Read the final report
View the recordings and slides of all sessions (chronological list)
Boosting skills in Food Systems understanding and practice
Over the last few years, the concept of Food Systems has been gradually gaining visibility, resulting in the September 2021 UN Food Systems Summit. But what do we really mean by 'food systems'? In the current context, how can we have more sustainable and resilient food systems, which allow for and encourage healthy and nutritious diets for all? And most importantly, how will this impact our strategic orientation and interventions?
It is to answer these questions, at a global level but also in a much more regionally anchored and operational manner that the AFS network has decided to embark on a one-year journey - the Food Systems Learning Journey (FSLJ). From September 2022 to June 2023, we will travel through different regions of the world, in order to:
- develop our understanding of and capacities in addressing food systems, and
- provide the tools and first steps to integrate this more holistic approach in our interventions, programmes and projects.
The FSLJ will provide participants with new knowledge and skills to analyse and understand regional food systems in consideration of interconnected thematic areas, such as climate, water, nutrition, disaster risk reduction and markets. With a broader knowledge of how food systems operate in various parts of the world, participants should also be able to apply new insights to their own projects and programmes in pursuit of food systems outcomes that enhance food security, environmental health and local livelihoods.
The FSLJ is available to all AFS Network members and anyone interested.
Objectives
The aim of the Food Systems Learning Journey is to…
…understand
- what a food system is in terms of its holistic complexity, and how a food systems approach is different from the current programming approaches being applied;
- how food systems work in various parts of the world and to what degree they can be profiled regionally;
- which actors (partners) are involved and what roles and responsibilities they have;
- how they relate to adjacent topics such as climate change, water, nutrition, disaster risk reduction and markets systems development;
- and how stakeholders, from donors to the private sector, can contribute towards more sustainable food systems.
…provide
- the means and framework to assess a food system;
- the tools to act upon and identify the activities and leverages to improve food systems, both through cooperation programmes and policy dialogue
- strategic insights that may inform SDC and partners’ future programmatic orientation in the realm of food system transformation.
Modalities
The FSLJ will be built around a mix of modalities:
- a virtual introductory webinar open to all;
- a series of short and dynamic in-person regional workshops, one per region;
- a virtual session after each regional workshop with the conclusions of each being systematically fed back into the network through;
- a final global hybrid synthesis, summative event to bring everything together.
Sessions - Open for all
08 September 2022 | 09 – 11 CET or 15 – 17 CET
Food Systems Essentials – Launch of the Food Systems Learning Journey
Introduction on the structure and activities of the Learning Journey organized by the SDC Agriculture & Food Systems Network, keynotes by SDC management and a topical presentation of food systems concepts.
Slides and recordings
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Introduction
by Bruce Campbell & Stéphanie Piers - Focal Points of the SDC Agriculture & Food Systems Network
Keynote
by Patricia Danzi, SDC Director General
Keynote
by Christian Frutiger, Head of Thematic Cooperation at SDC
Presentation of food systems concepts
by Dr. John Ingram, Associate Professor and Leader of the Food Systems Transformation Programme at the University of Oxford, and Lead Consultant of the Learning Journey
31 October 2022 | 10 – 12 CET
Food Systems – Framings, Boundaries, and thematic linkages
Expert: John Ingram, Associate Professor and Leader of the Food Systems Transforma-tion Programme at the University of Oxford
Facilitators : Bruce Campbell & Stéphanie Piers, Food Systems Section and focal points for the AFS Network, SDC
Slides and recordings
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Setting the stage
Recap of Key Features (Food Systems Essentials) and introduction to concepts of system framing and the importance of system boundaries
by John Ingram, University of Oxford
Entering the inter-thematic space
Short expert panel discussion with Corinne Huser (Gender), Olivier Praz (Health), Stephanie Guha (Social Protection), Patrick Sieber (Climate Action)
Looking ahead
The Food Systems Dashboard
by Lawrence Haddad, GAIN
5-6 December 2022 | Bamako
Region N°1: West Africa | Focus Climate Change
Regional Workshop in Bamako
12-13 December 2022 | Cairo
Region N°2: MENA | Focus Water
Regional Workshop in Cairo
12 January 2023, 10-11:30 CET | online
Region N°2: MENA | Focus Water
In this session we will have a look at the relationship and related effects between Food Systems and Water in the MENA region.
16-18 January 2023 | Harare
Region N°3:
East & Southern Africa | Focus Nutrition
Regional Workshop in Harare
25 January 2023 | 10 – 11:30 CET | online
Region N°1:
West Africa | Focus Climate Change
In this session we will have a look at Food Systems in the region of West Africa and the impacts and interrelatedness of Climate Change on Food Systems.
