For the second consecutive year, València celebrated World Bee Day and promoted a series of activities with the aim of raising awareness of the fundamental importance of bees for the planet and people. The celebration was hosted by the València City Council and was supported by the Valencian Association of Urban Beekeeping (AVAU). In recent…
On Sunday 22nd May, we celebrated International Biodiversity Day to highlight its value and the need to preserve it. This year’s theme is “Building a shared future for all life”. This theme seeks to promote the idea that biodiversity is fundamental to live in a better world, given that the different ecosystems influence the climate…
World Bee Day is celebrated on 20th May to raise awareness of the essential role pollinators play in maintaining the health of both people and the planet. The number of bees, pollinators and many other insects is currently declining. This day proclaimed by the United Nations is an opportunity for governments, organisations, society and citizens…
On Tuesday 17th, the Environmental Education Centre of the Valencian Community (CEACV) celebrated the fourth edition of the EAR Environmental Education Awards. On this occasion, the theme of the event was “Sustainable Food”, with the slogan “Healthy Eating for a Healthy Planet”. The day began with a presentation followed by a round table discussion with…
On 6th May, the Government of Azerbaijan held the High-Level International Conference “Vision for the Future: Transition to Digital Agriculture” with the support of FAO. FAO Director-General QU Dongyu assured the attendees of the conference that data, digitisation and innovation are key factors in accelerating this transformation and are at the core of FAO’s actions…
On 7th and 8th May, in the city of València, the European Green Party held the conference “Resilient Municipalities and Regions”, where 150 public officials analysed the role of institutional policy to address the multiple challenges of the present from a sustainable perspective. The meeting was an opportunity to discuss and share ideas on how…
On 5 May in Madrid and on 8 May in Ejea de los Caballeros (Zaragoza), the Center for Rural Studies and International Agriculture (CERAI) will screen the documentary “Rebeldía Rural: la luz llega al pueblo”. Directed by Susan Labich, the film highlights the need for a global change in our food systems and seeks to…
On Thursday, 28 April, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs opened the prior public consultation of a draft Royal Decree establishing rules for the development of Articles 40 and 41 of Law 17/2011, of 5 July, on Food Safety and Nutrition, for the promotion of healthy and sustainable food in schools. The objective of the project,…
Last Friday, FAO published Wildcheck: Assessing the Risks and Opportunities of Trade in Wild Plant Ingredients, which provides detailed information on a selection of ingredients derived from “flagship” wild plants. Of the 21% of the medicinal and aromatic plant species evaluated in the report, 9% are considered endangered. The livelihoods of an estimated 1…
On 20th and 21st April, CEMAS held the meeting of the Follow-up Committee of the Forum of Struggles for Land and Natural Resources (FLT) where they discussed how to feed the world and the problem of access to land in peasant and family farming. Iñaki Liceaga, from CERAI and moderator of the event, pointed…
On Thursday 21st April at 18:00 (CET) the Spanish Society for Organic Farming and Agroecology (SEAE), in collaboration with AGROBIO, will carry out a new online seminar on sustainable refrigeration and air conditioning systems. The event is free of charge and seeks to accelerate the shift to sustainable and climate-friendly refrigeration. The topics to be…
On 20th and 21st April, CEMAS will host the Forum of Struggles for Land and Natural Resources. The objective of these conferences is to exchange experiences and reflections in order to contribute to citizen mobilisation and the creation of alliances to reorient public policies and curb land and natural resource grabbing. The topics to be…
Last Friday, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced that world food commodity prices reached their highest levels ever in March, as the war in the Black Sea region extended the shock to markets for basic cereals and vegetable oils. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 159.3 points in March, up…
A team of researchers from the Institute for the Preservation and Improvement of Valencian Agro-diversity (COMAV) of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) has recovered, improved and typified the purple carrot of Villena (Safanòria morà), a historical crop from the south of València and north of Alicante that was in the process of disappearing. The…
