prof. Wenche Barth Eide, Assoc. Professor Emerita, University of Oslo
Ms. Hilal Elver, Former Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
Dr. Jan Beagle, Director General, International Development Law Organization (IDLO)

27 July 2021. UNLEASHING THE POWER OF THE PLATE - for the health of people and planet

Unhealthy diets have become a leading cause of ill-health and premature deaths around the world and contribute significantly to global environmental degradation. In addition, one third of the food we produce is lost or wasted. A different world is possible, one where we unleash the power of food to heal people, animals, and the planet. This event showcased the essential actions for a healthy and sustainable future and propositions for change which have been developed and sourced during the Food System Summit Dialogues and the work of the Action Track 2. During this session, key stakeholders reflected on a menu of propositions and bring these to life with concrete examples. The event explored opportunities for key actors to come together to shift towards healthy and sustainable consumption patterns to deliver on the SDGs and Paris Agreement.
Moderator Ms. Lana Weidgenant, Vice-Chair of Shifting to Sustainable Consumption Patterns, UN Food Systems Summit
Dr. Gunhild Stordalen, Founder & Executive Chair, EAT Foundation Framing Remarks - Science Perspective
Dr. Mario Herrero Acosta, Chief Research Scientist, Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO)
Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organization (WHO)
Ms. Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Environmental Activist, and Co-ordinator, Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad (AFPAT)
H.E. Stefano Patuanelli, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forest Policies of Italy and current Presidency of the G20
H.R.H. Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Princess of Thailand

Panel Discussion 1 - What are the outstanding lock-ins and potential solutions to shift consumption towards healthy and sustainable dietary patterns, to eliminate food loss and waste and to reduce the risk of anti-microbial resistance (AMR) and zoonotic spillover/new pandemics?

Moderator - Ms. Gerda Verburg, Coordinator, Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement
Ms. Claire Bury, Deputy Director General in DG SANTE, European Commission
Ms. Zoleka Mandela, Writer, Activist, NCD lived experience, South Africa
Prof. Cass Sunstein, Founder and Director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy, Harvard Law School, USA
Prof. Gabriele Riccardi, Director of Unit for Diabetology and Metabolic Diseases, University of Naples Federico II, Italy
Ms. Helena Leurent, Director General, Consumers International
Mr. Sunny Verghese, Co-Founder and Group CEO, Olam International

Panel Discussion 2 - What are examples of concrete solutions and actions that will unleash the “power of the plate” on the road to 2030 and beyond? Examples of action through policies, the right business practices, the right shifts in behavior.

Moderator Ms. Ertharin Cousin, Founder and CEO, Food Systems for the Future & Fellow, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
H.E. Lia Tadesse, Minister of Health, Ethiopia
H.E. Frank Anthony, Minister of Health, Guyana
Ms. Jette Michelsen, Counsellor, Deputy Permanent Representative of Denmark to FAO, WFP and IFAD, Danish Embassy Rome, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Head of Delegation, Denmark
Ms. Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, Deputy Executive Director, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Mr. Michael Ade Elegbede, Chef and Founder, Abori
Dr. Wai-Chan Chan, Managing Director, Consumer Goods Forum
Mr. Guido Barilla, CEO, Barilla
Closing Remarks Ms. Lana Weidgenant, Vice-Chair of Shifting to Sustainable Consumption Patterns, UN Food Systems Summit

27 July 2021. ENSURING NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND

Action Track 4 aims to improve agency and equity at every level of food systems to advance equitable livelihoods. Too often, the ones who produce food and perform key functions across our food systems are the first to go hungry. This reality is no truer than for women who are key – yet often invisible – actors in food systems. This session brought together policy makers, farmers and farmer organizations, the private sector, youth and Indigenous Peoples, and others to discuss and share solutions on rebalancing agency within food systems, eliminating worker exploitation and ensuring decent work, localizing food systems and more, to ensure our food systems “leave no one behind”.