Region N°3:
East & Southern Africa | Focus Nutrition
In the same session we will also learn more about Food Systems in the region of East and Southern Africa and how, through a Food Systems approach, better outcomes in nutritious diets for all have been and can be achieved in the region.
16-17 March 2023 | Tashkent
20-21 March 2023 | Bangkok
Region N°4:
Asia | Focus Disaster Risk Reduction
Regional Workshops in Tashkent and Bangkok
5 April 2023, 09-10:30 CET | online
Region N°4:
Asia | Focus Disaster Risk Reduction
Join this session to learn more on changing Food Systems in the Asian region and what implications we can draw for Food Systems in other regions.
20-21 April 2023 |
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Region N°5:
Latin America | Focus Markets
Regional Workshop in Santa Cruz
16 May 2023, 16 – 17:30 CET | online
Region N°5:
Latin America | Focus Markets
Join this session to learn more on lessons learnt from the work in Food Systems in Latin America.
Slides and recordings
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Marcelo Collao
Panorama de los principales aspectos de los sistemas alimentarios en América Latina
Marcelo Collao
Overview of key food system issues across Latin America
(English translation)
Amparo Ergueta
Perspectiva de género y conceptos de los sistema alimentarios
Amparo Ergueta
Gender perspective and food system concepts
(English translation)
Monika Zurek
Outcomes of the workshop with a particular focus on similarities and differences between market systems approaches and food systems thinking
Monika Zurek
Resultados del taller, con especial atención a las similitudes y diferencias entre los enfoques de los sistemas de mercado y el pensamiento de los sistemas alimentarios
(traducción al español)
25 May 2023 | 09:30 – 11 CET
Food Systems – Resilience, Foresight and Scenarios
Experts: John Ingram, Associate Professor and Leader
and Monika Zurek, Senior Researcher, Food Systems Transformation Programme at the University of Oxford
Facilitators : Bruce Campbell / Stéphanie Piers, Food Systems Section & focal points for AFS NW
Final Summative Events
14 June 2023 , 9.30-12.30 + 14.00-16.30 CET
Technical Segment Working Sessions
interactive 2 half-day sessions, with ENG/FR/ESP translation available
15 June 2023, 9.30-11.00 / 15.00-16.30 CET
Summative Final Session
last global webinar with summary and closing speeches, 2 slots for all timezones, with ENG/FR/ESP translation available
In this group of online sessions, we will draw conclusions and recommendations from the journey we will have covered across the period of the entire Learning Journey. Join us as we bring the FSLJ to an end and simultaneously look out on the future.
Slides and recordings
Summative Final Session - Morning (English / French)
Keynote by Ambassador Christian Frutiger, Assistant Director General and Head of Thematic Cooperation, SDC
Keynote de l'ambassadeur Christian Frutiger, vice-directeur et chef de la division Coopération thématique, DDC
Presentation by John Ingram: High-level conclusions and recommendations from the FSLJ
Présentation de John Ingram : Conclusions et recommandations de haut niveau du FSLJ
Presentation by John Ingram: High-level conclusions and recommendations from the FSLJ (part 2)
Présentation de John Ingram : Conclusions et recommandations de haut niveau du FSLJ (partie 2)
Presentation by John Ingram: Summary of regional contexts and possible interventions to enhance food system outcomes (from summative workshop of 14th June)
Présentation de John Ingram : Résumé des contextes régionaux et des interventions possibles pour améliorer les résultats du système alimentaire (extrait de l'atelier récapitulatif du 14 juin)
Summative Final Session - Afternoon (English / Spanish)
Keynote by Marylaure Crettaz Corredor, Co-Head Food Systems Section, SDC
Discurso de apertura de Marylaure Crettaz Corredor, Co-Jefe de la Sección de Sistemas Alimentarios, COSUDE
Presentation by John Ingram: High-level conclusions and recommendations from the FSLJ
Presentación de John Ingram: Conclusiones y recomendaciones de alto nivel de la FSLJ
Presentation by Monika Zurek: Summative insights into regional findings and potential interventions towards better balanced food system outcomes (from summative workshop, 14th June 2023
Presentación de Monika Zurek: Perspectivas sumativas sobre los hallazgos regionales y las posibles intervenciones para lograr resultados mejor equilibrados de sistemas alimentarios (del taller sumativo, 14 de junio de 2023)
