Dear Paola and Evariste,
Hope all is well with you both and all in FAO. Within the UU-IFAD EcoFoodSystems research project that I lead (https://ecofoodsystems.org/) we put together our input to the e-consultation call on the V0 draft of the HLPE-FSN report #19
Many thanks
Prof. Charles Spillane,
Director of Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Ireland, www.RyanInstitute.ie
EcoFoodSystems Info Note
Citation: Hoang K, Alememayeh D, Tessema Y, Rodríguez Plazas C and Spillane C (2024) Inputs, guidance and recommendations from EU/IFAD-funded EcoFoodSystems project to V0 draft of UN Committee on Food Security HLPE-FSN report #19 on “Strengthening urban and peri-urban food systems to achieve food security and nutrition in the context of urbanization and rural transformation. EcoFoodSystems Info Note, 26 January 2024.
Dear Paola, Evariste & members of the CFS High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN),
The following are the inputs, guidance and recommendations from some members of the EU/IFAD-funded EcoFoodSystems project (https://ecofoodsystems.org/), namely Prof. Charles Spillane, Ky (EcoFoodSystems Project Leader), Ky Hoang (EcoFoodSystems Project Researcher), Dawit Alememayehu (EcoFoodSystems Project Researcher), Yared Tessema (EcoFoodSystems Project Researcher), Carlos Rodríguez Plazas (EcoFoodSystems Project Researcher). The EcofoodSystems project is led by the University of Galway Ireland, with partner organisations Alliance Bioversity-CIAT, Wageningen University and Research (WUR) and Rikolto – Vietnam. The project is funded by the European Union and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
The EcoFoodSystems project and team consider this a valuable draft in terms of compilation and synthesis of concepts, models, and data on urbanization, rural transformation and their implications for food security and nutrition (FSN). We welcome the request for identification of action-oriented policy options for urban and peri-urban food systems that can encourage coordinated policies for FSN across rural, urban and peri-urban areas, taking into account specific and differentiated needs. We welcome the effort put into this document and would like to provide some constructive feedback, guidance and recommendations:
We consider that it is useful to establish key messages at the beginning of each chapter, followed by a synthesis. It could be worth graphically illustrating key messages are contradictory, including contrasts between characteristics and opportunities in urban and peri-urban Food Systems. Some of the figures need to be recrafted as higher quality figures (e.g. Fig 3.8, Fig 4.1).
In the current zero draft of the report, urban and peri-urban food system sustainability and its impacts are addressed as deeply or comprehensively as they could be. Areas that could be strengthened include: (1) environmental impacts of food production, distribution, and consumption; (2) economic sustainability (i.e. what diversified income for farmers, what farmers markets can be promoted or supported, what production practices or innovations can reduce input costs while maintaining productivity (e.g. yield/ha) and distribution of value and profits along the value chain of specific commodities; (3) Increasing efficiency of supply chains that can minimize food losses and wastes, and lower costs through efficiency gains) and (4) social sustainability (supporting and promoting rural and urban employment to create decent job opportunities in agrifood supply chains). There is also a need for more evidence-based assessment and comparison of policy options on strengthening urban and peri-urban food systems to achieve food security and nutrition.
The section on urban and peri-urban agriculture/food production seems somewhat basic, lacking data on commodity outputs and assessment of capacity to meet overall consumer demand, as well as demand for specific commodities. Additionally, information on agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides seems to be missing.
The food environment section lacks insights into the flows of food, including quantities differentially sourced from urban or peri-urban areas, neighbouring production regions, and/or from international imports. Furthermore, there is scant mention of the role played by the private sector, MSMEs, and youth in urban food systems.
The document does not seem to explore the impact or influence of the transformation of the urban and semi-urban food system on employment, particularly for different demographic groups, including migrants.
In the report, although the contribution of informal and traditional components of urban and peri-urban food systems in production, processing, transport and retail are covered in the report, potential solutions or strategies for the poorest urban residents to address their needs while strengthening or building from the informal sector are not well articulated.
Food losses and waste are identified as a critical challenge to food systems sustainability along the food supply chain. Data on food waste, food loss, and environmental impacts/emissions within the context of urban food system transformation currently do not seem to be covered.
The report could provide more piloted and costed policy options to address this problem urban and peri-urban food systems of low- and middle-income countries. At present the scope is too narrow.
Though challenges and solutions across all domains of the food system are indicated in the report, further integrated discussions and recommendations that connect informality, food safety, food losses and waste, waste management, climate change, dietary diversity, and gender and marginalised group intersectionalities within food systems can provide a more systemic approach to strengthening urban and peri-urban food systems. In the conceptual framework, biodiversity is currently not considered as a factor and has little attention in relation to the peri-urban areas, or as part of a healthy food system.
The report highlights the dependence of the city foodsheds on surrounding agricultural production areas, where the discussion on urbanization primarily focuses on administrative boundaries and population growth. However, exploring urban sprawl spatially and temporally and its consequences on the environment, agriculture, and the city's foodshed are not extensively discussed. Understanding such dynamics could shed more light on the impact of urban expansion on access to food sources (proximal and distal) and the contributions to rural-to-urban migration.
On a related point, the current exploration of urban and peri-food system interconnectedness predominantly centres on physical infrastructures like roads. However, the crucial role of internet and technological infrastructure in facilitating connections between buyers and sellers, online marketing, food delivery, and other aspects of the urban food system is currently overlooked. Recognizing the significance of virtual and technological infrastructure is essential in the context of ever evolving food systems.
The document discusses the increasing number of food outlets associated with urbanization, including the influence of fast-food establishments on urban residents' food choices based on proximity and food types (e.g., healthy or unhealthy options). Analysing the proximity and presence of different food outlets could aid in understanding their impact on food choices, behaviour, and associated variables such as demographic characteristics and health status.
One aspect could be strengthened in the is the challenge policymakers face to address urban food security arising from the lack of adequate spatial disaggregation of existing national food security data. Addressing this gap is important for development of spatially explicit strategies/policies, and identifying intervention options.
Despite considering a wide range of policy elements and interconnected dimensions of food security, the report remains focused on feeding urban and peri-urban populations. The nested relationships of the rural to urban food supply chain continuum is not strongly considered, especially in relation to the implications of shorter supply chains and circular economy principles in food systems. The impact on GHG emissions arising from different forms of food transportation are not considered across commodity types.
In our recent Liddy et al (2023) paper, our research group identified the challenge of food mapping data, methodologies and systemic integration of food mapping insights into decision-making in city regional food systems. See:
Liddy, H., Mowlds, S., McKeown, P.C., Lundy, M. and Spillane, C., 2023. Food mapping approaches for understanding food system transformations in rapid-growth city regions in the Global South. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7.
In our recent Karan et al (2023) paper, our research group has identified gaps at the sub-national (and city-regional) level in the availability of data for food systems decision making in city regions. See:
Karan, R., Mowlds, S., McKeown, P.C., Lundy, M. and Spillane, C., 2023. Data for decision-making for sustainable food systems transformation in the Eastern Cape of South Africa: what is needed?. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7.
We do hope that these inputs, guidance and recommendation can be helpful to the drafting of successive drafts, ahead of the final draft for the CFS 52th plenary session in October 2024.
Prof. Charles Spillane