Addressing Nutrition and Environmental Challenges: The Role of Urban and Territorial Governance for Inclusive and Sustainable Food Systems Transformation

Addressing Nutrition and Environmental Challenges: The Role of Urban and Territorial Governance for Inclusive and Sustainable Food Systems Transformation


At the CFS49 the Urban Food Systems Working Group, Ad Hoc Working Group on Territorial Governance, FAO (UN), GAIN, UCLG and UN Habitat will organise a session focusing on the role of urban and territorial governance for inclusive and sustainable food systems transformation.

Objectives of the session:

  • Raise awareness and common understanding on the importance of leveraging urban and territorial food systems, nutrition and governance innovations, local public service provision and rights-based spatial planning processes
  • Add to the body of knowledge and experience on how to progress multilevel, urban and territorial  food governance
  • Raise awareness on the importance of strengthening alliances and coalitions for urban and territorial food systems to build political momentum and buy-in /engagement around such alliances

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FAO and the Global Alliance of Improved Nutrition (GAIN) co-lead the Urban Food Systems Working Group which comprises 26 organisations, including United Nations Agencies, like UN-Habitat, WHO and UNEP, city networks, like, ICLEI, C40, UCLG and Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, as well as other organisations e.g. from civil society, research institutes and academia. This group also actively engaged with cities as part of the UNFSS 2021 independent and global dialogues, the pre-summit and Summit. 

As part of the UNFSS2021 call to action, they are facilitating a Coalition on Sustainable and Inclusive Urban Food Systems which underscores the urban significance in food systems and the importance of coherent food and nutrition policies, implementation plans and monitoring, between cities and National Governments and territories.

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