2nd IUFoST Global Food Summit - Strategies and Actions for Sustainability of Future Food Systems

IUFoST, the global scientific body for Food Science and Technology, held its 2nd Global Food Summit, Strategies and Actions for Sustainability of Future Food Systems, on 18 September 2020.  Technical Working Groups around the Summit Focus began following the Summit and continue their work through to the convening of the UN Food Systems Summit in September 2021.

Nations around the world are facing serious challenges relating to food, water and energy security, health and environmental change, and the ever- increasing demand for science advice. The United Nations is convening a Food Systems Summit in 2021 as part of its Decade of Action to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.  The global pandemic has accelerated the need for a comprehensive and collective global response to the needs of future food systems. The purpose of this second IUFoST Global Food Summit is to bring together those who provide advice to governments on these critical global issues related to Global Food and Nutrition Security to share best practices and develop integrated action plans for now and in preparation towards the UN Food Systems Summit of 2021.

The Summit Focus

  1. Setting the Multi-disciplinary Global Stage
  2. Food Science and Technology: Advancing Evidence and Knowledge
  • Food and Nutrition Security: Implications, Challenges and Solutions for the Food Industry with  reference to COVID-19 and future food systems
  • Traditional Food Markets, Future Food Systems and Capacity Building
  • Capacity Building: Mobilisation

Distinguished Speakers:

  • Ali Bardarneh, Chief Food Systems and Nutrition Division, Agri Business Development, UNIDO
  • Catherine Bertini, Former Executive Director of the World Food Programme, World Food Prize recipient
  • Joachim von Braun, UN Advisory Committee, and Scientific Group Chair, UN Food Systems Summit, Professor for Economic and Technological Change, Director, Centre for Development Research, Bonn
  • Junshi Chen, Member, Chinese Academy of Engineering; Chief Advisor of China National Centre for Food Safety Risk Assessment:
  • Samuel Godefroy, Former Director-General of Health Canada and Vice-Chair of CODEX, U. of Laval
  • Sir Charles Godfray, Director of the Oxford Martin School University of Oxford, England
  • Lara Hanna Wakim, Vice Director, Higher Center for Research, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik
  • Peter Lillford, co-author with A-M Hermansson of IAFoST/IUFoST Report on Global Challenges and Critical Needs of Food Science and Technology
  • Johanna Lindahl, International Livestock Research Institute, Vietnam
  • John McDermott, Director, CGIAR Research Programme on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health
  • James McIntyre, Mastercard Foundation Programme Lead, Education and Skills West, Central and North Africa
  • Alejandra Medrano, Laboratory of Bioactivity and Nanotechnology of Food Universidad de la República- Uruguay, ALACCTA President.
  • Gordon McBean, Nobel Laureate, Co-Founder of Future Earth Programme and Past President of International Council for Science (now ICS).
  • Alexandre Novachi, Technical Director, Associacao Brasileira da industria de Alimentacao, Brazil
  • Ruth Oniang’o, Chair Sasakawa Africa Association; Founder, Rural Outreach Programme; Board of Directors CABI
  • V. Prakash, IUFoST President and Distinguished Scientist, CSIR India

IUFoST technical working groups around the Summit focus began following the IUFoST Summit to plan and inform deliberations around the role of Food Science and Technology in achieving a resilient and sustainable future food systems, and sufficient and safe food for all to achieve healthy diets.