EU Dialogues for the UNFSS: our voices matter!

In the run up to the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), the European Union organized an EU Dialogue for the UNFSS on 12-13 July and 16 July, consisting of two parts – an EU Citizens Dialogue and a high-level event. The Dialogue gathered together many European Commission Directorates-General, as well as European citizens and other actors, in a common aspiration to contribute to the UNFSS through the EU’s expertise and vision, as embodied in the European Green Deal and its Farm-to-Fork Strategy.

With the overarching objective of exploring perspectives for food systems transformation within and beyond the EU, the EU Dialogue aimed to explore the challenges linked to sustainable production and consumption, while also advancing practical and innovative solutions to ensure a transition to more efficient, sustainable and inclusive agrifood systems.

Citizens are key players in the transformative process as they have the power to influence production practices and shift dietary patterns. For this reason, in the EU Citizens’ Dialogue, around 90 EU citizens provided their views and ideas with regards to food systems transformation and related areas, such as ‘green claims’ and sustainable food labelling, youth’s views on sustainable and healthy diets, sustainable production, sustainable and healthy diets, the prevention and reduction of food waste, and antimicrobial resistance.

High-level officials also attended the event. In particular, Senior Advisor on the Food Systems Summit David Nabarro highlighted the importance of the national dialogues for the UNFSS. The EU Convenor for the EU Citizens Dialogues and Head of the European Commission’s Representation in Slovakia Ladislav Miko introduced the event, while Deputy-Director General, Food sustainability, international relations, Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety Claire Bury spoke about EU food system challenges and the Farm-to-Fork Strategy’s vision to address these.

FAO was represented at the EU Citizen’s Dialogue by Chief Veterinary Officer Keith Sumption. Participating in the session on antimicrobial resistance, he presented antimicrobial agents as critical tools for fighting diseases in humans, terrestrial and aquatic animals and plants. He also explained how their misuse and overuse in human medicine, veterinary medicine and food production are accelerating the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which if left unchecked, could lead to 10 million deaths each year and hundreds of billions of dollars lost in annual economic growth by 2050. In this regard, Sumption added that working with partners in a sustained One Health approach is essential.

FAO, the World Organisation for Animal Health and the World Health Organization have been working together through the Tripartite partnership to address risks at the human-animal-ecosystems interface. In addition, the engagement of the United Nations Environment Programme is proving essential in the work of the Tripartite agencies to support governments, civil society and the private sector in addressing antimicrobial resistance within environmental policy-making. Sumption also stressed that the active involvement of each and every one of us is of paramount importance in combating AMR, which should have a high priority on the political agenda of global actors.

The EU Citizens Dialogue was followed on 16 July by the high-level event, which was opened by the UN Special Envoy for the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit Agnes Kalibata and European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski. The event aimed to share the outcomes of the EU Citizens Dialogue to a wider audience, while focusing on two important aspects of food systems: addressing global hunger and malnutrition and the transformation of food systems in practice.

FAO was represented by Director of Food Safety and Food Systems Division Jamie Morrison, who spoke during the second session and stressed the importance of restoring and preserving biodiversity and ecosystems, while also tapping into the potential of the fisheries and aquaculture sector to drive the sustainability agenda. Morrison mentioned a number of EU-funded programmes, such as Fish4ACP and the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme, which are helping to bring about innovative change.  The EU Dialogue concluded with a strong call to action to work together on all levels, in order to achieve much needed food system transformation, while also sustaining momentum after the Summit by turning commitments into actions.