49th Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS)

11-15 October 2021. CFS 49/The 49th Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS)

The 49th Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) was held virtually from 11 to 14 October 2021.

Organized shortly after the United Nations Food Systems Summit, CFS 49 focused on the 2021 State of Food Security and Nutrition report, uptake of the CFS Voluntary Guidelines on Food Systems and Nutrition, CFS Mutli-Year Programme of Work and other ongoing CFS workstreams and priorities.

Access the Draft Report endorsed at CFS49 here.

11/10 SIDE EVENT 1 Transforming Food, Land and Water Systems for Sustainable Healthy Diets 

Organizers: Stanford University, WorldFish, Environmental Defense Fund, UN Nutrition, CGIAR, ILRI

Equitable access to nutritious, safe, and culturally appropriate aquatic foods and terrestrial animal-source foods is key to making sustainable healthy diets a reality for all, especially vulnerable communities in low- and middle-income countries. However, their contributions to human nutrition and health and the environment are often left off in key food system policies, programs and schemes at the national and global levels.\

• Moderator: - Thin Lei Win, Specialist Correspondent, Thin Ink Newsletter
• Shakuntala Thilsted, Global Lead, Nutrition & Public Health, WorldFish & UNFSS, Vice Chair, Action Track 4
• Lora Iannotti, Associate Professor, Public Health, Washington University 
• Adeline Ufitinema, Food and Nutrition Specialist, The National Child Development Agency
• Julie Bissonnette, President, La Fédération de la Relève Agricole du Québec & Member, World Farmers Organization 
• Arun Padiyar, Project Manager, Sustainable Aquaculture, WorldFish 
• Jenn Gerard Lovewell, Chief Nutrition Officer, Real Good Fish 
• Closing Remarks: Stineke Oenema, Executive Secretary, UN Nutrition 

11/10 SIDE EVENT 2 Food for Our Future: Youth Leading Radical Transformations Toward Economies of Well-being 

Organizers: CSM (Youth working group), UN Special Rapporteur on Right to Food

11/10 SIDE EVENT 3 Development Finance and Land Rights: Leveraging the VGGT to Enhance Food Systems, Climate Resilience, and Land Degradation Neutrality 

Organizers: Land Portal Foundation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands – RVO, UNCCD, GIZ, FAO, USAID

This side event generated interest in philanthropy and development investment for land and property rights.

11/10 SIDE EVENT 4 Prioritizing Climate Resilience: Building a New Policy Consensus with Smallholder Farmers 

Organizers: GAFSP, IISD, SDG2 Advocacy Hub, Asian Farmers Association, Réseau des organisations paysannes et de producteurs de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (ROPPA), Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany 

This session highlighted the importance of financing and investment to boosting the climate-resilience of smallholder farmers and meet ambitious climate and development goals.

12/10 SIDE EVENT 5 From Commitments to Action: The Importance of the CFS Voluntary Guidelines for a Coalition for Action on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems 

Organizers: WWF, GAIN, WHO, IFPRI, CARE, EAT, The Club of Rome, FAO, Centre for Food Policy at City University of London

This side event explored how the Coalition for Action on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems for All, an outgrowth from UNFSS, can work together with CFS on the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines.

12/10 SIDE EVENT 6 Healthy Diets at the Nexus of Food Systems, Biodiversity, Climate and Nutrition: Global Summits, Local Transformation and the CFS VGFSYN 

Organizers: UN Nutrition, WFP, FAO, World Bank (Agriculture and Food Global Practice)

This session highlighted the opportunities for building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agri-food systems to ensure access to healthy diets from sustainable food systems for all through policies and programmes across the food system, climate, biodiversity and nutrition domains. Solutions need to be contextualized based on latest and locally specific evidence.

12/10 SIDE EVENT 7 Addressing Nutrition and Environmental Challenges: The Role of Urban and Territorial Governance for Inclusive and Sustainable Food Systems Transformation 

Organizers: Urban Food Systems Working Group, Ad Hoc Working Group on Territorial Governance, FAO (UN), GAIN, UCLG, UN Habitat

This session discussed the importance of strengthening alliances and coalitions for urban and territorial food systems to build political momentum and buy-in /engagement around such alliances.

