From UNFSS+2 to the national pathways

While the stocktaking moment was a significant milestone and provided notable opportunities for networking, it has left many Dutch participants with mixed feelings about the outcomes and about the process of the stocktaking itself. In the debriefing, Dutch stakeholders from civil society, private sector, academia as well as the government delegation agreed on the need to look ahead and focus on what can be achieved in the coming two years. Getting a good monitoring of progress in place is among the most important mechanisms to accelerate the transition.

Need for transparent and objective monitoring

The UNFSS+2 summit was no real stocktaking, according to many Dutch network partners. The necessary indicators for measuring transformation progress were not yet in place or utilised. Hence, a top priority for the period ahead will be to develop transparent and objective monitoring. There is already a wealth of data and indicators available, which countries and international actors can use to decide and plan. There are also several promising international initiatives to build and strengthen the monitoring system. A key initiative is the Food Systems Countdown Initiative (FSCI) which is producing annual publications to measure, assess, and track the performance of global food systems toward 2030 targets (Sustainable Development Goals). In general there is a large interest among Dutch network partners in exploring ways to really monitor and take stock of the progress that is or is not being made.

Political momentum

The stocktaking moment has provided political momentum at the national level in many countries. The preparation process for the summit, which included the voluntary reports that over a hundred countries submitted to the UN, actually opened doors to restart or re-energise engagements with and between ministries. While the quality of these reports differs, they offer an opportunity for further action and collaboration among multiple stakeholders in each country.

Financing

The UNFSS+2 showed a general consensus that aligns with research findings: there is a need for increased investment in sustainable food systems. However, many indicated that it is equally important to invest smartly and effectively. To address this, IFAD and the World Bank, along with various organisations, have introduced a promising solution, the Financial Flows to Food Systems (3FS) Tool. This tool helps analyse financial investments in food systems within countries, enabling governments to make informed decisions regarding the quantity and quality of their investments.

Despite considerable focus on food systems financing and a call to action directed at international financial institutions, private sector involvement in the UNFSS+2 remained limited. Looking ahead, the private sector needs to be a partner in addressing the genuine challenges in food systems financing. These encompass a combination of topics such as policies, scalable business models for transformation, data for evidence, and investment ticket size

Knowledge ecology

Looking ahead, an important building block for future action will be to develop and strengthen the ‘knowledge ecology’ for food systems transformation. Observing the conversations at the UNFSS+2, one may wonder whether we as the international community fully grasp what the Food Systems Transformation agenda potentially has to offer. In Rome many governments spoke about food security and agricultural transformation, which inherently mean different things. A knowledge ecology to be developed is an interconnected network of information, data, expertise, and knowledge sharing for initiatives such as evidence based programming. If it functions well, it can facilitate the food systems transformation agenda that truly connects different people, organisations and institutions and is a basis for effective partnerships.

Dutch civil society, private sector, knowledge institutions, government

Stakeholders in the Dutch network, who work with their partners from private, public, civil society and academic sectors in LMICs, acknowledge the need for additional work, especially within national pathways. A quick poll at the debriefing meeting revealed that two-thirds of the organisations are already engaged in food systems transformation. In two years, UNFSS+4 will provide another stocktaking moment. NFP will continue discussing and working on the next steps together with our network partners. More on this later.

Do you want to know more about the outcomes and insights of the Stocktaking in Rome?

Please see the following articles for more information:

• Stocktaking Moment 2023: Transforming Food Systems Requires All Hands On Deck
• As Stocktaking Approaches: Seizing The Moment