Advancing Urban Agrifood Systems Transformation 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), jointly with the SFS-MED Platform, held the session “Partnering for Action in the Mediterranean”, within the framework of the event "Engaging Cities in Sustainable and Inclusive Agrifood Systems Transformation in the Near East and North Africa region" organized by FAO’s Regional Office for Near East and North Africa, in Cairo on 8-9 November 2023.

The session brought together city officials, national governments, international city networks, and various agrifood systems stakeholders. The discussions revolved around i) what is needed to jointly advance agrifood systems transformation in Mediterranean cities; ii) how to engage different stakeholders for better collaboration; and iii) defining a way forward and possible practical modalities.

Stakeholders from the region highlighted their collective commitment to collaborative efforts in transforming agrifood systems at the urban level. The session underscored that the way forward for this partnership/joint agenda needs to  build on the wealth of existing initiatives, since municipalities, civil society, academia, and the private sector are already actively implementing various food-related actions. Cities, including Amman, Tunis, and Milan, expressed their interest in exchanging experiences, knowledge, and capacities with counterparts, where shared learning and city-to-city exchanges grounded into shared challenges and opportunities would be at the core of a partnership for action. The need to leverage the role of established networks and programmes (including the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, Rikolto, ICLEI, Let's Food, among others) was also emphasized.

The International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) and FAO concluded the event by stressing the importance of capitalizing on existing opportunities within the Mediterranean context and fostering a shared roadmap to establish a collaborative space for transforming urban agrifood systems in the region. The event marked a significant step forward towards the implementation of a collective effort for transformative change in the Mediterranean urban agrifood systems.