Forum global sur la sécurité alimentaire et la nutrition (Forum FSN)

Sustainable Energy Technologies for Food Utilization in Emergency Contexts

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

9AM-2PM

Location: Council on Foreign Relations

Washington, DC 

This conference is addressed to high-level experts in the field of humanitarian action, as well as of energy, food security and nutrition. The “Sustainable Energy Technologies for Food Utilization” (SET4food) is a project co-funded by COOPI-Cooperazione Internazionale, Politecnico di Milano, Fondazione Politecnico and the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO).

The specific objective of the project is to enhance the response capacity of humanitarian actors in identifying and implementing efficient and sustainable energy technologies for food utilization. The project takes into account the combination of food utilization and energy availability in formal and informal settlements for refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs). Practical tools to improve food utilization have been developed, and in particular: i) a decision support system (DSS) to facilitate the identification of the most appropriate energy technologies for a certain context; ii) guidelines of energy technologies for food utilization. Then pilot projects in Somalia, Central African Republic, Lebanon and Haiti have been implemented, in order to test the DSS, as well as innovative solutions. Finally, a set of in-presence trainings and public events have been raising the attention and improving the response capacity of humanitarian actors.

An open access e-learning course has been developed. All the material is accessible on the project website: www.set4food.org.

APPLY NOW! DEADLINE TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION: 31ST MAY 2015.

The Master in Human Development and Food Security is a truly international course that draws students from all over the world. Professors are from prestigious universities and International organizations in United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy. Teaching and learning experience are well-structured, practical issues are discussed and students get to meet high level professionals by participating in international debates and global discussions on trends in human development and food security. Our innovative partnerships with United Nations Agencies as WFP and with many other NGOs and organizations, offer students the opportunity to garner substantial experience through group research, internships and consultancy positions.

The Program consists of 12 months, with lectures held in Rome (October - July), followed by an Internship/dissertation/field research in Italy or abroad (August – October). The theoretical part of the Master includes five modules: Development Economics, Quantitative Techniques, Human Development, Food Security, and Rural Development. All the master activities are in English. The Master comprised a total of 60 credits (ECTS) for a total of 1.500 hours.

Students have to discuss their final thesis or internship report again in Rome.

To apply and to have info about the costs, PLEASE check the MASTER HDFS website

http://www.masterhdfs.org/masterHDFS/?page_id=54

3 scholarship are available- find more info here:

http://www.masterhdfs.org/masterHDFS/?page_id=59

Forests can play a vital role in supplementing global food and nutrition security but this role is currently being overlooked, a report suggests.

The study says that tree-based farming provides resilience against extreme weather events, which can wipe out traditional food crops.

It warns that policies focusing on traditional agriculture often overlook the role forest farming could play.

The findings were presented at the UN Forum on Forests in New York, US.

The report is the result of a collaboration of more than 60 leading scientists, co-ordinated by the International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO) on behalf of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF).

"The report is not trying to suggest that people should start relying on forests more than conventional agriculture," explained Bhaskar Vira, the chair of the panel which compiled the report.

"It is very much about the complementary roles that forests can play alongside conventional agriculture.

"The evidence shows that a large number of people still rely on the food from forests and trees to supplement their diet," Dr Vira, director of the University of Cambridge Conservation Research Institute. Read more

The FSN Forum hosted a presentation of the book “Street Food. Culture, Economy, Health and Governance” in FAO, 9 December 2014. This book provides a comprehensive perspective on street food, on its immense cultural diversity and economic significance both in developing and developed countries. Stefano Marras, editor of the publication, presented an overview of the research hereby included and gave a snapshot on street food issues and challenges across Latin America, Asia and Africa.

Please find an interview with Stefano Marras by Max Blanck of the FSN Forum.

FSN Forum Workshop - Inclusive policy dialogue to make trade policies conducive to food security and nutrition

FAO, Rome, 16-17 December 2014 - Food security is an international issue that requires collective global and regional action and an integrated approach. In recognition of this, the FSN Forum has created the Food Security and Nutrition Forum in Europe and Central Asia (FSN Forum in ECA), a network of experts and stakeholders in which to discuss regional food security and nutrition initiatives and generate innovative solutions.

To support the further development of the FSN Forum in ECA and to ensure its full ownership by regional actors from different backgrounds (including from civil society, academy, research and government), the two day workshop “Inclusive policy dialogue to make trade policies conducive to food security and nutrition” will take place in FAO Rome on 16-17 December 2014. The overall objective of the workshop is to stimulate the debate on trade and food security and nutrition policies and strategies that will feed into national and regional policy processes. The workshop will be held back-to-back to the first meeting of the CIS Agricultural Trade Expert Network organized by the Trade and Markets Division (EST), supporting the members of the new CIS Agricultural Trade Expert Network to be part of the regional and global policy debate on food security. 

More information on the workshop is available here