A sustainable and resilient urban-regional food system must meet the food needs of the population, promoting the food and nutritional security, ...as well as social inclusion. To promote the development of these systems, we have the alternative of adopting... sustainable diets (that prioritize vegetables) that can be implemented both individually and locally, in the latter case through public policies that are aligned with the topic.

On October 31st, the ICLEI South America, in partnership with the Conscious Eating Brazil project, from Mercy for Animals, organized the Workshop “"Food Systems and Public Policies: strategies and alternatives for sustainable diets"” During the 1st International Seminar and 3rd Municipal Seminar on Food and Nutritional Security in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The workshop took place within the scope of CITYFOOD Network, This is a partnership between ICLEI and the RUAF Foundation, offering a learning and cooperation platform for the development of sustainable and resilient urban-regional food systems. The activity was made possible through the support of 50by40.

Representatives from the cities participating in the CITYFOOD Network took part in the meeting: Belo Horizonte (BR), Rio de Janeiro (BR), Rosario (ARG), São Paulo (BR), and Quito (EQ). In addition, collaborators from the two organizing organizations, citizens from neighboring regions, and visitors to the Seminar also joined in to contribute to the exchange opportunity.

The guiding questions for the workshop's introduction were "what is a sustainable regional urban food system and why should local governments be concerned with this issue?". To answer these questions, the Biodiversity Coordinator, Larissa Heinisch, presented the following contribution:

“Looking at this exchange of knowledge and learning of best practices in the area of food security, the CITYFOOD Network also proposes the organization of training sessions, such as the one we are promoting here today, but also webinars and exchanges between the context of the southern and northern hemispheres. To promote the improvement of food and nutritional security for the entire population, improve the livelihood system of urban and rural producers, look after minorities and populations in vulnerable situations, promote jobs, recognize ecosystems and natural resources, in addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the perspective of climate change, local governments must get involved with the food agenda,” she concludes.

Thayana Oliveira, a specialist in Food Policy Implementation for the Conscious Eating Program, also gave her opinion at the beginning of the workshop, presenting a bit about the program's proposal: “The Conscious Eating Brazil program aims to promote health and sustainability, encouraging changes in food policies in a way that allows us to impact public institutions that serve meals on a large scale, such as schools and universities, completely free of charge. Part of our mission is to promote these meals in a way that encourages greater consumption of plant-based foods, which should be the basis of our diet,” she states.

Panel I, “Our Actions are Our Future – Healthy Food for a World Without Hunger,” held on October 31st, featured the participation of Pablo Garofalo, a specialist from the AGRUPAR Participatory Urban Agriculture Program of the Municipality of Quito. Panel II, “Agroecological Readings – Gastronomy and Metropolitan Food Systems,” presented on November 1st, included Nicolás Leandro Paz, auditor/inspector from the Food Institute of the Municipality of Rosario. Célia Rossi, Coordinator of Food and Nutritional Security of São Paulo, participated in a thematic session during the second day of the event.

Our Executive Secretary, Rodrigo Perpétuo, participated in the opening session of the workshop "Food Systems and Public Policies: strategies and alternatives for sustainable diets," in addition to participating in the opening of the Seminar and Panel II.