José María García Álvarez-Coque, professor at the Department of Economics and Social Sciences of the Universitat Politècnica de València, has been appointed as a member of the Scientific Advisory Group of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) program. Professor García Álvarez-Coque was the coordinator of the project that in 2019 granted l’Horta de València…
On 7th April, we will celebrate World Health Day under the theme “Our Planet, Our Health”. In the midst of a pandemic, a polluted planet and an increasing incidence of disease, the theme proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) this year aims to draw global attention to the interconnection between the planet’s ecosystems and…
Last Tuesday, in collaboration with Alimentando el Cambio and CEMAS, Danone organised a meeting for dialogue that brought together the most important figures in Spain in the fields of education, health and nutrition. Its objective was to reinforce the keys to empowering the next generation and to bring healthy living and eating habits to the…
Last week the Bamberg Foundation held the “One Health” meeting, where the need to develop medium- and long-term strategies by taking specific actions to help achieve good health at all levels was addressed. The following are the conclusions of the event: The pharmaceutical industry is a health agent for promoting and defining the One Health…
The World Water Council and the government of Senegal are holding the 9th World Water Forum in Diamniadio (Dakar) from 21st to 26th March. Under the theme ‘Water Security for Peace and Development’, this forum is the largest gathering of the water sector worldwide around Sustainable Development Goal 6 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.…
Last Friday, the fourth edition of the Food Industry Participatory Forum on the draft bill on Food Loss and Waste Prevention was held. This initiative is part of Spain’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and seeks to curb this phenomenon, considering it one of the most crucial aspects when it comes to…
This coming Wednesday 23 March, the Bamberg Foundation will hold the “Spain One Health Summit” event, which will address the Strategic Plan on Health and the Environment, prepared by the Ministry of Health as part of the Ministry’s Public Health Strategy. It will also address the social determinants that influence health, such as the demographic…
On 21 March, the International Day of Forests is celebrated under the theme “Forests and Sustainable Production and Consumption”. Through the event “Inspire for the Future: the Role of Forests in Ensuring Sustainable Production and Consumption”, the United Nations seeks to raise awareness of the importance of caring for and preserving all forest areas on…
On Monday, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) released the report “Thinking about the future of food safety – A foresight report”, which shows the factors that will shape the food safety of the future. Variables include economic growth, consumer behaviour and consumption patterns, a growing world population and the climate…
Fundación Alternativas and Fundación Carasso have published the “Libro Blanco de la Alimentación Sostenible en España: enfoque global y medidas concretas” (White Paper on Sustainable Food in Spain: global approach and specific measures). The study develops measures to be taken into account in the transition towards sustainable and resilient food systems. Throughout its thirteen chapters,…
UN scientists released a new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) showing a dangerous and widespread disruption to nature. Among other aspects, it points out that the gaps between the measures to be taken and those carried out are “ever widening”. The publication constitutes the second instalment of the Sixth Assessment Report…
The Chairman of the Valencian Government, Ximo Puig, announced, on 1st March, the investment of 6 million euros to promote four innovation “agrohubs” in the Valencian Community. The centres will be led by the Valencian Association of Farmers and will be located in the towns of Morella, Requena, Polinyà del Xúquer and Elche. Each of…
Human activity and the climate crisis are causing enormous losses in the biodiversity of our planet. According to a report published by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, reducing human activities that cause biodiversity loss can significantly reduce the emergence of new pandemics. Regarding this problem, Dr. Peter Daszak, President of the institution that…
Every Thursday from 9:30 to 14:00 you can enjoy the Agroecological and Fair Trade Market in the Agora of the Campus de la Vera (Vera Campus site) of the Universidad Politécnica de València (UPV). This initiative has been promoted by the Centre for Development Cooperation (CCD) of the UPV, Engineers Without Borders València, CERAI, Ecolleures and the CEDAT Foundation. The market took its…