Moderator Mrs. Michelle Nunn, CEO and President, CARE USA, and Chair of AT4
Video Introduction Ms. Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Africa, International Labour Organization (ILO)
Framing Remarks - Science Perspective Dr. Lynnette Neufeld, Director, Knowledge Leadership, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)

Panel 1 - Action tracks, What Solutions are Possible?

Dr. Phrang Roy, Coordinator, Indigenous Partnership for Agrobiodiversity and Food Sovereignty Dr. Vasanthi Venkatesh, Assistant Professor in Law, Land, and Local Economies at the University of Windsor, Faculty of Law Dr. Florence Egal, Food Security and Nutrition Expert Dr. Kostas Stamoulis, Senior Advisor and Former Assistant Director, General Economic and Social Development Department, FAO

Fireside Chat

Mr. Ramon Laguarta, Chairman and CEO, PepsiCo
Ms. Polina Shulbaeva, Coordinator for IIFB, CBD process
Ms. Beatrice Gakuba, Executive Director, AWAN-AFRIKA

Panel 2 - Discussion with Member States and Constituencies

H.E. Ing. Luis Basterra, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Argentina
Ms. Aylin Çağlayan Özcan, Director General for European Union and Foreign Relations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Republic of Turkey and National Dialogue Convenor
H.E. Lobin Lowe, Minister of Agriculture, Malawi
Chef Yohannis, Ethiopia, Chef
Dr. Kundhavi Kadiresan, Managing Director, Global Engagement and Innovation, CGIAR System Organization CGIAR
Mr. Ajay Vir Jakhar, Chairman, Bharat Krishak Samaj (Farmers’ Forum India)
Closing remarks Ms. Marie Haga, Associate VP, External Relations and Governance Department, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

27 July 2021. BUILDING RESILIENCE TO VULNERABILITIES, SHOCKS AND STRESSES

New and challenging risks are emerging in the already complex global food systems, as evidenced by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the impacts of which are skewed towards the world’s most vulnerable populations. In addition, there are many other ongoing challenges including changing climate, conflict, instability, pandemics, economic shocks etc, that require solutions to build greater resilience within the current food system, from production to consumption.

To address this, Action Track 5 (AT5) – building resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks and stresses – is proposing actions to ensure that food systems can maintain functionality, recover from the effects of harmful events, and improve to a better state. These actions include a focus on “productive disruption” in the context of global crises, such as pandemics, biodiversity loss and the global climate emergency. AT5 focuses on integrated and cross-cutting system and nexus approaches to enhance resilience and reduce vulnerability to compounded risks, structural fragility and systemic causes, on risk reduction, and on multi-risk and crisis management across and within food systems.
Moderator Ms. Sandrine Dixson-Decleve, Co-President of the Club of Rome, and Co-chair of Action Track 5 Framing Remarks - Action Track Perspective
Prof. Saleemul Huq, Director, International Center for Climate Change and Development and Co-chair of Action Track 5
Science Perspective Dr. Ismahane Elouafi, Chief Scientist, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and member of the Food Systems Summit Scientific Group
Building Resilience to Vulnerabilities, Shocks & Stresses H.E. Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC
H.E. Preeti Sinha, Executive Secretary, UNCDF

High-Level Panel – Country Insights and Perspectives on Food Systems Resilience

H.E. Sadhan Chandra Majumder, Minister of Food, Bangladesh
H.E. Mamadou Tangara, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gambia
H.E. Gabriel Ferrero, Ambassador at large for Food Systems, Spain
H.E. Damien O’Connor, Minister of Agriculture, for Biosecurity, and for Rural Communities, New Zealand

Panel Unpacking Resilience Through Inspirational Messages & Science Messages with Key Resilience Champions. Showcase of Areas of Collective Action for Resilience

Dr. Naoko Yamamoto, Assistant Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, CEO, AUDA-NEPAD
Mr. Gram Shimray, Director, Asian Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)
Prof. Dr. Patrick Verkooijen, CEO, Global Center on Adaptation (GCA)
Ms. Geeta Sethi, Advisor and Global Lead for Food Systems, World Bank
Ms. Sheela Patel, Founder, Slum Dwellers International, India
Ms. Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation
Mr. Amir Mahmoud Abdulla, Deputy-Executive Director, WFP
Closing Remarks Mr. Gonzalo Munoz, High-Level Climate Action Champion for UN Climate Action

27 July 2021. PRIVATE SECTOR PRIORITIES AT THE UNFSS

To provide an overview of the process undertaken by the Private Sector Guiding Group (PSGG) to mobilize private sector engagement and to share key updates on private sector ambitions and actions through coalition building efforts and collaborations.

