Knowledge activity

What is Market Systems Development, how does it work in fragile settings, and what are lessons from its application in contexts like north Uganda, northeast Nigeria and Syria? This was the central focus of the last meeting of the Community of Practice on food security & stability, held on January 21, 2020. Thirty participants joined the workshop, co-organized with Mercy Corps which shared its experiences with this approach. »

As the impact of COVID-19 is growing and affecting food systems globally, the short and long term consequences of this crisis for SDG2 are becoming increasingly visible. Countries, governments, research and aid organizations as well as businesses are all taking action to prevent food systems from breaking down, and in the process create and share a great variety of information. As a knowledge brokering organization, the F&BKP feels that one of the ways in which we can contribute to these efforts is to provide insight into key sources of information. »

As a follow-up to the food systems consultations held in Ethiopia and Bangladesh, the CGIAR research flagship Food Systems for Healthier Diets (FSHD), led by WUR and part of A4NH, hosted a “Food Environment” workshop with CGIAR partners in Ethiopia November, 2019. The workshop aimed to explore the concept of food environment and related research. »

In 2020 and 2021 CGIAR aims to reformulate itself as ‘One CGIAR’.  As the Netherlands is a strategic partner to CGIAR, there is an opportunity to provide input in those developments to CGIAR. A Strategy Meeting was organized by the F&BKP and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality to start engaging Dutch stakeholders, such as experts and organizations with CGIAR partnerships, early in the process. »

Globally, a transformation of the food system is needed to achieve SDG2 and other SDGs. Who gets to decide what a future food system looks like and who will take the lead are key questions in this process. These questions have hardly been addressed in the international ‘food systems’ discourse so far. Hence, a recent meeting of the Dutch Community of Practice on food systems was held that looked at food systems governance mechanisms. »

On Monday January 27, 2020, the Food and Nutrition Security Excellence Programme came to an end. All students gathered one last time for a lunch with two Dutch Ambassadors and to pitch their innovative solutions to the challenges of the Embassies in Kenya and Burundi in front of a jury. »