FAO brings visions on agrifood systems transformation, consumer awareness and fairer value chains to the Open Food Conference

FAO had a very active participation at the Open Food Conference, a three-day event organized under the Belgian Presidency of the Council by the Government of Flanders. 

On the first day of the event, Stefanos Fotiou, Director of FAO’s Office of Sustainable Development Goals and head of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub participated in a panel debate on “sustainable food systems: transition and systemic approach”, where he emphasized the consequences of unhealthy diets, and the need to promote value chains, as essential elements for transforming agrifood systems. 

In his keynote address on the second day, Raschad Al-Khafaji, FAO Brussels Director, outlined FAO's pathway towards better agrifood systems through various global initiatives, emphasizing technical and collaborative solutions to sustainably manage natural resources, improve livelihoods and nutrition, restore agricultural land, and increase efficiency and sustainability in food production. 

Later on the same day, Al-Khafaji delivered opening remarks for the panel discussion “Reimagining food literacy: leveraging consumer awareness of food environments for healthier and more sustainable food choices”. This event was co-organized with FAO’s Office of Innovation and supported by FAO’s Food and Nutrition Division.  

During that session, Al-Khafaji stressed the importance of mobilizing behavioural science tools and evidence into policymaking and working across governments, civil society, the private sector, and community organizations to co-design new ways to make healthy and sustainable choices easier. 

The panel discussion that followed offered insights from experts from the Flanders Institute for Healthy Living, the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC), Belgian supermarket chain Delhaize, the European Consumer Organisation and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).