Moderator Mr. Peter Bakker, President and CEO, World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)

Corporate Leadership and Collective Commitment towards key priority areas Hunger and Malnutrition:

Mr. Ramon Laguarta, CEO, PepsiCo
H.E. Gerda Verburg, Global Coordinator, Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement

Soil Health:

Dr. João Campari, Global Leader, Food Practice, WWF International and Chair of Action Track 3
Mr. Mark Schneider, CEO, Nestlé Mr. Wiebe Draijer, Chairman of the Managing Board, Rabobank

Living Income

Ms. Hanneke Faber, President of Foods & Refreshment, Unilever
Mr. Dann Wensing, Chief Executive Officer, IDH

Resilience:

Ms. Cherrie Atilano, Founding Farmer, CEO and President of AGREA Agricultural Systems International, Inc

Closing Remarks

H.E. Gilbert F. Houngbo, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Mr. Rick White, Chair, International Agri-Food Network and Representative of CFS Private Sector Mechanism (PSM)

27 July 2021. SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES PRIORITIES

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the quiet revolutionaries transforming our food systems. Their inspiring stories and needs for support must influence the Summit’s action planning. This session presents “A Small Business Agenda for the UN Food Systems Summit”, a report on behalf of food SMEs from around the world. The report synthesizes findings from 12 SME dialogues, a global survey of thousands of SMEs, and dozens of expert interviews. It presents their positive contributions, the constraints they face in expanding their impact, and offers recommended pathways to boost the contribution of SMEs in forging the future of food. Panel speakers included SMEs and food system leaders reflecting on the report’s findings and recommended actions.

Moderator Ms. Cherrie Atilano, Founding Farmer, CEO and President of AGREA Agricultural Systems International, Inc
Moderator Ms. Bonolo Monthe, Managing Director, Maungo Craft
Keynote Remarks – Mr. José Andres, Chef and Founder, World Central Kitchen
Framing Remarks – The Latest Evidence Mr. Ian Randall, Director, Wasafiri

Moderated Panel Discussions with Other Constituencies about the Framing 

Part 1 - Food SMEs to share how their lived experience as entrepreneurs correspond to the report’s findings.

Part 2 - Food system leaders to reflect on the importance of including SMEs in the design and governance of the coalitions for action that they are leading.

Mr. Jian Yi – Founder of China Action Hub. Champion of SMEs and a shift to sustainable consumption, Independent film maker
Ms. Erin Fitzgerald, CEO, US Farmers and Ranchers in Action
Ms. Vanessa Adams, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, AGRA
Dr. Manuel Otero, Director General of Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

27 July 2021. FROM THE G20 MATERA TO THE UNFSS

The Italian Presidency of G20 held successful Ministerial Meetings on 29 June 2021, in Matera, Italy. For the first time, G20 Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Development jointly discussed the importance and centrality of Food Security for all. This comes at a time were the world is at a critical juncture, very different to where it was six years ago when it committed to ending hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition by 2030.

The situation has worsened and the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to expose fragilities in our food system, which actively threaten the lives and livelihoods of people around the world, particularly the most vulnerable and those living in fragile contexts. As a way to support the agri-food system transformation needed, and to overcome more significant challenges of ending hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition, a call to action in the time of COVID-19 pandemic and beyond was also declared by G20 Ministers and United Nations Agencies through the Matera Declaration. All partners committed to deliver on food security priorities by enhancing efforts in ensuring safe and adequate nutrition for all, ending all forms of malnutrition, preserving agrobiodiversity, as well as relying on science, innovation, advanced business practices and responsible behaviour complementing traditional knowledge, local food culture and best practices in order to achieve SDG 2 targets.

