Food Systems: Lessons from a Pandemic

Local governments have played a fundamental role in the crisis caused by Covid-19. The Mayor of Valencia, Joan Ribó, made this statement during his speech at the virtual meeting organized by UCLG (United Cities and Local Governments), UN-Habitat, Metropolis and CEMAS, under the slogan Food Systems: Lessons from a pandemic.

The Food Systems Dashboard goes live

Good information helps to make the right decisions.  That’s the philosophy of the Food Systems Dashboard. This is a very intriguing interactive tool that has gone into operation in the first week of June as a result of the collaboration between FAO, GAIN (Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition) and the Johns Hopkins Alliance for a…

Promoting healthy eating at school

Several entities integrated in the platform Schools that Feed, the Association of Nutritionists and Dieticians and the City Hall of Valencia are carrying out a campaign to promote healthy diets among the school population.   It is particularly aimed at families who have joined the municipal School Meal Funding programme, which has been expanded as a…

Food, tech and the city: the first CEMAS webinar

On 29 April 2020, we organised our first webinar on Food, Tech and the City: How technology can contribute to resilient, sustainable and inclusive urban food systems in abnormal times. With 36 participants and a lively discussion, it was a great start to the #CEMASTalks webinar series! Many stakeholders and experts on urban food joined…

UN-Habitat COVID-19 key messages

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve rapidly and UN-Habitat is working on a daily basis to support its staff and partners, while also leveraging its knowledge to help cities and human settlements on the front lines manage the health, social, and economic impacts of the pandemic.   The world’s great cities are now on the…

València celebrates GIAHS distinction

The glass hall of the València City Council has hosted the official celebration of the incorporation of the historic irrigation system at l’Horta as a GIAHS. It is a recognition that distinguishes it as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) that FAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization) made public last November. The act,…

FAO present at COP 25

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations recognises that food systems and agriculture can play a fundamental role in the fight against climate change. FAO Director General Qu Dongyu has participated in the proceedings of COP 25 in Madrid this week. The head of the FAO, in addition to inaugurating International Mountain Day…

FAO recognises unique farming systems in order to preserve them

These are the systems that constitute the registry of GIAHS, Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems. So far, this is an official recognition that FAO has granted to about 60 agricultural systems worldwide. They are diverse, locally adapted farming systems, managed for centuries by farmers, herders, fishermen and foresters who have produced extraordinary landscapes that combine…