Food-system revolution needed says Barilla Foundation

Michela Nana (ANSA) - MILAN, DEC 2 - The revolution that leads towards more sustainable, resilient and inclusive food systems must start today and now is the "time to act" - this was the message that came out of an online event organized by the Barilla Foundation and Food Tank entitled 'Resetting the Food System from Farm to Fork - Setting the Stage for UN 2021 FOOD Systems Summit'.
    During the event sector experts, academics, chefs and politicians discussed how to redesign the future of food.
    "We have no alternative to sustainability," said Guido Barilla, the President of the Barilla Group and of the Barilla Foundation as he opened the event.
    "We must not be afraid of change. It's time to act".
    The food systems that take food from the fields to tables all over the world have achieved major successes.
    It is estimated that in 2020, despite the pandemic, 4.5-5 billion people had access to healthy diets.
    But this is not enough because the current situation is making things worse, taking the number of people exposed to food insecurity from 135 million in 2019 to an estimated 265 million in 2020.
    Food systems must be transformed to make them more sustainable to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN for 2030 and the Paris climate agreement requirements.
    The aim of the forum was to accelerate this transforming by promoting the search for concrete solutions and three recommendations came out of it in view of the United Nations Food Systems Summit in 2021.
    First of all, agreeing on a common goal that enables all the stakeholders to make proposals for healthier, more inclusive, sustainable and resilient food systems; and, secondly, involving and mobilizing all of the parties to work together on a path of sharing knowledge, experiences and good practices, thus guaranteeing maximum inclusion.
    Finally, raising the awareness of citizens to help them to make more sustainable choices as consumers to generate change.
    The Barilla Foundation hopes to see "the growth of a positive movement to accelerate, strengthen, refine and plan a more sustainable future," Guido Barilla explained.
    "We have 10 years to achieve the Agenda 2030 goals.
    "In my opinion, 10 years is enough to generate a revolution and the next five years will be crucial".
    Among the most urgent needs is that of acknowledging and valorizing the fundamental role of producers, fostering innovation and technology, used in an appropriate way on the basis of the various communities and cultures, ensuring all the people of the world have access to quality, safe, nutritious food, rethinking corporate food strategies to make them sustainable and teaching a new culture of food thanks to chefs and the whole restaurant system. (ANSA).