Urban public policies against food loss and waste
WHERE: Palacio de Congresos de Valencia (Av. de les Corts Valencianes, 60, 46015 València)
WHEN: Tuesday, 3 October 2023 from 9.30 to 17.30
Food loss and waste have emerged as significant problems following the publication of a comprehensive report by FAO in 2011. Approximately one-third of all food produced globally, equivalent to 1.3 billion tonnes annually, is lost or wasted. The severity of this issue is heightened by considering the number of people suffering from hunger worldwide.
According to the FAO’s Report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022, it is estimated that around 760 million people experienced hunger in 2021, accounting for 9.8% of the global population. The food lost and wasted could potentially feed 1.26 billion hungry people each year.
In this context, cities have a key role to play to tackle food loss and waste reduction in the most effective and quick way possible.
9.30 – 10.00 Institutional welcome
Opening by local and regional authorities.
10.00 – 11.00 The Global and European landscape
- Raschad Al-Khafaji (Director, FAO Brussels)
- Juan Prieto (Deputy Permanent Representative of Spain to FAO)
- Anne-Laure Gassin (Team leader, Health and Food Safety Directorate General of the European Commission)
- Felicitas Schneider (Thünen Institute)
11.00 – 12.00 Food Loss and Food Waste in national policies
- Minna Huttunen (advisor on sustainable food systems at the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture),
- Maïwenn L’Hoir (project officer for the fight against food insecurity and food waste at the French Ministry of Agriculture), and
- Zeynep Özkan (project coordinator for the national campaign to reduce food losses and waste in Türkiye, in collaboration with FAO).
- Carmen Serrano Balazote (head of food quality and sustainability of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries)
12.00 – 12.30 Networking coffee
12.30 – 13.30 City Networks and their key role tackling food loss and waste
- Massimo Perrino (Policy Officer, UCLG)
- Angèle Tasse (Sustainable Food Systems Officer & Co-Lead, Global CityFood Program, ICLEI)
- Anja de Cunto (Head of food, Eurocities)
- Filippo Gavazzeni (policy advisor of the Vice Mayor of Milan, Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, MUFPP)
- Jorge Molero (Consultant-Technician and project manager, Red de Municipios por la Agroecología)
13.30 – 15.00 Lunch break
15.00 – 16.10 Sectorial discussion groups
The afternoon sectorial sessions will consist on small discussion groups (10-20 people) focusing on different links of the food chain. The debate will be launched with the presentations of some case studies that will be followed by an open discussion. The goal is that all attendees can participate and share their ideas or experiences.
These parallel sessions will take place in different rooms.Group 1: Primary sector Group 2: Food industry Group 3: Food distribution Group 4: Civil society Group 5: Research & Universities Group 6: Communication & Awareness Group 7: City networks 16:15 – 17:20: Plenary
Presentation of the different groups’ main conclusions & general discussion.
17:20 – 17:30 Closing and acknowledgements
Speakers
Mr Al-Khafaji holds a Master of Arts in Economics from Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration in Austria. Mr Al-Khafaji has 25 years of UN experience. He joined FAO in 2003 and prior to his appointment as FAO Director in Brussels, he served as Special Assistant to the FAO Director-General.
«Reducing food loss and food waste must be central to the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, sustainable and resilient agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life. Sustainably reducing food loss and food waste means we can potentially increase the availability of and access to food. This can generate win–wins across a number of SDGs, including nutrition targets, while contributing to environmental sustainability.»
Juan PRIETO (León, 1976), Deputy Permanent Representative of Spain to FAO (2020-present).
PhD. in Veterinary Medicine and a degree in Food Science and Technology (University of León), he has developed his entire academic and professional career in the field of food production, food safety and food policy.
With a clear international vocation, he started his professional experience in the German food industry. In 2005 he the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, highlighting his positions at the Spanish Permanent Representation to the World Trade Organization (Geneva), the European Commission and European Council linked to agrifood issues, and former Director of Cabinet of the Minister of Agriculture (2018-2019).
