Cities & food: European Union - Brazil dialogue on sustainable urban food systems: research report - summary.

Food systems are very vulnerable to disruptions due to conflict, climate change and economic crises, factors that are adding to social inequality and food inflation to form the 'new normal' of the drivers of food insecurity and mal nutrition (FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO, 2023). In this challenging scenario, in which the ability to offer healthy, safe and accessible food to all is constantly tested, transforming food systems demands multistakeholder action (Bernardi and Bertello, 2022) and an active participation of cities (Wensing, Cremades and van Leeuwen, 2023). Implementing circular urban food systems is also an opportunity to replace the linear model of production, consumption, and disposal with the maximum use of food via, for example, redistribution of surpluses, use of organic waste for composting, design of social food initiatives and fostering entrepreneurship with social impact in the food sector. These are some of the assumptions behind this project and which are also advocated by Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2019). The environmental and social costs of the linear food production and consumption model is linked to a 'business as usual' view but should not be an option faced as we need to optimise scarce natural resources (Pimbert, 2015). A priority for the European Union is to strengthen the circularity of food systems, as highlighted by the European Green Deal and European research and innovation policy FOOD2030 (European Commission, 2023), which highlights 'circularity and resource efficiency' among its four priority areas. The other three areas are 'healthy nutrition and diets'; 'climate and environment' and 'innovation and empowerment of communities'. Against this background, regional interactions and partnerships are critical facilitators for transforming food systems (European Commission, 2022). The interconnection of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 (No Poverty), 2 (Zero Hunger) and 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption), for example, with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Community), added to the imperative of accelerating the fight against the global syndemic of obesity, malnutrition and climate change (Swinburn et al, 2019), has led the United Nations to advocate the end of the rural-urban divide in the planning of food security and nutrition initiatives (FSN). Public policies, programmes and investments should instead be guided by an understanding of how the rural-urban continuum and food systems interact (FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO, 2023). CITIES & FOOD. European Union ? Brazil Dialogue on Sustainable Urban Food Systems 5 Embrapa, to strengthen its action in line with global trends and to meet the European Union (EU) call for partnerships aligned with the UN?s Sustainable Development Goals, recently led two projects as part of the European Union-Brazil Dialogues on mitigating food waste, in which nationwide quantitative research on food waste in households was carried out. Several educational activities for students and teachers were also organised in different Brazilian states, including a science fair for several hundred students at Embrapa?s headquarters, with the participation of the Delegation of the European Union to Brazil, WWF Brazil and the Instituto Mauricio de Sousa. More recently, representatives of Embrapa and the EU were involved in the implementation of the Milan Pact in Latin America and in discussions during the UN Food Systems Summit on sustainable food production and consumption, held in 2021. The ?Cities and Food: Governance and Good Practices to Leverage Circular Urban Food Systems? project, led by Embrapa Food and Territories in partnership with the Delegation of the European Union to Brazil, is building on the progress already achieved and moving forward by focusing on the role of cities to boost the circularity of food systems. This initiative aims at fostering the exchange of experiences of the Brazilian cities of Curitiba (Paraná), Maricá (Rio de Janeiro), Recife (Pernambuco), Rio Branco (Acre) and Santarém (Pará), all participants in the Lab on Urban Food Policies (LUPPA), led by the Comida do Amanhã Institute in partnership with ICLEI South America, with the European cities engaged in urban food programmes and policies.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	TANGARI, J., ARAUJO, G. P. de
Other Authors:	JULIANA TANGARI, Comida do Amanhã Institute; GUSTAVO PORPINO DE ARAUJO, CNAT.
Format:	Folhetos biblioteca
Language:	Ingles English
Published:	2023
Subjects:	Accessible food, Circular urban food systems, Redistribution of surpluses, Use of organic waste for composting, Design of social food initiatives, Circularity of food systems, Sustainable Development Goals, Zero Hunger, Responsible Production and Consumption, Cidades Sustentáveis e Comunidade, ODS 11, ODS 12, Climate change, Model food systems, Entrepreneurship,
Online Access:	http://www.infoteca.cnptia.embrapa.br/infoteca/handle/doc/1158754
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