scholarly journals A “Fork-to-Farm” Multi-Scale Approach to Promote Sustainable Food Systems for Nutrition and Health: A Perspective for the Mediterranean Region

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric O. Verger ◽  
Marlene Perignon ◽  
Jalila El Ati ◽  
Nicole Darmon ◽  
Marie-Claude Dop ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Nutrition And Health ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Multi Scale ◽  
The Mediterranean

scholarly journals Sustainability of Food Systems in the Mediterranean Region

New Medit ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Policy Governance ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Governance Practice ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Union For The Mediterranean

Despite the recurring discourse on food systems and their sustainability in the Mediterranean region, compre-hensive studies are hard to find. Therefore, this article provides an overview on the challenges and perspectives of food systems in the Mediterranean. In particular, the paper addresses the main challenges (environmental, economic, socio-cultural and nutrition-health) facing Mediterranean food systems; analyses the multifaceted relations between sustainable food systems (SFS) and sustainable diets by exploring the example of the Medi-terranean diet; and briefly presents the relevance of the innovation for Mediterranean food systems. The paper highlights the urgency of action to move towards sustainable and resilient food systems in the Mediterranean area. This is particularly relevant in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. For that, there is a need for shared policy, governance, practice and research agenda. In this respect, the contribution of CIHEAM results fundamental. The paper concludes by highlighting the disruptive potential of the SFS-Med Platform – under co-development by CIHEAM, FAO and the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) – to foster food systems trans-formation towards sustainability and accelerate the achievement of SDGs in the region.

scholarly journals Changing Route: Common Action on Food Systems Transformation in the Mediterranean

New Medit ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Ridolfi ◽  
Sandro Dernini ◽  
Jamie Morrison ◽  
Árni M. Mathiesen ◽  
Roberto Capone
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Food Security And Nutrition ◽  
Multi Stakeholder ◽  
Systems Transformation ◽  
Union For The Mediterranean ◽  
Common Action

The Coronavirus pandemic has revealed the fragility of our food systems, affecting all dimensions of food security and nutrition across the world. It has highlighted how deeply our world is interconnected and the importance of better recognising and understanding the interconnections that are intrinsic to these systems and their key role in pursuit of the SDGs of the 2030 Agenda. There is now, more than ever, a stronger need for a “route change” towards a common action on food systems transformation. Dialogues among all stakeholders to redesign the future of tomorrow’s food systems are needed to trigger collective, multi-stakeholder actions on the ground, at local, regional and global level, towards more sustainable food systems, linking sustainable food production to more healthy and sustainable food consumption. In this context CIHEAM, FAO, and the Union for the Mediterranean Secretariat (UfMS) initiated in 2019, a joint collaborative effort for the establishment of a multi-stakeholder platform on Sustainable Food Systems in the Mediterranean to accelerate the shift towards the Agenda 2030 in the Mediterranean region, with the Mediterranean diet acting as a driver.

scholarly journals Sustainable food systems and healthy diets: the case of mediterranean diet

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-118
Author(s):  
Anka Trajkovska Petkoska ◽  
Anita Trajkovska-Broach
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Virgin Olive Oil ◽  
Extra Virgin Olive Oil ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
United Nations General ◽  
Healthy Diets ◽  
The Mediterranean

Abstract Sustainability should be an imperative in everyone’s lifestyle in order to achieve an equilibrium between humans and ecosystem for the wellbeing of current and future generations. Sustainable food systems and healthy diets are main key-players to achieve sustainable planet and lifestyle and at the same time to be in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda of 17 global goals set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 to achieve better and sustainable future for all). Such food systems offer not only a way towards ending the hunger, but also enable healthy nations and less environmental pollution. A good representative of a sustainable food system is the Mediterranean diet that is affordable and accessible even in the regions far from the Mediterranean basin. Raw or minimally cooked plant-based food products flavoured by different herbs and spices are the foundation of this diet packed with powerful nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, enriched with healthy fats from extra virgin olive oil. The Mediterranean lifestyle provides many health and wellbeing benefits for humans. Authors believe that adhering to it leads to healthy nations and a sustainable world with less hunger.

