Nutrition experts from all over the world are coming together in Rome. They are not only distilling 2000 ideas to improve food systems - they are also preparing for the big UN summit in New York in September. Lawrence Haddad is executive director of the organisation GAIN and is leading one of the summit's action tracks. What needs to be done to ensure that this summit does not fail? An interview.
Dr Lawrence Haddad is GAIN’s Executive Director since 2016. Today, Lawrence chairs Action Track 1 of the United Nations Food Systems Summit and is the co-convener of the Standing Together for Nutrition. Prior to GAIN, Lawrence was lead author of the Global Nutrition Report, Director of the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), and Director of the Food Consumption and Nutrition Division at IFPRI. He is the winner of the 2018 World Food Prize Foundation award together with David Nabarro. Click here for more.
Mr. Haddad, what is your personal goal for the Pre-Summit?
For the Pre-Summit I want to see a coalition of action for zero hunger emerge. For the first time in history, we have a scientific roadmap on how to end hunger. For the first time we have the opportunity at the summit to make hunger reduction the job number one. You and me, we have the chance to be the first generation to end hunger.
Actually, hunger is increasing.
This is the first summit I can ever remember that brings together the people who are worried about climate, about biodiversity, livelihoods, resilience, nutrition and hunger. So, everyone has a role to play. In the past, hunger reduction would have been attempted without worrying too much about climate, for example. But this summit says: All these things are indivisible. And don’t think of them as a constraint but as enablers. It is necessary to decrease the climate footprint of agriculture for hunger reduction and in doing so it might make hugner reduction more effective. . Hence, the focused effort on hunger plus these described things gives me hope that we can look at hunger reduction in a really holistic way.
What is the summit’s progress so far?
It is very good. The summit is unlike others I have been involved in before. It is a very bottom-up summit. One part of it, the action tracks, are content generators, they develop the ideas with a wide variety of stakeholders, including government officials. And there are the summit dialogues, identifying national priorities and building the political momentum around them. The action tracks received over 2000 ideas, we have been developing, linking, clustering these ideas in the last nine months. It is going well! It is chaotic at times, but it is a good, creative chaos. It is the price to pay for getting tens of thousands of people involved and engaged.
The summit shall bring together the best ideas while also identifying priorities. What are these from the 2000 ideas?
First, we boiled them down to 200 so called game changing ideas. These will be clustered into several coalitions of action. Coalitions will align the priorities from the dialogues with the ideas from the action stracks and elsewhere. For example, we know that 20 or 30 countries have set so far hunger reduction as one of their priorities. And we have asked businesses to sign to a zero hunger business pledge, and we have a lot of civil society organizations interested in joining: all the big ones you would think about, but lots of unusual ones as well – and then the three Rome based agencies obviously as our north stars. All of these groups are coming together saying: We want to align our resources over the next years around ten high impact actions to end hunger. So, the coalition has a backbone with all these actions that the actors will coalesce around, bearing in mind their individual priorities. It is challenging to simplify all this, and we are trying to be inclusive but also focused.
Let’s have a look at your action track: What is the bigger problem – availability of nutritious food or inequities in access to food?
It is both. When we talk about nutritious food, we talk about vegetables, fruits, pulses, eggs, dairy and fish, nuts. And all these foods, on the supply side, all the incentives are stacked against these kinds of foods. Agricultural research development is really targeted at staple foods like cereals or potatoes. Government procurement of food for schools, social safety nets, for hospitals again are really focusing on staple food. And price subsidies are focused on staple foods, too. All of these strong government incentives need to shift to supply more nutritious food. But it is also about affordability.
Three billion people can’t afford a healthy diet.
That is shocking. Why is that? Because nutritious foods, first for all, are more unavailable. They are fresh, hence they are more perishable, more prone to spoilage. But we can’t lose them in the system, they are so important. Cool chains are too often underdeveloped in a lot of regions. So it is about making the supply greater, the affordability greater – and then we will work with action track 2 which focuses in how do we make the environment where consumers are coming into contact with their food more attractive for nutritious foods. A lot of retailers will have a special offer zone – for unhealthy foods. And a lot of government campaigns to make healthy food attractive are not very engaging. People are always asking: What is the one thing you want to achieve from food systems transformation? And I answer: Please stop asking me this question. Because it is a package all along the value chain! We have to think and act systemically.
What is the role of the private sector in this?
My view on the private sectors aims for balance. Some companies are part of the problem, but they need to be part of the solution. The food system is mostly made up of the private sector. Governments set the rules of the game and private sector is supposed to play within them. Hence, governments need to be more assertive about rules. And businesses need to be more proactive not because they are seen tob e doing good, but because it is good for their business. The consumer trend we are seeing is gathering pace and is unstoppable, it will not be put back in the box: Consumers want healthier food and with a lower environmental footprint and, more importantly perhaps even than that, investors in businesses want to see this as well.
Can public-private partnerships close existing funding gap?