12/10 SIDE EVENT 8 Women farmers and Indigenous women’s views on climate change, Covid-19 and the CFS Voluntary Guidelines on Gender Equality and Women’s and Girls’ Empowerment 

Organizers: SEWA, IFPRI, FAO

13/10 SIDE EVENT 9 Human Rights, Nutrition and Law: Keys to Transform Food Systems 

Organizers: Chaire de recherche en droit sur la diversité et la sécurité alimentaires; WHO; UNICEF; IDLO intergovernmental organization; FAO; UN-Nutrition
As demonstrated in the Study “Transforming agri-food systems: Legislative intervention for improved nutrition and sustainability” FAO, July 2021, 146 p.), the transition of food systems towards improved nutrition and sustainability is intrinsically linked to the existence of a coherent legislative framework and notably the implementation of human rights.

13/10 SIDE EVENT 10 Bridging Agroecology and Biodiversity Action: Coalitions, Evidence, Policy Frameworks 

Organizers: Global Alliance for the Future of Food, UNESCO, Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems, Member Country (TBC), IPES-Food, AgroEcology Fund, Biovision Foundation, WWF International, Bioversity-CIAT

This side-event during the 49th Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) shone a light on emerging coalitions, evidence, and policy actions to advance agroecology and agricultural biodiversity, as interconnected pathways to transform food systems towards increased food security, nutrition, and sustainability. In a landmark year with the adoption of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the CFS’ Policy Recommendations on Agroecological and other Innovative Approaches, speakers discussed strategies to advance these frameworks through collaborative action, enabling policies, and increased resources for food systems transformation. 

13/10 SIDE EVENT 11 Youth Leadership for a Better Food Future: The World Food Forum (WFF) as a Movement by Youth and for Youth to Transform Agri-food Systems 

Organizers: World Food Forum (Coordination Team), FAO Youth Committee, Major Group for Children and Youth, Youth Alliance of Zero Hunger, WFP Youth network, IFAD Youth Network, Young Farmers Association - representative, Indigenous Youth - representation

The side event introduced the World Food Forum (WFF) as a major youth-led food movement and an alliance all related major youth groups and networks, aiming at the transformation of the global food systems

13/10 SIDE EVENT 12 Water Tenure Approaches for Securing Rights, Advancing Climate Resilience and Food Security 

Organizers: FAO, Environmental Law Institute, International Water Management Institute, Government of Rwanda, Government of Senegal, Government of Sri Lanka, German Ministry of Food and Agriculture

14/10 SIDE EVENT 13 Innovation as a Force for Good in the Fight against Climate Change and Malnutrition 

Organizers: FAO; CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS); Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture (GACSA)

This side event explored how adaptation and mitigation to climate change in agriculture can measurably deliver on nutrition outcomes at individual households and high er levels. Speakers discussed what innovations can assure climate-smart agriculture and nutrition-sensitive agriculture. Furthermore, the event investigated in which ways multiple stages of food value chains can remain resilient in the face of climate change while contributing to positive dietary outcomes for nutrition and health. \

• Moderator: Zitouni Ould-Dada, Deputy Director, Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, FAO 
• Ismahane Elouafi, Chief Scientist, FAO 
• Tom Kelly, UK ambassador 
• Thanawat Tiensin, Chairperson CFS 
• Philip Thornton, CCAFS 
• Hans Hoogeveen, co-chair Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture (GACSA) 
• Leah Wanambwa, Senior policy officer, Directorate of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy at the African Union Commission

14/10 SIDE EVENT 14 How can data and digital technology support small-holder farmers and enable more equitable, inclusive and sustainable food systems? 

Organizers: Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, FAO, USAID, Digital Agriculture Association

Following the launch of the CFS MY POW 2020-2023 workstream on “data collection and analysis tools”, this session explored how key stakeholders will be working together to operationalise the summit outcomes and the CFS data workstream to ensure effective system-wide collaboration on data, at the global, regional and country levels.

 

14/10 SIDE EVENT 15 Advancing Equitable Livelihoods for All Food Systems Workers 

Organizers: CARE, IFAD, FAO, ILO, PSM

14/10 SIDE EVENT 16 Rethink > Repurpose > Reform: Why and how we Need to Overhaul Agricultural Support for Better Food Security and Nutrition 

Organizers: FAO; UNDP; UNEP; World Bank

This CFS side event brought global multi-stakeholders (UN agencies, academia, NGOs and Member Countries) to explain the state of global agricultural support. Attendees heard experts as they outline a 6-step policy guide to repurposing, and how doing so can help ensure food security and nutrition for all.