The International Symposium will explore policies and programme options for shaping the food systems in ways that deliver foods for a healthy diet, focusing on concrete country experiences and challenges.

The target audience includes government officials with policy-making and programme-design mandates from Agriculture, Nutrition, Health and other relevant sectors, as well as parliamentarians and non-state actors from civil society, private sector and research/academic institutions.

The symposium takes a systems approach and will concentrate on three main sub-themes:

1. Supply side policies and measures for increasing access to healthy diets.
2. Demand side policies and measures for increasing access and empowering consumers to choose healthy diets.
3. Measures to strengthen accountability, resilience, and equity within the food system.

The Decade of Action creates an enabling political environment for turning commitments into action. However, for this to translate into actionable programmes, countries need additional technical support. Therefore, FAO and WHO have proposed to hold the International Symposium where practical solutions and successful country experiences in implementing sustainable food systems will be shared. In this way, the Symposium will also be an opportunity for participants to update the global community on those actions countries have taken for complying with ICN2 commitments. 

Expected outcomes

At the end of the Symposium, participants will have an increased understanding of the different elements of the food system; from production and processing to marketing and consumption. Participants will then have an additional set of tools to shape food systems to improve nutrition through healthy diets. There will also be a better understanding of capacity building needs for implementing the ICN2 recommendations.

As a follow-up to the ICN2, the Symposium will contribute to the continued dialogue, engagement and collaboration between country governments and stakeholders. It will provide a platform for a diverse group of participants focusing on different aspects of nutritional issues in their countries. The symposium will be a place for them to connect and agree on ways to continue to share, listen and identify innovative solutions that enable food systems to deliver healthy diets for improved nutrition.

For more information, visit the dedicated page on the FAO website.