They have to. You can do these partnerships well or you can do them terribly. It is just a question of governance. They function best, when they have a very clear goal and everyone shares that goal. They also will have a governance structure that means that no one can do anything that is not in the partnership and they report the results of the partnership publicly. It is very simple conceptually to do them. It gets difficult when you get into the weeds. The private sector dwarfs the public sector. The public sector investment that is needed to end hunger is doubling current levels: from 33 billion dollars a year, that is currently spent, to 66 billion a year. The value of the stock market of the world’s top ten wealthy people increased by more than 33 billion just in one year. We have to find a way to unlock that private resource to make it work harder for the things that we all care about.
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Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Podcast of the Federal Government
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Agnes Kalibata, AGRA president since 2014 and former minister of agriculture and wildlife in Rwanda, is convinced that Africa's economy will only grow sustainably if small-scale agriculture is also seen as an opportunity.
From a circular food system in Rwanda to functioning cooled transports in Kenya: The lab of tomorrow addresses development challenges such as preventing food loss and waste
In Zambia, innovative approaches are used to address the problem of post-harvest losses in the groundnut value chain. GIZ's Rapid Loss Appraisal Tool (RLAT) can help to develop more such approaches.
The climate crisis fuels world hunger. What needs to change in the global fight against hunger, and which role plays humanitarian aid in international development cooperation?
In March 2022, the virtual conference ICTforAg summons leading actors in the agrartechnology and food sector from low- and middle-income countries to exchange ideas advancing resilience, nutrition and agriculture-led growth.
The oceans are important for our food supply, but they are overfished. To halt this trend the global community is now taking action against illegal fishing. Journalist Jan Rübel spoke with Francesco Marí, a specialist for world food, agricultural trade and maritime policy at "Brot für die Welt," and others.
When women have control over the resources of a household and manage the income, it usually leads to a more balanced and healthier diet for the family. But often the decision-making power lies with the men. How can this gender inequality be addressed? The GIZ global project Food Security and Resilience provides insights into project work on gender-transformative approaches finances by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
A Contribution by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
At the network meeting "Partners for change - Transformation to a food secure, resilient and sustainable future", almost 250 participants from over 20 countries came together to exchange experiences and ideas on the transformation of agricultural and food systems. The final product, joint recommendations to transform agricultural and food systems, can now be read online.
Halfway through the 2030 Agenda, the BMZ invited participants to a network meeting entitled "Partners for change - Transformation to a food secure, resilient and sustainable future". Experts from around the world developed recommendations in a consultation process and then consolidated them in Berlin. A site visit.
A Contribution by Harry Hoffmann (TMG) & Nathalie Demel (WHH)
At the halfway mark of the 2030 Agenda and two years after the UN Food System Summit 2021, a stocktaking moment was held in Rome to analyze the progress of countries on the commitments to action in transforming food systems. Dr Harry Hoffmann, TMG Think Tank, and Nathalie Demel, Welthungerhilfe, were on site and take stock as well.
It takes the joint efforts of diverse actors to achieve a transformative impact on the global food system. Barbara Rehbinder, Scaling Up Nutrition Movement (SUN), discusses four people-centred principles to get closer to this goal.
In Eastern El Salvador, campesinos are cultivating a self-image to encourage rural youth to remain in rural areas. With help from Caritas, they have adjusted the cultivation methods to their soils and traditions - Marvin Antonio Garcia Otero,the deputy director of Caritas of the Diocese of San Miguel believes this is the best way to prevent rural exodus and criminality.
Africa's cotton production plays a key role in the fight against poverty. The "Cotton Made in Africa" initiative promotes sustainable cultivation - one element of which is the use of organic pesticides. Entomologist Ben Sekamatte and cotton company manager Boaz Ogola talked with Jan Rübel about soil and yields.
Small farmers in developing countries must modernise their farming methods, but poorly understood reforms could exacerbate poverty instead of alleviating it.
For years, place-based approaches to development have been considered important features in development cooperation, at the BMZ and in FAO. Both organisations are aiming at advancing these approaches: an interview with Adriano Campolina from the FAO on territorial and landscape perspectives.
Environmental change is having a particularly strong impact on the African continent. Its landscapes see both negative and positive processes. What is science's view of this? A conversation with Cyrus Samimi about mobility for livelihoods, urban gardening and dealing with nature.
With the help of sustainable farming methods, soils can be preserved and made fertile again. The investment required is also worthwhile from a financial perspective.
What are the consequences of using synthetic pesticides in agriculture? Where do they help, where do they harm? Lena Luig, expert for the development policy organization INKOTA, and science journalist Ludger Weß discuss this controversial topic of international scope.
A contribution by Dr. May Hokan and Dr. Arnulf Köhncke (WWF)
Due to the coronavirus crisis, the connection between human and animal health has gained new attention. Politicians and scientists are joining forces to propagate the solution: One Health. But what is behind the concept? And can it also guarantee food security for all people worldwide?
Stig Tanzmann is a farmer and adviser on agricultural issues at ‘Bread for the World’. Jan Rübel interviewed him about his reservations about AGRA's strategy.
