FSC in Dialog: "What future for our food system?"
Dr. Isabella Rae of Gorta ‘The Freedom from Hunger Council’ of Ireland presented and discussed the topic: “What Future for Our Food System? Food Security and Nutrition in the post-2015 Development Agenda“ at the “FSC in dialog” lecture series in Hohenheim on June 3nd, 2014.
In the context of the post-2015 development agenda, building sustainable and resilient food systems is at the core of the ‘ending hunger’ challenge.
Sustainable growth and diversification of food production, with specific attention to productivity of small‐scale producers, is key in determining a new effective framework for food security and nutrition. Two aspects, in particular, have been dominating international consultations in the most recent past: the agriculture-nutrition-health nexus and the need for increased resilience of agriculture production and food systems to climate change and economic shocks. In the context of constantly changing dynamics, there is a need to rethink food systems and address issues of growth, resilience and accountability as key drivers for the future of post 2015 development.
As is widely acknowledged, hunger is a failure of governance rather than one of crops alone. Achieving lasting change ultimately depends on the existence of an enabling legal, policy and institutional environment, which is conducive to effectively addressing vulnerability and the current shortfalls in local food systems, and to enhancing democratic processes and inclusive growth.