Based on G20 previous commitments, the Matera Declaration has prioritized a number of priority areas of work for the countries to advance on, with focus on; implementing effective actions for the empowerment of women and youth in the rural-urban continuum; social protection measures; catalytic investment; adapting agri-food systems to climate change; keeping international food trade open and One Health approach. The G20 Ministerial Meetings have paved the way and created an excellent opportunity towards The United Nations Food Systems Summit (September 2021), where political commitments will be translated to Actions on the ground.

Opening Remarks – H.E. QU Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Keynote Remarks H.E. Luigi Di Maio, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Italy
From G20 Matera Declaration to UN Food Systems Summit Dr. Máximo Torero, Chief Economist, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
High-Level Round Table Discussion
Chair – H.E. Marina Sereni, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy
H.E. Josefa Sacko, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission
H.E. Dr. Syahrul Yasin Limpo, Minister of Agriculture of Indonesia, next Presidency of G20
H.E. Gerd Müller, Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany
H.E. Victor Villalobos, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mexico
Mr. Ettore Prandini, President, Coldiretti, Italy
Closing Remarks H.E. Marina Sereni, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy

27 July 2021. MOBILIZING TRILLIONS FOR FOOD SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION

Building on the momentum in the lead-up to the Second Finance in Common Summit of Public Development Banks (PDBs) 2021, the session will hear from leaders from the public sector, PDBs, private investors, farmers’ organizations, and others to discuss how PDBs – responsible for over two thirds of formal financing for agriculture – can catalyse more green and inclusive investments in food and agriculture, and channel more financing towards small-scale producers. PDBs have the potential in particular to unlock significant funds, including by better enabling and de-risking private investments. It will also serve to showcase and launch commitments from actors and leaders around the world to scale-up green and inclusive investments across the sector through better, more coordinated action, including to benefit the small-scale producers and agri-food entrepreneurs that produce, transform, and market the majority of the food consumed in low and middle-income countries.

Moderator - Ms. Helene Papper, Director, Communications Division, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
H.E. Gilbert F. Houngbo, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
H.E. Karina Gould, Minister of International Development, Canada
H.E. Daniele Franco, Minister of Finance, Italy
H.E. Mr. Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, Minister of Finance, Thailand

Panel Discussion - PDBs as Accelerators of Food System Progress

Ms. Elisabeth Nsimadala, President, Pan African Farmers Organization (PAFO)
Mr. Gustavo Montezano, Managing Director, Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) 
Dr. Beth Dunford, Vice-President, Agriculture, Human and Social Development, African Development Bank (AfDB)
Mr. Jeremy Coller, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner, Coller Capital

Call to Action & Final Discussion

Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Mr. Rémy Rioux, CEO, Agence Française de Développement (AFD)
Ms. Antonella Baldino, Chief International Finance Officer, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP)

28 July 2021. CITY AND LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS

Opening Dialogue – Cities’ Commitments Hon. Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan (Italy), Chair of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP)

Mr. Mateusz Ciasnocha, CEO, European Carbon Farmers

Keynote Remarks Ms. Pamela Escobar Vargas, Youth Activist

Panel Discussions – Vertical Integration

To Maximize Results This panel presented the case for more vertical integration in areas where the local and the national levels have both authority as well as distinct roles to play but where there is still room to improve coordination to maximize results

Topic 1 – Social Protection and Resilience

Hon. Asher Craig, Deputy Mayor, Bristol (UK)
Dr. Jane Battersby, Faculty Member, African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town, South Africa

Topic 2 – Waste

Ms. Yvette Cabrera, Director, Food Waste, Healthy People and Thriving Communities Program, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Ms. Emma Chow, Lead, Food Initiative, Ellen McArthur Foundation
Hon. Ricardo Nunes, Mayor, São Paulo, Brazil

