A new study on the role of legislation in promoting healthy diets from a food systems perspective
The FAO Development Law Service has just released a new study on the role of legislation in promoting healthy diets from a food systems perspective. The publication was prepared in collaboration with the Partnerships Team in the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC).
Legislation is one of the most effective mechanisms available to give effect to the implementation of long-term changes to facilitate the transition to healthier diets. In this context, it is essential to prioritize the right to adequate food (and to water) as a basis for ensuring food security within the framework of sustainable food systems, while considering other elements of food systems and their actors, especially in the wake of the pandemic and the urgent need for rapid recovery and transformation.
The study reviews laws passed to date in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay which aim to improve access to healthier diets. These legal instruments are examined under the right to adequate food framework.
In addition to desirable changes needed in current food consumption patterns, it is vital to move towards sustainable and inclusive food systems, which involve a plethora of actors in addition to consumers. Inclusive and sustainable food systems will guarantee access to healthier diets and ultimately satisfy the human right to adequate food for all people. Legislative frameworks will need to be carefully thought out so as to cater for the myriad interests across food systems and the need to balance economic viability, environmental concerns and human health, among others.
This study represents a valuable contribution to the discussion at regional level on how to ensure better nutrition from a food system perspective.
The study is currently available in Spanish at this link. The English version will follow.
For more information, please contact [email protected].