The Government Offices of Sweden, the Swedish International Agriculture Network Initiative (SIANI), The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) will hold a public dialogue on food security, conflict and resilience as part of the mobilization process towards the UN Food Systems Summit.
The event will take place online on April 29, 2021 and is part of Sweden’s Global Food Systems Dialogues. This series of consultations with Swedish actors, involved or connected to the Swedish international development cooperation, is held to source insights and solutions which will feed into Sweden’s preparation for the UN Food Systems Summit.
“We want to contribute to functioning, inclusive and transparent global food systems in our efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2 – Zero Hunger. For Sida, this consultation is an important step on the way to ensure systems that realise everyone’s right to food and healthy diets in our common and peaceful future,” says Carin Jämtin, Director-General, Sida.
“We have a responsibility to ensure that the Food Systems Summit process addresses the needs of those living in conflict-affected areas, who often are at most risk of food insecurity. We must fulfill our commitment to the right to adequate food for all men, women and children,” says Janine Alm Ericson, State Secretary to the Minister for International Development Cooperation
In 2021, the world will convene for the first-ever UN Food Systems Summit to discuss and embark on the process of food systems transformation. Today, food systems drive environmental degradation and biodiversity loss, and are responsible for 34% of greenhouse gas emissions. Still, 690 million people are affected by hunger, and one in three suffer from malnutrition. Most of the world’s premature deaths occur due to diet-related diseases and one-third of all the food produced globally is wasted, while people who produce food remain trapped in poverty.
Additionally, the number of violent conflicts have increased in the recent years, and exacerbated food insecurity in many regions of the world and created famine-like conditions in North-eastern Nigeria, Somalia, DR Congo, Yemen, South Sudan, Mali, Syria and beyond.
Sweden’s second Global Food Systems Dialogue held on the 29th of April will explore the links between food security and conflict and discuss ways to build resilience of our food systems.
The first event of the series focused on food security, equity and inclusion and took place on March 29. The third dialogue is held on May 11 and will discuss nature-positive food production.
Find out more at Sweden’s Global Food Systems Dialogue event page