Nutrition at the 46th session of the Committee on World Food Security
The 46th session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) took place at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy on 14-18th October with the theme “Accelerating progress on SDG2 to achieve all the SDGs”. The CFS has continually strengthened its focus on nutrition and this year included a host of crucial nutrition plenary and side events.
As the foremost inclusive international and intergovernmental platform for collaborative action on food security and nutrition, the session achieved record levels of attendance. This included the presentation of the worrying findings of the 2019 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report and the launch of the Decade on Family Farming. You can find full transcripts of plenary sessions here.
During the conference, CFS members also endorsed the first ever Multi-Year Programme of Work (MYPoW) for 2020─2023. The MYPoW provides a comprehensive framework for accelerating progress towards meeting SDG2 targets by 2030 by prioritizing the following six thematic workstreams:
- Food systems and nutrition;
- Agroecological and other innovative approaches;
- Gender equality and women’s empowerment in the context of food security and nutrition;
- Promoting youth engagement and employment in agriculture and food systems;
- Reducing inequalities for food security and nutrition; and
- Data collection and analysis tools.
Wishing farewell to the Chair Mario Arvelo (Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to FAO, IFAD and WFP), the closing session of the CFS welcomed in the new chair, Thanawat Tiensin─ a trained veterinarian and livestock expert, who has been serving as the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Thailand to the Rome-based United Nations agencies.
Beyond the plenary walls a variety of noteworthy side events with a focus on nutrition took place. UNSCN co-organized two such side events: (1) Treasures of the oceans and inland waters - ensuring food security and nourishing nations; and (2) Maximising the impact of the Nutrition for Growth Summit in Japan in 2020: What more can be done to transform our failing food system?
©FAO/Giulio Napolitano