The 54th Plenary Session of the United Nations Committee on World Food Security (CFS54), held in October 2026, brought together governments, UN agencies, civil society organizations, Indigenous Peoples’ representatives and researchers to discuss global food security and agricultural policy. Ahead of the plenary, the Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples’ Mechanism (CSIPM) convened a two-day forum to assess progress, identify emerging challenges and develop shared policy positions centred on the right to food and food sovereignty.

Participants from the University of Vermont Institute for Agroecology (IFA) highlighted growing challenges to the recognition of human rights, gender equality and equitable governance in international food policy. Key priorities included addressing colonial legacies and the weaponization of food, protecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights, safeguarding farmers’ seed-saving practices, strengthening social and solidarity economies, and promoting agroecology as an alternative to approaches such as sustainable intensification. Discussions also addressed equitable transformative resilience, digital sovereignty and the governance of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. The plenary highlighted the importance of meaningful participation by rights-holders in decision-making and called for governments to implement existing policy commitments. Contributions from organizations including Schola Campesina and the Grassroots Innovations Assembly for Agroecology further explored community-led innovation and digital sovereignty in food systems.