This FAO evidence platform provides evidence and tools to support governments and stakeholders in the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on Food Systems and Nutrition (VGFSyN) of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS).
To find relevant documents for a VGFSyN recommendation, select a focus area from the left menu and the sub-focus area of your interest. You will be redirected to a page listing all relevant VGFSyN recommendations. Select a recommendation to access the links to the relevant online documents
Focus Area V
People-centered nutrition knowledge, education and information
This focus area outlines the policy entry points to promote healthy diets through supporting people to improve their knowledge, awareness, education, and the quality of information available, motivations, skills and sustainable practices empowering key actors. It provides guidance on: utilizing policies and tools to provide education and information on healthy diets and sustainable food systems; encouraging local food knowledge and culture; and promoting “hubs” for food and nutrition knowledge, education and information.
3.5.2 Encouraging local food knowledge and culture
The four digit numbering of each recommendation follows the numbering in the VGFSyN, whereby the first digit represents the chapter 3 of the document that includes the 105 recommendations, the second digit the focus area, the third digit the sub-focus
area and the letter the specific recommendation.
-
Recommendation 3.5.2.a
Governments, civil society organizations, private sector, intergovernmental organizations, academia and other relevant stakeholders should use science and evidence-based as well as cultural, traditional and ancestral knowledge resources to promote and support education and knowledge of healthy diets, sustainable food systems, nutrition, physical activity, diversified production systems, food loss and waste prevention, intrahousehold food distribution, food safety, optimal breastfeeding and, where needed, complementary feeding, taking into consideration cultural and social norms and adapting to different audiences and contexts, including those of indigenous peoples with their voluntary consent on the sharing of their own knowledge as well as participating in broader knowledge and education. Safeguards for the identification and management of potential conflicts of interest should be put in place.
-
Recommendation 3.5.2.b
Governments, intergovernmental organizations, civil society organizations, private sector, community leaders, social workers, health professionals, academia and other relevant stakeholders should encourage food cultures, culinary skills and nutrition education and recognize the importance of food in cultural heritage across communities. This can be done through community and consumer associations and educational institutions, targeting men and women.
-
Recommendation 3.5.2.c
Governments should, appropriately, protect and promote the knowledge that indigenous peoples and local communities have with regard to local traditions, ancestral customs and methods of sustainably producing food, preparing, and preserving local and traditional food that has nutritional and environmental benefits, promotes food safety, and improves livelihoods and enhances social conditions.