UNFSS. Pre-Summit of the UN Food Systems Summit: Day 2

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

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

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) 

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 

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) 

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 

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)

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

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)

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

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

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)