Member of the Royal Academy of Veterinary Sciences and collaborator at the Complutense University of Madrid in the Department of Nutrition and Bromatology.
Winner of several awards and author of numerous articles on food policy, he speaks Spanish, English, French, German and Italian.
Anne-Laure Gassin, Team Leader at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, is supporting the development of EU policy on food waste prevention. Under the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy, the European Commission is stepping up action to fight against food loss and waste as part of an integrated food systems approach. The Commission adopted, on 5 July 2023, a legislative proposal setting food waste reduction targets to be achieved by Member States by 2030.
Anne-Laure joined the European Commission in 2013. She previously served, from 2003, as Director of Communications at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and, prior to that, at Kellogg Company, where her last appointment was as European Director, Nutrition Affairs.
Since 2001, Felicitas Schneider focuses among others on the development and implementation of national food loss and waste (FLW) prevention strategies, definitions, applied methodology for measurement and monitoring, impact assessment of measures along the food supply chain.
Since June 2017 she has been working at the German Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Thünen Institute of Market Analysis. She is coordinator of the Collaboration Initiative Food Losses and Food Waste launched at the Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS-G20), manages the Global Platform for FLW experts and projects and organises annual regional FLW workshops.
«Significant reduction of food losses and wastes requires a strong commitment at all levels. Cooperation between public and private stakeholders as well as support from municipalities is essential to get prevention off the ground. We will all benefit from it.»
Maïwenn L’Hoir is in charge of the respective subjects of the fight against food waste and food insecurity, as well as sustainable food at the Directorate-General for Food of the French Ministry of Agriculture’s and Food Sovereignty. She is an agronomic engineer specialising in environment and holds two masters’ degrees, one in Biology, Ecology and Evolution and the other in Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation. She has a doctorate in agro-ecology/microbiology after completing a thesis on microbial biofertilizers.
«It’s an honour for me to speak at the event “A multi-stakeholder perspective on food loss and waste reduction strategies” organised by CEMAS & EUFIC in Valencia on October 3rd. This will be an opportunity for me to present the combination of incentives and legislation measures put in place by France to fight against food waste. Join us to explore cities’ key role in addressing food loss and waste.»
Dr Minna Huttunen is a Ministerial Adviser at the food safety unit of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (since 2013). Her areas of work include food and nutrition policy and sustainability of food systems including food waste reduction and pesticide residue legislation.
Dr Huttunen is a member of the National Nutrition Council (2014-), national representative to the European food loss and waste platform and a co-coordinator of the food systems working group under the Standing Committee on Agricultural Research (SCAR). The SCAR food systems was in charge of the proposal of sustainable food systems partnership, followed by strategic research and innovation agenda proposal.
Prior to the governmental career, she had a business career in food industry. Her academic research was conducted at the University of Helsinki and the University of Michigan, USA. Her PhD (2007) is on food science (major subject: human nutrition, minor subject’s: food chemistry and microbiology).
«Foster collaboration across the food systems: involve all food system operators to address food loss at every stage. National policies can enhance a multi-stakeholder approach to effectively combat food waste. Holistic policy is a strong policy.
Raise awareness and educate about the environmental and economic consequences of wasting food. Also, provide solutions! Policies must secure resources for research and innovation to monitor food waste and find solutions such as novel technologies and packaging materials.»
Zeynep Ozkan graduated from the Middle East Technical University (METU), Department of International Relations in 2007. She completed her MA in European Studies at METU in 2019 and started her career in banking sector.
In 2011, Ms. Ozkan joined the General Directorate of EU Foreign Relations at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye as EU Expert and, in 2021, assigned as the head of European Union Harmonization Department.
During her service at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye, Ms. Ozkan was seconded to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, and also has worked for FAO for several projects.
Since 2018, Ms. Ozkan is coordinating the national Save Your Food campaign against food loss and waste in Türkiye.
«Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye adopts a 360-degree approach to prevent food loss and waste. Its Guinness World Record Holder national Save Your Food Campaign is mobilizing all actors across food value chain, while educating and empowering public to act sustainably.»