Topic 3 – School Meals

Ms. Betina Bergmann Madsen, Chief Procurement Officer, City of Copenhagen, Denmark
Ms. Meti Tamrat, School Health and Nutrition Adviser to the Mayor of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Mr. Piercristiano Brazzale, President, International Dairy Federation
Mr. Kim Dae Young, Seoul Municipal Agency for School Meals, Korea

Topic 4 – Food Environment

Hon. Joy Belmonte, Mayor of Quezon City, Philippines
Ms. Nancy Roman, CEO, Partnership for a Healthier America
Mr. Jeff Risom, Partner, Chief Innovation Officer, Gehl Hon.
Manuel de Araujo, Mayor of Quelimane, Mozambique

Governance: Towards an Emerging Coalition

Ms. Christine Gould, Founder and CEO, Thought for Food
Mr. Peter de Franceschi, Global food program coordinator, ICLEI
Hon. Mustafa Tunç Soyer, Mayor of Izmir, Turkey
H.E. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister for Food and Agriculture, Ghana

28 July 2021. SCHOOL MEALS COALITION

The emerging School Meals Coalition organized a Ministerial session focused on school meals programs as drivers of food system transformation, while simultaneously improving education systems, child health and nutrition. Programs that provide nutritious food and are linked to local purchase and other health services, can transform local agriculture, increase resilience and sustainability. Scaling up these integrated programs will support pandemic recovery and serve as a powerful tool to accelerate action on the SDGs. Leading Ministers and partners discussed how build and contribute to this new collaboration before its official launch in fall 2021.

Moderator Ms. Carmen Burbano, Director School-based Programmes, WFP
Ms. Valerie Guarnieri, Assistant Executive Director, WFP
H.E. Ville Skinnari, Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Finland
Video on School Meals Coalition

SCHOOL MEALS COALITION VIDEO GREEN JULY 28 0900 ENG from George Hristov on Vimeo.

Panel Discussion - “More than a Meal: School Meals as a transformational intervention for the entire food system”

Ms. Bibi Giyose, Senior Advisor food and nutrition security, African Union Development Agency NEPAD
H.E. Moussa Balde, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Infrastructure, Senegal
H. E. Zoila Cruz, Minister of Development and Inclusion, Honduras
H.E. Dr. Jewel H. Bronaugh, USA Deputy Secretary of Agriculture
H.E. Julien Denormandie, Minister of Agriculture and Food, France
H.E. José Ángel López Camposeco, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food, Guatemala
Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, CEO, African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD)
Video – Showcasing the impact of school meals on the full food system.
Closing Remarks: Mr. David Beasley, Executive Director, WFP

28 July 2021. FULL INTEGRATION OF BLUE FOODS FOR HEALTH

Emerging research reveals: (a) the critical role aquatic foods already play in filling specific nutrient niches, protein and overall nutrition, and their untapped potential, and (b) the vast ‘hidden harvest’ of blue foods sustaining millions of poor and vulnerable people with income and food security. This session built on the evidence to support key policy, finance, and engagement convergence points, to assist food policy makers to join value chain actors, to ‘add fish to the recipe’ for food security, improved nutrition, and nature-positive production while encouraging and securing dignified livelihoods for a diversity of actors.

Moderator - Mr. Jim Leape, William & Eva Price Senior Fellow and Co-Director, Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions
H.E. Ine Eriksen Søreide, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Norway
Mr. Peter Thomson, UN Special Envoy for Oceans
Dr. Agnes Kalibata, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the 2021 Food Systems Summit
H.E. Maria Do Céu Antunes, Minister for Agriculture, Portugal
Dr. Shakuntala Thilsted, WorldFish, World Food Prize Winner 2021
H.E. Nasser Kamel, Secretary General, Union for the Mediterranean
Ms. Barkha Mossae, Global Shaper, Port Louis Hub
Ms. Sanda Ojiambo, Executive Director, UN Compact Statement of Support H.E. Frank Bainimarama, Prime Minister, Fiji

28 July 2021 - MINISTERIAL ROUNDTABLE ON UNFSS

The UN Secretary-General has called on world leaders to take part in the Food Systems Summit to help establish the future direction for food systems and accelerate collective action to that end. With food systems both contributing to and being impacted by climate change, land degradation and biodiversity loss, the outcomes of the Summit provide an opportunity to further build synergies between the three Rio conventions on these issues and their respective Conferences of the Parties. This session explored how these Rio Conventions can support transformations of the food systems while strengthening linkages and impacts of these agreements.

