Inclusive and sustainable urban food systems and the role of cities and local governments within multi-level governance will be showcased at the forthcoming Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, on 25 April 2023 at 16:00 (GMT+7). “Cities and local governments accelerating cohesive and inclusive food systems transformation” is the title of the official side event co-organized by FAO, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Rikolto, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, and the RUAF global partnership

In an increasingly urban and Anthropocene world, stressors are multiplied with significant impact on natural resources, food systems, government capacity and resources including budgets as well as on the health and wellbeing of communities due to associated shifts in nutrition towards less healthy diets. Presently, urban food systems are insufficiently considered in national policy frameworks, strategies, and implementation. City and local governments are often excluded from national food system and nutrition consultations and commitments. This poses a barrier to food systems transformation.

Multi-level governance is a vertical ‘’best practice’’ mechanism linking different levels of government, for the purposes of achieving effective, efficient, and inclusive just food systems transformation. It has further advantages associated with cost-benefit efficiencies, resilience and locally ‘’owned’’ sustainability. Where cities are widely recognised as critical to realising the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.