On April 25, 2021, a dialogue on the “Rural Revitalization and Food system Transformation” of the United Nations Food Systems Summit “China’s Action” was successfully held online, jointly convened by the UNFSS-AT2 China Action Platform, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), the CBCGDF Good Food Fund and the International Fund for Agricultural Development Fund (IFAD). It streamed live on Baidu, and more than 220,000 people watched.

The meeting began with speeches by Dr. Zhou Jinfeng, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of CBCGDF, and Matteo Marchisio, representative of IFAD in China.

Dr. Zhou said: “Rural revitalization should be guided by the thought of ecological civilization and followed by the harmony between man and nature. Firstly, we should pay attention to collecting, preserving, and promoting the native old seeds. Secondly, we should use natural forces and biological methods to control diseases and insect pests.”

Mr. Matteo pointed out that nearly 690 million people are suffering from hunger. “We have difficulty in fighting hunger, and COVID-19 highlights the vulnerabilities and shortcomings of the global food system. We urgently need more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food systems. Small farmers are the most basic and largest group in agriculture. It is important to increase their resilience for achieving sustainable food systems.” Mr. Matteo said.

Anouk de Vries, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) project manager, presented the goal of Action Track I: to ensure safe and nutritious food for all. “There are three main aspects: first, to strengthen food security and reduce hunger, so that everyone can get enough food; second, to reduce all forms of malnutrition and make it easier for people to have access to nutritious food, and to pay attention to food safety issues to ensure that everyone has access to safe food.” He also mentioned the need to focus on technologies (cold chain) to reduce post-harvest losses of agricultural products and food waste.

Nigel Brett, the Director of the Asia-Pacific Bureau of IFAD, noted that IFAD focused on promoting equitable livelihoods. He said that it was essential to consider smallholder farmers and other rural populations as the core of food system transformation and sustainable development goals. It was using the experience and expertise of IFDA to promote action-oriented sustainable food system transformation. Finally, he called on more young people to participate in the dialogue of the food systems summit!

Zhao Bing, Director of Department of Food Systems and Smallholder Support at the World Food Programme (WFP), described the context of the United Nations Food systems Summit and the efforts of WFP as the world’s largest humanitarian aid agency in advancing the food system transformation. He said that the international community needed to make more significant efforts to establish sustainable and resilient food systems.

Jian Yi, head of the UNFSS-AT2 working group on the “Food Environment” and CBCGDF Good Food Fund founder, introduced the national food system action platform, local food markets, food education, reducing food waste, and improving animal welfare.

Sixteen participants took turns speaking and actively engaged in a dialogue on promoting a healthier and more sustainable food system transformation followed by China’s rural revitalization strategy.

At the end of the meeting, Jian Yi said: “I hope that UNFSS-AT2 China Action platform will continue to promote dialogue, strengthen China’s participation and contribution in the UN Food Systems Summit. It should timely send important information of the Food Systems Summit to China cross-language and social media barriers. At the same time, it can spread China’s good practice cases to the world. Therefore the public can more understand and actively participate in the significant issue of food system transformation.

Translator/YJ  Check/Stan

Original Chinese article

https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1698247052269360201&wfr=spider&for=pc

Contribution

https://www.paypal.me/CBCGDFChina

http://www.cbcgdf.org/English/ConfirmDonaTion/0.html