Sustainable and fair foods systems
A fair and sustainable food system is a system that works for both consumers and businesses of the value chain that rely on it for their survival.
Such food systems ensure:
Food sovereignty, quality and health
People both now and in the future enjoy access to food of high nutritional quality, while meeting dietary needs for a healthy life and fostering well-being; people, communities and societies have the right to define their own food systems and policies.
Fair livelihoods and fair trade
Provision of food products generates fair economic returns along the supply chain and fosters the resilience of small-scale producer communities. It is incumbent upon governance systems to enable them to enjoy fair access to resources, regardless of gender, race or age. The supply chains are short, traceable and transparent.
Local development, inclusive governance and social cohesion
Food systems foster the local development in their territories in which the role of women is valued and younger generations are engaged and empowered. In this context, resource management requires new models of governance that involve and hold all local stakeholders accountable with a community-based and participative approach.
Low environmental impact
Fair and sustainable food systems prioritise local low-impact production systems that respect seasonality and the interconnectivity of ecosystems; they do no harm to the environment and preserve and restore soil, freshwater and marine resources; they respect animal health and welfare; they help mitigate climate change and adapt to its impacts; they not only avoid biodiversity loss but, promote regeneration; they prevent and minimize food losses and waste, disposal of which is integrated into the regenerative cycle.
Traditional ecological knowledge
Fair and sustainable food systems preserve and foster local and traditional knowledge that respects the balances of nature, while promoting innovation, creativity and social entrepreneurship, and is recognised as complementary to scientific knowledge.
Core values
Food sovereignty, quality and health
People, communities and societies have the right to safe and nutritious food, and to define their own food systems and policies that are ecologically, socially, economically, and culturally appropriate to their unique reality, without compromising other territories or future generations, valorizing local food systems versus globalized ones.
Fair price through short supply chains
Consumers are willing to pay a fair but affordable price, which compensates producers for their labor and natural resource stewardship, sustains dignified livelihoods. Short supply chain schemes are favored and supported as the most appropriate food-delivery system to ensure this.
Ensuring justice and equity
Justice and equity are promoted at every step of the production and distribution process. Decent work is assured all along the value chain, for both enterprise owners and employees. Women, young generations and other marginalized groups are valued and engaged.
Fair and inclusive governance
Inclusive governance of food systems guarantees small-scale producers’ access to land, freshwater and marine resources, regardless of gender, race or age, current and future generations. Such governance promotes co-responsibility of all local stakeholders through community-based, bottom-up, ecosystem-based, and adaptive management.
Increased transparency and accountability
Transparency and accountability along the entire value chain are secured thanks to improved information flows and end of bad practices. The necessary information and tools are provided for consumers to make conscious, healthy and responsible choices, building trust between consumers and producers.
Job creation and local development
New jobs are created within the local food sector, contributing to the development of the local community. Partnerships and networking with other entities are promoted, contributing to a more cohesive and resilient territory.
Agroecology and low impact fishing
Approaches based on agroecological regenerative practices that lessen the environmental damage of conventional agriculture and aquaculture, must be followed. They are sustainable in the long-term, protect and even restore the surrounding landscape and biodiversity and take into account the interconnectivity of ecosystems.
Seafood production systems should have a low production, be small in scale, using a diversity of selective, low-impact fishing gears that respect seasonality and natural life- cycles, while leaving the seabed and habitats intact. Existing management measures are respected and, when insufficient, are supplemented by additional voluntary measures, contributing to fully documented fisheries. Ghost fishing and interaction with endangered and vulnerable species are minimized.
Production is conducted in a manner that minimizes food losses and waste from both agriculture and fisheries, incorporating the circular economy as well as ensuring good animal health and welfare.
Empowerment, creativity and collaboration
Small-scale producers are empowered so they become agents of change for the necessary transition to sustainable and fair food systems. Creativity and networking foster knowledge sharing, collective understanding, and mentorship needed to build a better future, leading to innovation, creativity and social entrepreneurship.
Honoring nature
Biodiversity is conserved by producing and harvesting a diversity of products respecting seasonality and unique local conditions. Less well known products and species are consumed thus contributing to reducing the overexploitation of resources.
Prevent pollution, encourage decarbonization and optimize resource use so that food production and consumption contribute to respecting the biophysical limits of our planet. Attention to packaging helps ensure the use of plastics in production, processing and transport operations is reduced.
Scientific support to traditional ecological knowledge (TEK)
TEK is recognized and promoted, and complimentary to scientific advice in fisheries management. Techniques traditionally used by small-scale producers as well as innovative practices that contribute to a low impact on the planet are preserved and promoted.
Icons are made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. WishForge Games – Dimitriu Robert – Yogi Aprelliyanto – Georgiana Lavinia
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