Key Updates on April 2021 Independent Dialogues for Food Systems
The month of April was busy for the SDG 2 Constituency and Food System Dialogues. Our team has been involved in the organization and implementation of many Independent Food Systems Summit Dialogues, both on the global and regional level. Read on to learn about key takeaways from these events.
Food Systems Summit Dialogues offer a powerful opportunity for people everywhere to have a seat at the table at the milestone UN Food Systems Summit 2021. As we can see, Dialogues bring together a diversity of stakeholders, including voices that are seldom heard, and provide an important opportunity for participants to debate, collaborate, and take action towards a better future. These dialogues give us the chance to connect, meet new partners, inspire and be inspired.
On 28 April, the constituency co-organized a joint global dialogue with GACSA, YOUNGO, and Kitchen Connection that brought together 57 participants under the theme “Youth Voices for Global Action in Transforming Food Systems.”
The panel emphasized the urgency of transforming food systems to become more sustainable and equitable. They underscored the importance of continued youth engagement to meet this goal.
Key messages included:
Increased education and awareness is needed about the food systems, including on the three pillars of smart, sustainable agriculture: Wages, Mitigation, and Adaptation.
Youth are leaders in innovative programs, solutions, and are key facilitators in spreading the message of sustainability in food systems to their networks.
An inter-sectoral approach, including Indigenous peoples, is necessary at all stages to more sustainable food systems.
This event was Part 1 of a 3-part dialogue series. Stay tuned for more information regarding the upcoming events.
Alongside the global dialogues, the regional teams have been engaging youth in their areas in dialogues.
On April 30, the Regional Team for Africa collaborated with Hired Consult and SUYAWI to host a dialogue titled “Accelerating Solutions to Drive the Transition toward Healthy and Sustainable Consumption.”
This dialogue focused on the question of, “How do we empower consumers to make informed, healthy, safe and sustainable choices?”
This was the 3rd session in a series of dialogues on food systems organized by African regional facilitators, hosted by Major Group for Children and Youth (Youth Focus Group to UNFSS) and HIRED Consult in collaboration with Sprout Up Youth and Women Initiative (SUYAWI) in support of the upcoming Food Systems Summit 2021.