Last Wednesday 2nd December, the Anniversary of the GIAHS Designation of the Historical Irrigation System in L’Horta de València was celebrated. One year ago, the list of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), managed by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), included it as the fourth Spanish site listed for its priceless value. The virtual event, organised by the Cátedra Tierra…
On Thursday 3rd December at 12:00pm the event “Sustainable Food Systems in the Mediterranean: Accelerating Progress on the 2030 Agenda” was held within the framework of the 3rd Global Conference of the One Planet network’s Sustainable Food Systems Programme. The meeting focused on the catalytic role that food systems play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through an interactive dialogue, participants discussed the…
On the 17th, 18th and 19th November, the Gastronomic Sciences Association of the UV (ACIGA) held the Third Congress of Gastronomic Sciences online at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of València (UV). In this edition, the sessions concentrated on the sustainable gastronomy, transition and innovations that may contribute to healthier eating. Furthermore, the consequences of COVID-19 on the…
During the European Week for Waste Reduction, held from 21 to 29 November, the Association of Businesswomen and Professionals of Valencia (EVAP) carried out the A-provecho initiative to show the population that it is possible to avoid wasting food at source by highlighting those foods that, because they are not sold, are normally thrown away. The EVAP’s…
On November 26 at 10:30 am, the Consumer Participation Board of Trustees (MPAC) will present the fifth edition of the Survey on Consumption and Purchasing Habits 2020. The event will be held at the headquarters of the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) and will be broadcast via streaming. The results of the report will allow us…
The fourth Milan Urban Food Policy Pact regional forum was held on 4th November. The event “Mediterranean Cities: What have we learned from COVID-19?”, organised by València and Tel Aviv-Yafo was an opportunity for participating cities to share their experiences in managing the health and socioeconomic crisis. The first speaker was Tel-Aviv, which, in response to the…
On 24th and 25th November, from 10am to 1pm, the FIT4FOOD 2030 Final Conference will be held online. The sessions aim to broaden our understanding and the importance of transforming food systems and help the different parties involved to be part of the change. The director of CEMAS, Vicente Domingo, will be one of the speakers of the segment “Urban…
On 18 and 19 November from 15:00 to 18:00, the International Center of Rural and Agriculture Studies (CERAI) will hold the virtual event “Intercambio de Experiencias Agroecológicas en la voz del campesinado”. The meeting is aimed at government officials, civil service, NGO and foundation staff, research staff, farmers, teachers, students and all those interested in rural development,…
16 October marked 75 years of the history of the FAO, its protagonists and its achievements. Many positive achievements have been made during these decades on issues such as increasing food production and regulating food trade and fisheries. Throughout history, FAO has reached historical milestones that have brought about great progress for humanity and that fill us with hope for…
African swine fever (ASF) is advancing rapidly in several countries, affecting the food security and livelihoods of some of the most vulnerable populations of the world. To cope with this situation, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) call upon all countries of the…
On 24 October, the United Nations celebrated its 75th anniversary at a time when the world is experiencing major turmoil, compounded by an unprecedented global health crisis with severe economic and social repercussions. Like every year, a concert was held in the General Assembly Hall. This time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was recorded…
On 4th November at 2.30pm the fourth regional webinar of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) will take place. The seminar called“Mediterranean Cities: What have we learned from COVID-19? “is organised by València (CEMAS) and Tel Aviv-Yafo, though other cities from the Mediterranean region such as Barcelona, Montpellier, Mouans-Sartoux and Palermo will also participate. Since…
October 31st is World Cities Day, an initiative by UN Habitat to invite us to reflect on our cities and think about the future. The aim of this day is to promote interest in urbanisation and promote cooperation among countries to seize opportunities and meet the challenges posed by urbanism. This year, life in our cities has changed drastically. The health impact…
