The city of València has participated in the study that FAO has launched to analyze global data regarding the impact and management of urban food systems during the Covid-19 crisis. The objective is to guarantee supply and food security during confinement. The research work is directed by the FAO Food for Cities department and in the case of València it has been prepared by CEMAS, the World Sustainable Urban Food Centre.
The mayor of València, Joan Ribó, has shown himself confident that the data collected will serve in the coming days “to make a more precise targeting of how the world health crisis is affecting, its impact and decision-making. Furthermore, the results will allow information and good practices to be shared on the various actions that have been taken in recent months in cities around the world, such as Valencia”. In this sense, Joan Ribó, in a recent formal communication with FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, has stated that the current crisis we are experiencing shows that “a robust and active urban food system is of crucial importance” as well as the need to “strengthen alliances and strengthen networks between cities and with international organizations”.
Since the pandemic was decreed by the World Health Organization, initiatives through the Internet have multiplied. Forms, surveys and webbinars follow one another from numerous worldwide institutions. CEMAS has participated in the prestigious meeting of experts Food Systems Dialogues led by David Nabarro, WHO’s special correspondent for Covid-19. It is a space for reflection and knowledge sponsored by the World Economic Forum and the World Bank among others. More than a hundred experts from around the world have shared the information and methodology acquired during these weeks, especially focused on food security.
On the other hand, CEMAS has gathered this week its Governing Council to advance in the procedures that will allow its transformation into a public foundation. The main objective is to adapt the legal personality to the objectives and activities of the Centre. The Valencia City Council will continue to hold ownership and control, but this modality allows the incorporation of other public administrations in addition to a greater relationship with knowledge centers, national and international universities, as well as the participation of foundations and the private sector. It will also allow for greater participation of the United Nations agencies, especially FAO and WHO.