Moderator - Dr. Martin Frick, Deputy to the Special Envoy, Food Systems Summit Secretariat
H.E. Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, France
H.E. Ms. Teresa Ribera Rodriguez, Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Spain
H.E. Christian Hofer, General-Director of the Federal Office for Agriculture, Switzerland
H.E. Lord Zac Goldsmith, Minister for Pacific and the Environment Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), United Kingdom
H.E. Joseph Séka Seka, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Cote d’Ivoire
H.E. Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Ministry of Environment, Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, Egypt
H.E. Prakash Javadekar, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India
H.E. St Clair Prince, Minister of Health, Wellness and the Environment, St Vincent
Ms. Marije Beens, Vice Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Netherlands

Perspectives of the three Rio Convention Principals

Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
Ms. Elizabeth Mrema, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity CBD
Ms. Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Dr. Inger Andersen, Chair, UN Task Force and Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

28 July 2021. Synthesis plenary

Panel: Featured Themes from the Pre-Summit

Moderator - Dr. Martin Frick, Deputy to the Special Envoy, Food Systems Summit Secretariat
Ms. Tamisha Lee, President, Jamaica Network for Rural Women Producers
Ms. Aili Keskitalo, President of the Sami Parliament, Norway
Ms. Marie Claire Graf, Vice Chair for Youth, Champions Network and Real Food Systems
Dr. Wai-Chan Chan, Managing Director, Consumer Goods Forum

Panel Discussion – Moving Forward through Country Leadership: Ministerial Feedback and Highlights

Moderator: Dr. David Nabarro, Senior Advisor, Food Systems Summit Dialogues
H.E. Mahendra Reddy, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Waterways, Fiji
H.E. Janusz Wojciechowski, Commissioner for Agriculture, European Commission

Insights from Critical Voices – Counter Summit

Representative of the Civil Society Mechanism of the Committee on World Food Security

Panel Discussion – Moving Forward

Dr. João Campari, Global Leader, Food Practice, WWF International and Chair of Action Track 3
Prof. Michael Quinn Patton, Author, Blue Marble Evaluation
Dr. Claudia Sadoff, Managing Director, Research Delivery and Impact of the CGIAR System Organization (CGIAR)
Dr. Jemimah Njuki, Custodian, Gender and Women’s Empowerment Lever of Change and Director, Africa, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

28 July 2021. Closing plenary

This session culminated the three-day Pre-Summit by reinforcing the urgency of the moment and featuring additional tone-setting leadership by Member States and multi-stakeholder constituencies that can lead the way forward to the Food Systems Summit in September.

It laid out the areas of convergence that will guide the work forward in the Summit process and see the launch of several systemic and transformative coalitions of action that help deliver on the vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Moderator – Mr. Jeff Koinange
Special Envoy Remarks – Dr. Agnes Kalibata, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the 2021 Food Systems Summit
His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Wales Strengthening National and Regional Pathways for Food Systems Transformation, UK
H.E. Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of State for Food and Water Security, United Arab Emirates
H.E. Olusola O. Idowu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Nigeria, and National Convenor

Constituency Commitments

Ms. Anne Nuorgam, Chair, United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Massimo Bottura, Chef and Food Systems Activist, Global Goodwill Ambassador
Youth representative Private Sector representative Producers’ representative

Panel Discussion and Launch of Systemic, Transformative Coalitions of Action

Representatives from up to 5 coalitions of action

Closing Panel – What It Will Take to Rise to Our Ambition for 2030

H.E. QU Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
H.E. Gilbert Houngbo, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
H.E. David Beasley, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP)

Concluding Remarks – Strengthening Food Systems Leadership

H.E. Luigi Di Maio, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Italy
H.E. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations

Monday, August 2, 2021