We are very proud of the warm reception the videos published by CEMAS on World Food Day have received. Due to this great success, we are pleased to announce the launch of the Chinese version. Six videos are available. Three of them are related to this year’s World Food Day motto: “Grow, nourish, sustain. Together”.…
On Friday 30 October, at 12pm, CEMAS will participate in the virtual event “Feeding Change Together”, a conference organised together with DANONE, which will open up a common space for reflection, dialogue and actions aimed at fuelling change towards a fair, healthy and inclusive society. It will address the highest priority issues on the public agenda on the future of food, as well…
On Monday 26th October, we will participate in an event to launch the book This is not (only) a cookbook: it is a way to change the world, published by the Instituto Cocina da Amanhâ in association with CEMAS, who worked on the Spanish translation; UNIRIO and the Heinrich Böll Foundation – Brazil. We are facing a paradigm in crisis and to…
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many countries to adopt strict measures that have disrupted production and trade in agricultural and fishery products. As a result, large amounts of perishable products have gone bad and been thrown away. It is urgent to make good decisions and formulate policies to address the impending global crisis and, to…
This year, CEMAS is celebrating a year of growth: of structural changes, of challenges and of great achievements. For all of us who are part of this organisation, we are very happy to see it grow and become stronger at a steady and firm pace. Today, 15 October 2020, CEMAS is happy to announce a new…
Every 16 October, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) celebrates World Food Day (WFD) to commemorate its founding in 1945. In the 75 years since then, the world has come a long way in the fight against poverty, hunger and malnutrition. Today, we are at a turning point in international efforts…
A third of the food produced in the world is lost or wasted. And with it, so are countless resources: from water and seeds to the energy used in transport and processing. This has enormous consequences for the environment, as food waste increases greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to climate change. In the midst of so much…
In early September, the African Green Revolution Forum 2020 (AGRF) was held under the theme “Feed the Cities, Grow the Continent: Leveraging Urban Food Markets to Achieve Sustainable Food Systems in Africa“. This online event encouraged us to rethink Africa’s food systems to make them more resilient, nutritionally sound and conducive to greater prosperity for…
To discuss our local food systems in depth, the Annual Meeting of the Network of Cities for Agroecology will take place on Thursday 1 and Friday 2 October: “Local food systems facing global risks: from covid-19 to the climate crisis”. Today, more than ever, improving the way we eat is an absolute priority. This is…
Did you know that one third of the food produced worldwide is lost or wasted? Meanwhile, for 870 million people eating is a daily challenge. That vegetable or the fruit that is spoiling in your fridge or on the shelves at the market takes on another meaning, doesn’t it? To raise awareness and promote global…
On Wednesday 7 October at 12pm, CEMAS is holding the conference “Cultivar, nutrir, preservar. La importancia del medio en nuestra alimentación” [Cultivate, nourish, preserve. The importance of the environment in our diet], a meeting organised jointly with the Official Association of Dieticians and Nutritionists of the Valencian Community (CODiNuCoVa) on the theme proposed by the…
One hundred cities from all over the world have already joined the initiative and a thousand cities are expected to join in no time. The Green Cities plan was launched last Friday at a virtual high-level event entitled “Green cities to build back better for SDGs – A new powerful venture”. The event was organised…
The consequences that the covid-19 crisis has had on food systems has been the main focus this year in the celebration of United Nations Day for South-South cooperation that has been held in a virtual session with the participation of FAO, IFAD and WFP.
Taking action on food systems could account for 20% of the emission reductions to be achieved by 2050. The report was published by WWF, the United Nations Environment Programme, EAT and Climate Focus.
Next 29th September will be the first International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. While hunger continues to rise, according to FAO, one third of all food produced is lost or wasted.
CEMAS celebrates its first anniversary with the publication of the book ‘CEMAS and the global challenges of sustainable urban food’. In the presentation of the book, the mayor of València, Joan Ribó, announced the upcoming transformation of CEMAS into a foundation, which will enable the opening to other public and private entities and expand the funding sources.
