NASSAU, Bahamas -- Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources the Hon. Michael Pintard stated that the United Nations’ Secretary-General will convene a Global Food Systems Summit in September 2021 to launch bold new actions as part of the UN’s Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“There is the increasing recognition that transforming our food systems must be central in our efforts to achieve the SDGs by 2030 thereby accelerating the collective action for achieving a diversified economy. When we speak of ‘food systems’ we are referring to the constellation of activities involved in producing, processing, transporting, consuming and disposing of food,” Minister Pintard said during a virtual press conference to announce the Summit on Thursday, March 25, 2021.

“These activities are cross-cutting and integrate throughout our Ministries, industries and sectors. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the fragility and inequalities of our food systems and underscored the urgency to make them more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient.”

He explained that the stated goal of the UN’s Food Systems Summit is to transform the way the world thinks about foods within the context of the 2030 Agenda for

Sustainable Development and to meet the challenge of poverty, food security, malnutrition, population growth, climate change, and natural resource degradation.

Guided by five Action Tracks, the Summit will bring together players within the communities of science, business, policy, health care and academia, as well as farmers, fishers, youth organizations, consumer groups, environmental activists and other key stakeholders.

Minister Pintard noted that The Bahamas’s participation in the Food Systems Summit is timely, as the Ministry is undergoing the development of a five-year strategic and action plan that aims to revitalize its effectiveness to better serve the communities while building capacities throughout the Bahamian food systems’ value chain.

“Based on current initiatives such as the Backyard Gardening and Chicken-Layer Production programmes, as well as other work with partners, our efforts are in alignment with the Action Tracks outlined by the UN.

“A few shared focus areas include: making nutritious foods more available, affordable and safer; protecting our natural ecosystems from environmental and human degradation, enhancing food production through climate-smart technologies, and improving the ease of doing business in the agriculture and marine sectors through finance opportunities and small business mentorship programmes.”

He stated that these focus areas will be discussed in the various Food Systems Dialogues to be held globally, nationally and locally within the various islands’ communities.

The Minister said the Dialogues aim to bring together a diversity of stakeholders, including those seldom heard, and provide an opportunity for participants to collaborate on innovative actions that can provide for a sustainable Bahamian food system. On April 15^th, the Initial National Food Systems Dialogue will be held, more information on the event is forthcoming.

He said, “We are reminded that the Food Systems Summit is a ‘People’s Summit’ and it is encouraged to host Independent Dialogues within your communities to discuss how each one can be involved in providing innovative and transformative solutions for an improved Bahamian food system. We have a team available to assist groups and organizations with the coordination of the Independent Dialogues as we prepare for the Summit in September.”

Also attending the press conference were UN Resident Coordinator, Dr. Garry Conille and The Bahamas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Director General, Sharon Brennen- Haylock.