The event featured representatives from different sectors of society in a rich discussion in search of a more sustainable country

On the afternoon of Tuesday the 22nd, more than 70 representatives from the private sector, academia, civil society, as well as NGOs and members of the public sector met to discuss transformative solutions for the country in Independent Dialogue on Scaling Transformative Solutions, within the framework of the UN Food Systems Summit (UN FSS), a virtual event promoted by CEBDS in partnership with the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa). The results of the debates will give rise to a report that will be delivered to the UN FSS commission, contributing to the advancement of the agenda in Brazil and fcommenting on the international process.

“In September 2021, UN Secretary-General António Guterres will convene a Food Systems Summit as part of the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The Summit will launch bold new actions to deliver progress on all 17 SDGs, each of which depends to some extent on healthier, more sustainable and equitable food systems.”

The Dialogue participants were divided into three rooms, each with guiding questions related to topics of great importance, such as low-carbon, regenerative and high-productivity agriculture; expanding access to healthy and sustainable food to ensure food security; and consumer education to strengthen sustainable consumption. Each group received presentations of case studies that portray effective solutions already underway in Brazil.

Among the most relevant points of the debates were the need to increase agricultural and livestock production combined with technologies that allow for the reduction of necessary areas, valuing standing forests, agroforestry systems, maintaining biodiversity in the country, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The importance of having system models that are relevant to all types of producers, better technical assistance, financing lines, adding value to ecosystem services, and generating well-defined metrics capable of measuring and proving the evolution of the sectors in terms of sustainability were also mentioned. After all, for the participants, there is no point in taking actions for low-carbon agriculture if the numbers of fires and deforestation continue to be high.

Another highlight was the need to form partnerships between the various sectors of society to improve rural producers' access to the market and strengthen public policies for access to food. For the debaters, it is essential to consider the shared responsibility of everyone involved in the food chain, from small producers to the end consumer, who needs to have inputs to make more sustainable choices. In this sense, the importance of communication was widely discussed: ensuring that adequate information reaches each of the actors in the agrifood chain when it comes to the production, distribution, industrialization and consumption of healthier and more sustainable foods.

Another challenge posed by the participants was to think about how all Brazilians can have access to food in a reality where more than 50% of the population lives in a situation of food insecurity. At this point, respect and appreciation of culture were considered fundamental: speaking the language of each region, understanding local production and customs related to food consumption. For the participants, this is very important to strengthen traditional crops and educate the population. Finally, the importance of training public managers to strengthen sustainable regional policies was highlighted, as well as the need for a fairer life in the countryside, capable of reducing the rural exodus.  

Leading the discussions on food systems, CEBDS launches this Friday, the 25th, the CEO's Guide to Transforming Food Systems, which aims to bring a holistic vision of more sustainable, inclusive and resilient practices to senior leadership decision-making. Last month, CEBDS launched the Positioning of the business sector on the sustainability of Food Systems in Brazil, alongside 18 signatory companies, aiming to improve initiatives for a better food system, taking into account that estimates are that in 30 years we will have 10 billion people in the world, who will need to be fed with nutritional quality, with diverse and sustainable production.