scholarly journals Sustainable Food Systems and the Mediterranean Diet

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elliot M Berry
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Stakeholder Involvement ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Cultural Economic ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
The Mediterranean

During the past decade, the concept of sustainability has been added to the factors involved in food security. This has led to a more comprehensive and holistic approach to sustainable food systems which considers drivers—environment, geopolitics, demographics, policy regulations, socio-cultural-economic factors, science and technology and infrastructure. The outcomes, similarly, involve many dimensions—environment, food security and nutrition, health and socio-cultural-economic aspects. This article discusses the Mediterranean diet in the context of sustainable food systems and shows (as in all parts of the world) that there is food insecurity in every country as monitored by the Global Nutrition Index. Three recent, major reports published in 2019 suggest what measures need to be taken to improve sustainable food systems. All environmental analyses agree on the need to promote more plant-based diets—achieved practically by using “more forks than knives”. The Mediterranean Diet pattern is a case study for a sustainable diet. It has the best scientific evidence for being healthy, together with economic and socio-cultural benefits. A major challenge is that it is not consumed by the majority of the population in the Mediterranean region, and any solution must involve equity—the socially just allocation of resources. The task now is implementation with multi-stakeholder involvement, in the knowledge that “a well fed nation is a healthy nation is a sustainable and productive nation”.

scholarly journals Review of Methodologies for Assessing Sustainable Diets and Potential for Development of Harmonised Indicators

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 1184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Eme ◽  
Jeroen Douwes ◽  
Nicholas Kim ◽  
Sunia Foliaki ◽  
Barbara Burlingame
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Socioeconomic Indicators ◽  
Nutrition And Health ◽  
Dietary Practices ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Sustainable Diets ◽  
The Social

The underlying values and priorities that drive policy responses depend largely on the constructs that researchers and decision makers select to measure and the metrics used. Despite much recent attention being given to sustainable diets and food systems and to the importance of clearly measuring sustainability to meet targets, to achieve goals, and to appraise dietary and environmental policies, it is not commonly agreed how the different indicators of sustainable diets are assessed. The evidence base for assessment of these indicators are frequently weak, fragmented, and arbitrary. The aim of this paper was to compare a range of published methods and indicators for assessing sustainable diets and food systems in order to harmonise them. Keyword and reference searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, CAB Abstracts, and Web of Knowledge. Fifty-two studies (21 proposed methods and 31 used methods) that combined environment, nutrition and health, and socioeconomic aspects of sustainable diets were reviewed. The majority (over 90%) of the studies focused on high-income countries. Twenty-eight studies assessed the environmental effects of different dietary practices, eight of the studies examined the nutrition and health indicators used for assessing sustainable food systems, and seven studies assessed the social and economic costs of diets. A classification of the elements was developed, and common elements are proposed for standardizing. These elements were categorized into nutrition and health indicators, environment indicators, and socioeconomic indicators. Standardized or harmonized indicators can be used for consistency and applicability purposes and to support, implement, and monitor relevant policies.

scholarly journals Towards food systems transformation in the Mediterranean region: Unleashing the power of data, policy, investment and innovation

New Medit ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Global Solutions ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Stakeholder Collaboration ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Local Actors ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Multi Stakeholder

There is an abundance of actions that could positively change the way food systems operate in the Mediterranean region. However, the uptake of these actions at local level has proven to be slow and often limited in their scope and impact. Considering the diverse nature of agri-food systems challenges in the region, trade-offs in interventions and the diversity of stakeholders, a radical shift from focusing on top-down, global solutions for sustainable food systems, to adapting demand driven, country-led actions is required. This review uses a food systems lens to identify four levers which are essential to “enable” and accelerate the adoption of game changing solutions to food systems challenges by local actors in the Mediterranean region. These are namely: 1) Multi-stakeholder collaboration; 2) Data and evidence; 3) Technological innovation; and 4) Coherent policies and investment. We recognize that each of these enablers is a powerful mean of change, but the evidence suggests that a sustainable and inclusive transformation is only possible when they are deployed together in an integrated and inten-tional way. Results of this review outline some of the barriers to unlocking the potential of enablers and provide insights on how to use their power to transform Mediterranean food systems.

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