The UN Secretary-General has committed in his Chair Summary and Statement of Action on the UN Food Systems Summit to convene "a global stocktaking meeting every two years to review progress in implementing the outcomes of this process and its contributions to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. This will be supported by the RBAs, the broader UN System and partners."
The 2023 UN Food Systems Stocktaking Moment will build on the momentum of the 2021 Food Systems Summit and will create a conducive space for countries to review commitments to action that were made during the Summit, share stories of success and early signs of transformation, maintain the momentum for bold acceleration and bold action to further the resilience of food systems, advocate for their adaptation to climate change, ensure they contribute to communities’ resilience to further shocks and crises, and boost the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Stocktaking Moment will take place in Rome, Italy from 24 – 26 July 2023, at the premises of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). It will be hosted by Italy, in collaboration with the Rome-based UN Agencies (FAO, IFAD, WFP), the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub and the wider UN system.
GAIN at the UNFSS 2023 Stocktaking Moment
Day 1
Special Event: Progress on Food Systems Transformation
24th July, 09:30-10:30 CET
Moderator: Dr. Lawrence Haddad
Transforming food systems requires regularly updated information about their status to guide interventions. This session will position the importance of monitoring food systems by introducing the work of the independent Food Systems Countdown to 2030 Initiative (FSCI) that has developed a rigorous, science-based information system to track progress and guide action. It will showcase four countries who can speak to their priorities and experience around monitoring. The participants will have the opportunity to learn more about the potential to use the FSCI’s indicator framework as a point of reference for the development of national monitoring systems.
Special Event: The True Cost of Food
24th July, 10:30-11:30 CET
Panelist from GAIN: Dr. Lawrence Haddad
Agri-food systems generate significant benefits to society through food, culture and jobs. However, they are also contributing to climate change, natural resource degradation, and impacting our health through changing dietary patterns. Panelists will share their experiences in addressing these hidden costs of food systems, highlighting that, if appropriately measured, they can be integrated in decision-making to improve the value provided to society by food systems. A discussion will follow on how the True Cost approach can reinforce the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of food systems.
Special Event: Leveraging Urbanisation for Food Systems Transformation
24th July, 16:00-17:30 CET
Many cities are taking action to sustainably transform food systems. One area of progress is that champion cities are increasingly joining forces with national governments to ensure that national food systems policies reflect local concerns. This event aims to heighten awareness, advocate and learn from tangible initiatives. The role of cities as key entry points to ignite national and global level food systems transformation will be showcased. The need for many more cities and local governments to be given the space to engage in the design and implementation of policies and programs developed at national level will be highlighted.
The Coalition on Sustainable and Inclusive Urban Food Systems and the Transitioning Urban and Rural Food Systems Consortium (TURFS) are respectively principal lead and co-lead of this event. GAIN is a lead partner in both the Coalition and TURFS.
Side-event: Policy to practice: Bangladesh’s approach towards integrating food systems with nutrition and resilience
24th July, 13.30-14.30, Iran room, FAO
Panelist from GAIN: Dr. Lawrence Haddad
The UNFSS 2021 set the roadmap for linking food systems, nutrition, and resilience. This was followed by COP 26 and N4G in 2021, and COP 27 in 2022. All these forums have reiterated the importance of people and planet, and of leaving no one behind. Drawing on the Bangladesh experience, the side-event will demonstrate with examples, the significance of recognising the interconnectedness between food systems, nutrition, and resilience, and of addressing issues with a holistic perspective, in order to meet the commitments under UNFSS, N4G, and COP, and accelerate progress towards the SDGs.
Co-organisers of this event are FAO, IFAD, WFP and GAIN, led by the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit, Ministry of Food, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Side-event: City, local and national governments join actions with multiple actors towards healthy, inclusive, sustainable and resilient food system
24th July, 12.30-13.30, Ethiopia room, FAO
Transitions to sustainable food systems require many changes. Integrated solutions are needed to respond to multiple challenges. Urbanisation plays an important role in this transition, as cities consume 70% of all food while contributing to GHGs, food waste and environmental degradation. This event aims at sharing success stories on how cities, subnational and national governments can join forces to deliver interconnected solutions for healthy diet, food losses and waste and resilience against shocks and stresses. The event will also be an opportunity to promote innovative multi-stakeholder and multi-level food systems governance mechanisms.
The Coalition on Sustainable and Inclusive Urban Food Systems, of which GAIN is a co-lead, is together with partners organising this side-event
Day 2
Side-event: Scaling up multi-stakeholder collaboration and investments in the implementation of the food systems transformation pathways in Nigeria
25th July, 13:30-14:30 CET
Moderator: Michael Ojo
The Government of Nigeria is committed to the implementation of the food systems transformation pathways with focus on collaborative and all-inclusive implementation strategy leveraging strong multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder consultations through decentralised coordination and reporting across all the six Geo-political Zones including Federal Capital Territory. This is in addition to setting up National Steering Committee involving all the six Geo-political Zones, Multi-stakeholder Technical Working Groups and Implementation Task Team. This Side Event will increase visibility on the on-going efforts, provide learnings opportunities, galvanise technical assistance, mobilise private sector and diaspora support towards implementation of Nigerian food systems transformation pathways.
This event is organised by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning of Nigeria, with co-organisers the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nigeria, WFP, IFAD, FAO and UNICEF, GAIN and the Nigeria Fish Trawlers Association.
Special event: Taking stock of progress: scaling up transformative private sector investment in food systems
25th July, 16.30-17.30
Panelist from GAIN: Dr. Lawrence Haddad
The private sector plays an essential role in scaling up investment needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Accordingly, the UN Food Systems Summit called for private sector investments, market-based solutions, and innovations to step up financing and shift towards healthier, inclusive, more equitable and sustainable food systems. This session will look at the achievements and challenges to scale up transformative private sector investment in food systems.
Day 3
Side-event: Multi-stakeholder collaboration for food systems transformation: From concepts to action
26th July, 12.30-13.30, Austria room, FAO
Panelist from GAIN: Joyce Akpata
This side-event will share good practices and country experiences on how to effectively operationalise cross-sectoral and multi-stakeholder collaboration for sustainable food systems transformation. Representatives of selected countries in Africa, Asia and Europe will share their experiences in fostering collaboration between stakeholders in the context of the development, refining and implementation of the national pathways and related policies for sustainable food systems. The session will provide space for exchange about the practical use of concepts and approaches to facilitate multi-stakeholder collaboration. Panellists will bring hands-on experiences in multi-stakeholder initiatives to discuss how national governments and partners can strengthen inclusive governance mechanisms that support sustainable food systems transformation.
This event is co-organised by GAIN, together with FAO, UNEP, Foresight4 Food, University of Oxford and Wageningen University & Research, under the leadership of UNDP and Netherlands Food Partnership.
Side-event: Youth leading transformation: Accelerating inclusive food systems in collaboration with UNFSS
26th July, 12.30-13.30, Philippines room, FAO
This event assesses progress made by young people, highlights the Youth Declaration on Food Systems, and explores challenges faced by young people in creating change in food systems transformation. We will discuss roadblocks and innovative solutions for sustained youth engagement, aligning with the UNFSS objective of inclusivity. Our focus on systemic barriers supports the FSS integrated narrative. The event aims to contribute to national food systems transformation and UNFSS National Pathways. Expected outcomes include a youth coalition, a roadmap for youth inclusion and enhanced collaboration among youth leaders. Join us to drive change in global food systems.
This event is co-organised by Act4Food