EAT Asia-Pacific Food Forum 2017

The world faces a fundamental challenge in sustainably feeding a healthy diet to at least nine billion people by 2050. A resilient food system and sustainable diets are pivotal in solving these challenges. As the most populous region in the world, the Asia-Pacific plays a decisive role in combating many of the interlinked issues at hand, such as malnutrition, deforestation, air pollution and rising greenhouse gas emissions. It is time to consider the scientific knowledge on the interconnections between food, health and sustainable development.

10:45 SESSION – CATALYSING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHIN PLANETARY BOUNDARIES As Asia-Pacific continues to develop and grow rapidly, the challenges of balancing economic development with environmentally sustainable and equity considerations will be crucial to the health of both people and planet. What role does business play in the shift to sustainable consumption and production patterns? Can we balance development and demand with the finite limits of our planet’s resources?

It is urgent that we rethink the food systems from planet to plate. How do we produce, distribute and eat food? 30–50 percent of all food produced today is never eaten. Still, global hunger is on the rise. Paradoxically, we have enough food in the world to feed the entire global population. In 2050, we will have to feed more than nine billion people on a warmer planet. Transforming our food system would solve challenges related to climate, sustainability and health. What actions are needed to build resilience into regional food systems?

The next 15 years will be decisive for the health of both people and the planet. While there are numerous existing international agreements around climate change, health, sustainability and food security, most are not legally binding. Action, implementation, transparency and accountability seem to be the missing ingredients. This session brings together different UN officials, business leaders, scientists and civil society advocates to discuss how to implement solutions and build a web of accountability.

The IDEAS session is an alternative to the Competence Forums. Chefs, entrepreneurs and innovators are seeing challenges – and coming up with solutions to fix them. In this interactive session, you can engage with exciting innovators from LAUNCH.org and other networks. They will share their insights on how to turn ideas into scalable solutions and success stories from their communities, countries and beyond.

A growing population paired with rapid economic growth is driving a substantial increase in the demand for more arable land for food production. Processes of land-use change and deforestation are responsible for substantial greenhouse gas emissions. What are the solutions and commitments needed to build a food secure future, while sustainably managing the land and its resources?

Today, there is enough food for everyone on the planet, yet almost 800 million people go hungry. Over two billion people do not get sufficient vitamins and minerals in their diets and another two billion people are overweight or obese. South Asia is home to 38 % of the world’s stunted children under five years old. Obesity, particularly in children, is rising fast along with non-communicable diseases regionally. The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition aims to trigger action to end hunger and eradicate malnutrition, while ensuring universal access to healthier and more sustainable diets. This session will explore solutions and commitments to solving the double burden of malnutrition and highlight the concentrated efforts in ensuring adequate provision and access to nutritious food.