UN Food Systems Summit 2021
Find the official UNFSS webpage here.
The ways in which we produce, process and consume food – what experts call “food systems” are driving climate change, food waste as well as food related diseases. Our food systems must change to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda.
UN Secretary-General Guterres will host a UN Food Systems Summit in 2021 to raise ambition, increase our understanding of the problems we must solve, and set a course to radically transform our food systems. Find below a snapshot of what we know so far.
What is the UN Food Systems Summit 2021?
Convened by the United Nations, the UN Food Systems Summit will look at the nexus issues of climate, employment/social issues, environment and nutrition, and the trade-offs in achieving the SDGs through a food systems lens. The Summit will offer a catalytic moment for global public mobilisation and actionable commitments to invest in diverse ways to make food systems inclusive, climate-smart and resilient, and support sustainable peace.
The UN Food Systems Summit is a turning point in the world’s journey to achieving the SDGs by 2030. Over the next year, the Summit will raise global awareness, deepen our understanding of the problems we must solve, and set a course to radically change the way we produce, process, and consume food. Rebuilding the food systems of the world enables us to answer the Secretary-General’s call to “build back better” and to leave no one behind.
Date: September 2021
Location: New York
Agnes Kalibata, the UN Special Envoy for the UN Food Systems Summit, lays out her vision in the video below:
How does the Food Systems Summit link to SDG2?
As a key contribution to the Decade of Action, the Summit is not an end in itself but aims to drive discussion and leverage moments between now and the Summit to explore what food systems mean for the climate sector or the nutrition community, for example, and what this means for achieving the SDGs.
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has put in place several structures to support the Summit process.
The Scientific Group …
- is an independent and diverse group of leading researchers and scientists from around the world.
- is responsible for ensuring the robustness, breadth and independence of the science that underpins the Summit and its outcomes.
- will inform the Summit’s content, recommended outcomes, clarify the level of ambition and commitments that will emerge from the Summit.
- works closely with the other structures for the Food Systems Summit, especially the Special Envoy for the Food Systems Summit and her Secretariat, the Action Tracks and Dialogue initiatives. (See ToR of the Scientific Group at “About us”)
How you can get involved
Host an Independent Dialogue
The success of the 2021 Food Systems Summit depends on the engagement of citizens all over the world. By convening or joining an Independent Dialogue, you can have a seat at the table and contribute directly to the Summit’s ambitious vision and objectives. 
Independent Dialogues can take many forms — from a webinar to a town-hall meeting to an informal gathering of community members.
The Summit’s only request is that three key features guide the Dialogues:
- Respect the Summit’s Principles of engagement
- Feature structured conversations among groups with different perspectives; and
- Report back to the Summit process through an official feedback form.
By submitting the feedback form, you ensure that the outcome of your Dialogue will inform the Summit process and help to guide individual and collective action towards a future of food that is sustainable, equitable and secure. Don’t miss this chance for you and members of your community to sit at the table at the milestone UN Food Systems Summit!
There are many resources to help you convene and promote your Independent Food Systems Summit Dialogues:
- Step-by-step guide for Convenors of Independent Food Systems Summit Dialogues.
- Promotional Toolkit that contains sample social media content, visual downloads and a press release template that you can adapt to promote your Dialogue.
- Find more information on how to host an Independent Dialogue here.
Become a Food Systems Hero
As a 'peoples summit' the UN Food Systems Summit Secretariat is for everyone, , and its success relies on people everywhere getting involved, and sharing their views. By signing up to become a #FoodSystemsHero, you are joining the global movement for safe, sustainable and equitable food systems.
- Food System Heroes are individuals from countries all over the world who commit to learn, share, gather and act for better food systems in their communities and more broadly.
To find out more and to sign up to become a #FoodSystemsHero check out this page.
Have your say in the Summit's Action Tracks
The five Action Tracks will draw on the expertise of actors from across the world’s food systems, and offer stakeholders from a wide range of backgrounds a space to share and learn, with a view to fostering new actions and partnerships and amplifying existing initiatives. To progress the work for each Action Track, their leadership teams continue to look for game-changing ideas from everyone – everywhere. Have your say via these online surveys:
They will be hosting online Public Forums, which you can find more about here and watch on the UN Food Systems Summit YouTube channel.
Want to stay up to date with the UN Food Systems Summit Communications?
On the first Wednesday of every month, the SDG2 Advocacy Hub and UN Food Systems Summit will be hosting a Communications Network Meeting. The agenda will have a standing space for monthly updates on the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), serving as the key communications network for the UNFSS Secretariat, and then, as it has in the past, also update the community on key reports, upcoming events and priority moments in the year.
To sign up to receive the invites for these monthly meetings, please register here.
Quick Links
- Check out the new webpage for the UN Food Systems Summit
- Learn how to host an Independent Dialogue with their Step-by-step guide for Convenors and the Promotional Toolkit
- Become a Food Systems Hero!
- Follow @FoodSystems and @Agnes_Kalibata for updates on the Summit
- Support the Summit with help of their Social Media Toolkit
- Be inspired by their Instagram
- Read Agnes's recent op-ed Time to mend our relationship with food
- Share thoughts on what our food system should be to spokesperson@unfss.net