A recent report by the EAT Foundation argues that changing the eating patterns of many of the G20 countries is essential to protect the health of people and the planet.
690 million people in the world suffer from hunger. Almost 9% of the world population. A figure that has been increasing in the last five years. The negative trend continues. In earlier stages, the number of people suffering from hunger started to go down. This trend was broken in 2014. In the last five years, the number of people who have gone hungry has increased by 60 million. This was highlighted by the “State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020” (SOFI) presented in New York.
The main model of food solidarity continues to revolve around food aid: charity canteens and using unsold products to reduce waste statistics. Over the last 20 years, the concept of poverty management has evolved, but there have been no equivalent developments in the field of food solidarity. This is one of the conclusions drawn from the analysis conducted by the UNESCO Chair on World Food Systems: “For a reform of our food solidarities”.
Both UNHCR (the UN agency for refugees) and WFP (World Food Programme) have warned of the emergency situation in which millions of refugees find themselves. On top of the problems caused by conflicts, disasters and rising prices, the added challenges of the supply chain and the economic consequences of Covid 19 must now be dealt with. These two United Nations agencies have just made a new appeal for urgent action.
Poverty and economic difficulties are the biggest challenge for not only managing to eat, but doing so in a nutritionally adequate way. This will be addressed in the next report on The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020 (SOFI), which will be presented in New York on 13th July.
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 situation caused by the coronavirus crisis increased the percentage of healthy food on our daily menus. This is shown in a study carried out by the Spanish Society of Community Nutrition (SENC). These changes are closely linked to the living conditions of the confinement itself. The question now is whether this change is here…
CEMAS (World Sustainable Urban Food Centre of València) submits a report, written by medical doctors and nutrition specialists Florence Egal and Elliot M Berry, as a brief reflection on the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic on food security and the consequences of this disruption on the food systems of the Mediterranean region.
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…
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…
The United Nations has declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health under the slogan “Protecting plants, protecting life”. The year is a once in a lifetime opportunity to raise awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment and boost economic development.
New York is surely the city in the world that is suffering most from the ravages of the COVID 19 pandemic. Although we cannot ignore that before the crisis, a million people suffered from food insecurity, the actions taken to date in this emergency context represent a historical convergence between local government, the private sector and civil society actors to feed more than eight million New Yorkers.
A new story book that aims to help children understand and come to terms with COVID-19 has been produced by a collaboration of more than 50 organizations working in the humanitarian sector, including the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Save the Children.
The World Health Organization is working closely with global experts, governments and partners to rapidly expand scientific knowledge about this new virus, track its spread and virulence, and advise countries and individuals on measures to protect their health and prevent outbreak spread.
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 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…
CEMAS and FAO have collaborated to jointly participate in the 10th World Urban Forum in Abu Dhabi. This forum, which UN-Habitat convenes every two years, analyses experiences related to sustainable development and how the New Urban Agenda (NUA) is being implemented.
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,…
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…
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…
The announcement was made by the Mayor of València, Joan Ribó, at the opening of the congress that celebrates United Nations Day, organized by the UN Information Technology Centre based in Quart de Poblet (València). Located in the La Base de La Marina de València building that houses the CEMAS offices, the congress focusing on…
The CEMAS facilities have hosted the celebration of World Food Day for the first time. Public administrations, institutions, universities, various organizations and civil society gathered together in one event to highlight the urgent need for all of us to commit to working in order to achieve #zerohunger with sustainable and resilient food systems. The mayor…
The work sessions of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) took place from 7 – 9 October 2019 in the French city of Montpellier. More than a hundred cities from around the world and representatives of various associations, foundations and universities shared experiences and knowledge about urban food systems: food production and supply, nutrition…
After months of preparation, on 22 July 2019, CEMAS held its opening event at the Marina de València chaired by Queen Letizia.