Agronomic engineer. She has worked in private companies on issues of agricultural inputs and marketing of fruit and vegetable products. She is an official at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, where she has worked on issues of geographical indication and food quality, promotion of competitiveness and investments in food industries. She is currently a Technical Advisor in the General Subdirectorate of Food Quality and Sustainability of the General Directorate of the Food Industry.
«When we waste food, we’re wasting the resources and the work behind it. To avoid food waste, we should understand the value of food from an environmental point of view.»
Massimo S. Perrino is a Policy Officer at United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG). Since 2019, he has been working on international policy processes related to local and regional governments, food systems, smart cities, and public transportation, among others. As part of UCLG’s policy team he leads different files including United Nations relations (High-Level Political Forum, UNGA) and Urban 20, the official G20 engagement group on cities.
Previously, Massimo worked for the metropolitan government of the city of Milan and for the private sector in New York, mainly in law and corporate social responsibility. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in political science from Syracuse University and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in international law and sustainable development from the University of Milan.
«Local and regional governments play a vital part in ensuring food systems are both inclusive and sustainable and the role of networks of local and regional governments in ensuring these efforts are heard loud and clear within international policy processes is indispensable. Towards the UN’s Summit of the Future and the CFS’ focus on urban issues in 2024, it will be key to ensure the messages from the constituency are organized and aligned.»
Angèle Tasse co-leads ICLEI’s Global CityFood Program, where she manages urban food systems projects and advocates for multi-level food governance. Before joining ICLEI, Angèle worked on global policy engagement for healthy and sustainable food systems at the CGIAR, in cities and in the private sector. Angèle has a background in Public Policy and Biology.
«Cities are emerging as a leading force for action on food waste. With ambitious targets, projects and ideas, they are taking impressive action that merits expansion and replication. At ICLEI, we believe that creating spaces for city-to-city exchange can further inspire them and harness their potential for innovation. When cities with similar issues work together to solve them, they become even more powerful agents of change.»
Anja Katalin De Cunto is head of the food team at Eurocities, the network of major European cities.
Since 2013 she has worked on European projects and initiatives that support cities in developing successful strategies and policies and replicating them across Europe, particularly on climate and food policy.
She represents cities’ interests in developing the EU proposals for a legislative framework for sustainable food systems, part of the Farm to Fork strategy, which includes more strategic use of public procurement for food system transformation and acknowledging the role of food environments.
She leads the Eurocities activities in two Horizon-funded projects focusing on urban food systems, Food Trails and CLEVERFOOD, recognising the central role of local authorities in food system transformation.
She graduated in European Studies and environmental management.
Filippo is responsible for the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact Secretariat & Knowledge Sharing programmes animating a network of more than 270 cities committed to working on sustainable urban food policies. The Secretariat supports signatory cities to exchange and learn best food practices and is committed to highlighting mayoral role in the international food agenda.
He previously was Policy advisor of the Milan Vice Mayor, overseeing the implementation of the Milan Food Policy and contributing to the designing and development of different policies related to school canteens, food losses prevention, including the Zero Food Waste Hub model that has been awarded with The Earthshot Prize. He also played a primary role in developing the Milan Food Aid System during the pandemic outbreak.
Agricultural Engineer, expert in Agroecology, he has spent his entire professional life linked to organic production and agroecology. He has been a producer of vegetables and fruit trees (also organic bakery) in La Tasquivera CB from 2010 to 2017 in Dúrcal (Granada), being a member of the Ecovalle Association and a founding member of the Cooperative Valle y Vega. He has also worked as a technician and manager in both groups. On the other hand, since 2004 he has been a technician in European and national projects.
In May 2017, he decided to move to France to learn more about local food policies, short marketing channels and direct sales. In 2021 he returned to the peninsula to settle in Nules, Castelló.
Since 2018 he has taken up his PhD, on ‘Project management with an agroecological approach in urban and peri-urban environments: analysis and proposals for improvement’. Since that year, he has also been working on the project of the Network of Municipalities for Agroecology, has worked on ‘Communication for Leaps of Scale in Agroecology’ and on VC and CCC logistics within the Entretantos Foundation.