Consumers and Mediterranean diet: towards food systems transformation

26 January 2023. Consumers and Mediterranean diet: towards food systems transformation

Recording is available here

Concept note

The SFS-MED Platform organised the fourth technical webinar in a series about levers for food systems transformation. Bringing together representatives from consumers organizations, experts from research centres, international organizations and educational networks, the webinar provided a forum for exchange on the role of consumers in a more sustainable food system agenda in the Mediterranean. 

This session addressed a key question: what is the active role that consumers can play in shaping more sustainable food systems and what are the implications for rethinking Mediterranean diets? It focused on highlighting practices and approaches that aim at addressing consumers’ needs highly relevant to the sustainability of food systems, such as for instance: 

• to access healthy, affordable and safe food; 
• to access adequate information enabling informed choices through appropriate tools (including digital tools); 
• to have their views represented in decision-making processes; 
• and to be educated on the environmental, social, and economic consequences of their choices, while contributing to shaping the offer of more sustainable products. 

Welcome: Giuseppe Provenzano Project Manager, Higher Education and Research Division, Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) 

Keynote remarks Setting the scene: Multi-stakeholder efforts to engage consumers in rethinking Mediterranean diet - Hamid El Bilali Senior Researcher, CIHEAM 

Panel:

• Moderator: Giuseppe Provenzano Project Manager, Higher Education and Research Division, Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) 
• Ferdi Fero Albanian Consumers Association (ACA) 
• Darine Dogui Director of Studies, Research, Analysis and Comparative Trials, Tunisian National Institute for Consumer Affairs 
• Florence Tartanac Senior Officer, Food and Nutrition Division, FAO 
• Marco De La Feld Head of R&D Unit ENCO srl, [PRIMA project SWITCHtoHEALTHY] 
  The SWITCHtoHEALTHY project generates a dietary behaviour change in the direction of a greater adherence to the Mediterranean food model
• Aravella Zachariou Head, Unit for Education for the Environment and Sustainable Development (EESD), Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth of Cyprus 
• Laura De Matteis Food Systems Expert, Food systems and Food Safety Division, FAO

Background

SFS-MED Platform

This platform is a multi-stakeholder initiative for Sustainable Food Systems in the Mediterranean. 

• A forum for dialogue and collaboration on priority themes for sustainable food systems in the Mediterranean, acting as a neutral facilitator of multi-stakeholder exchange to enhance policy coherence, build trust, and promote the effective implementation of actions.
• An ideal setting to rebalance sustainability and finance. Dedicated support for the co-creation of flagship projects and investment proposals will enable actors in Mediterranean food systems to access funding and scale up sustainable investments.
• A network for strengthening knowledge sharing and capacity building related to sustainable food consumption and production across the Mediterranean.
• A catalyst of opportunities for regional cooperation for data sharing, science diplomacy, and the advancement of green and blue practices, as well as inclusive and digital innovation.

The SFS-MED webinar series are a series of technical webinars is organized to leverage the knowledge and expertise of a network of researchers, development practitioners and decision-makers. The webinars aim at strengthening knowledge sharing and stimulating debate around themes relevant to food systems transformation in the Mediterranean, peer exchange about recent research and study findings, as well as showcasing successful and inspiring actions to promote the operationalization of food systems approaches.

PRIMA project SWITCHtoHEALTHY

The project SWITCHtoHEALTHY aims to generate a dietary behaviour change in the direction of a greater adherence to the Mediterranean food model, by strengthening the role of families in the process of acquiring and maintaining healthy eating habits. The Mediterranean Diet (MD) is a healthy and sustainable food model, with an essentially plant-based dietary pattern (high consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, cereals, and legumes). This goal will be reached by making available to families a combination of hands-on educational material and digital tools and complementing the dietary and lifestyle recommendations with easy-to-eat healthier snacking products.