A contribution by Michael Windfuhr (German Institute for Human Rights)
Land rights are no longer governed by the law of the strongest. That is what the international community has agreed to. Governments and private companies have a duty to respect human rights and avoid corruption.
A contribution by Roselyn Korleh and M. Sahr Nouwah (WHH)
The Liberian town of Kinjor is a picture-book example for what happens, if land rights aren’t protected, and it illustrates how to move forward from there. The keyword: Multi-Actor Partnership
It began with clicks at a trade fair and ends with concrete reforestation: a campaign at the Green Week in Berlin is now enriching the forests of the Yen Bai Province in Vietnam. A chronicle of an education about climatic relevance to concrete action - and about the short distances on our planet.
A contribution by Dr. Kathleen Mar and Dr. Nicole de Paula
Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, health is receiving unprecedented public and political attention. Yet the fact that climate change is also affecting the environmental and social determinants of health in a profound and far-reaching way deserves further recognition.
In the tropics rainforests are still being felled for the production of palm oil, meat and furniture. It is high time to act. Proposals are on the table.
In this article, the author describes what we know about interlinkages, what role agriculture has to play in the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity, and what the necessary changes in agricultural systems might look like, both on small and large-scale farms.
"One World no Hunger" (SEWOH) becomes one of the five core themes of the BMZ. Dirk Schattschneider, SEWOH Commissioner about previous approaches, future areas of action, and the political will to end hunger.
Every one degree Celsius rise in temperature increases the risk of conflict by two to ten percent. The climate crisis is a humanitarian crisis, as the photos by Christoph Püschner and Frank Schultze illustrate.
Regarding deforestation free supply chains, there are challenges and opportunities for smallholder farmers as well as for international forest governance. Also, responsibilities for companies and potential incentives for manufacturers to use materials from fair trade and sustainable sources need to be explored. But what does “deforestation-free” actually mean?
Interview with Caroline Milow and Ramon Brentführer
Groundwater resources remain dormant in the soil of African regions. Where does it make sense to use them – and where does overexploitation of nature begin? Caroline Milow (GIZ) and Ramon Brentführer (BGR) talk about potentials in the future and lessons from the past.
Roughly 800 million people suffer from hunger worldwide. Change is needed - for people and for the environment. Brot für die Welt reports on the starting points offered by everyone's ecological footprint and handprint.
Recycling organic waste into soil amendments and animal feed through a transdisciplinary approach – this is what the RUNRES project, launched in four sub-Saharan African countries four years ago, seeks to achieve. Three of the project's scientists report.
The textile industry contributes significantly to environmental pollution as it produces over 100 billion garments every year, resulting in huge CO2 emissions and water consumption. Fashion designer Paul Kadjo uses banana silk as an environmentally friendly alternative to make textile production more environmentally conscious and socially just.
The Federal Government is fine-tuning a law that would require companies to ensure human rights – a supply chain law. What are the consequences for the agricultural sector? Dr Bettina Rudloff from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) discusses linking policy fields with added value.
‘Fair’ and ‘sustainable’ are key words in Germany’s EU Council Presidency. At the same time, Germany pursues ‘modernization’ of the WTO and ‘rapid progress’ on free trade agreements. Are these goals really compatible? Can we be concerned about fairness and sustainability while continuing with ‘business as usual’?
Interview with Bernadette Arakwiye und Salima Mahamoudou (World Resources Institute)
Deforestation is leading to a shortage of ressources. What are the options for counteracting? A conversation with Bernadette Arakwiye and Salima Mahamoudou about renaturation and the possibilities of artificial intelligence.
At the climate conference in Glasgow, activists from various groups protested again – Leonie Bremer from ‘Fridays for Future’ was there too. How can climate protection and development cooperation work hand in hand?
A conversation with aquatic researcher Shakuntala Thilsted on the long-neglected nutrition benefits of aquatic diets and the empowering qualities of a sustainable aqua-food systems transformation.
A Contribution by Adrian Muller, Catherine Pfeifer and Jürn Sanders (FiBL)
Taking Biodiversity Focus Areas under production or abandoning lower yielding, more extensive production systems is the wrong approach to mastering the looming global food crisis, say the authors of the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL).
Germany joins the international Agroecology Coalition, reinforcing its commitment to fair, sustainable agriculture and ensuring the future viability of rural areas. By adopting a holistic approach, agroecology is helping to address the greatest challenges of our time: protecting the climate, combating hunger and preserving biodiversity.
The production of animal-source foods is becoming increasingly difficult due to the impact of climate change on the livestock sector in Africa. Though, Livestock make a crucial contribution to food security in Africa. Three papers by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), GIZ, ILRI and World Bank analyze, how Africas future livestock sector can look like.
Agriculture is coming under pressure worldwide: bacteria, viruses and insects are causing problems for crops. In Palestine, Dr. Rana Samara from the Palestinian Academy of Science and Technology is researching solutions to the problem. And she finds them in nature itself.
What do chocolate, carrots and tequila have in common? What sounds like the ingredients for an experimental cocktail are foods that would not exist without certain animal species. They are examples of how nature works for us every day, often behind the scenes.
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