(ANSA) - MILAN, NOVEMBER 30 - Milan mayor Giuliano Pisapia and FAO chief José Graziano da Silva have met to promote the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP).

The pact aims to reduce waste and foster sustainable food policies and was signed during the Expo by mayors from around the world. Pisapia and Graziano Da Silva agreed that the next mayors meeting will be held at the Rome organization's headquarters in 2016, once year after its signing, as part of the next World Food Day. Beginning in 2017, mayors will meet in one of the 116 (thus far) signatory cities. Signatories pledge to ensure safe food for all, promote sustainability of food systems, educate the public on healthy diets and reduce waste. The MUFPP is ''a valuable, ambitious initiative that will be able to grow only through strong collaboration between different players,'' Graziano da Silva said. ''FAO is willing to support this networking effort and to promote best practices between cities.'' By working together, cities and international organizations ''can contribute in a decisive manner to the struggle against hunger and create new development models towards a fairer and more sustainable world,'' Pisapia added. FAO has offered technical assistance and in future the agency will help formulate indicators to measure objectives and gather and monitor data on progress and results achieved as well as increase the number of signatory cities. (ANSA).