Identifying Solutions Rooted In Food and Social Innovation: SGM's Series of Independent Dialogues
From April through June 2021, the Social Gastronomy Movement focused its efforts on what it does best: engaging people in food systems transformation by convening a series of independent dialogues in preparation for this year’s monumental United Nations Food Systems Summit.
This series of online events, hosted in partnership with Griffith Foods, unpacked how Social Gastronomy can be used to address the Summit’s five action tracks.
This series brought together a total of 467 participants from a range of regions, cultures, sectors, and ages around conversations from regenerative farming to the future of restaurants. Each dialogue was convened by a team member from SGM, and agendas were co-created alongside many community members. The result was a series of wonderfully unique and radical conversations rooted in respect, social innovation, and collaboration.
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Migration and Nutrition
The Dialogue brought together 67 participants for a humbling and constructive discussion around the crucial role of food systems transformation in addressing pendular migration at the frontier of Colombia and Venezuela.
“Despite hopes and expectations, food security is not improved when people migrate. In fact, it often is worse. It is important to explore how we can collaborate and co-create designs with the communities affected by pendular migrations to address this issue. If these solutions are found with the participation of refugees and migrants, they will allow for recovery, dignity, and life without hunger.” said Paola Pollmeier, Global Netweaver of the Social Gastronomy Movement and founder of Platos sin Fronteras.
The Dialogue included a diverse array of perspectives, including from the World Food Program to migrants, chefs, community leaders, youth, and representatives of local organizations from Alimenta la Solidaridad, ABACO, Griffith Foods, and Comparte Por Una Vida Colombia (CPUV).
“In environments with such food insecurity as those we go through in Venezuela and Colombia, no food can be lost; everything must be used and transformed,” says Andrea Varvaro, Community Development Manager from, Alimenta la Solidaridad.
The primary topics of discussion were
Unexpected challenges, realities, and testimonies of irregular migration experienced by 1.75 million Venezuelans in Colombia.
A Colombian pilot project for migrant entrepreneurial support by the World Food Program expands food systems action to accelerate the socio-economic participation of Venezuelans in the city of Barranquilla.
Food insecurity and malnutrition prevention programs implemented by Alimenta la Solidaridad serve over 14,000 meals served in 15 states and 239 communities per day across Venezuela.
CPUV has executed over 53,518 nutritional treatments and delivered more than 42,000 school meals across Colombia
Participants agreed on several solutions to mitigate this most pressing regional challenge. These included the following:
Education programs that foster the demystification of migration
The implementation of co-responsibility models that provide dignified opportunities for migrants, i.e., the new Colombian migration policies offering employment, housing, and social security
The execution of an exhaustive analysis of the Food Systems in Venezuela within the country’s current context
Improved logistics to prevent food loss
The creation of donor networks needed to implement food banks
“Awareness and training with real information about migration is the key to achieving the demystification of this phenomenon..” said Lala Lovera, founder of CPVU.
The power of sustainable collaboration models to create circular food waste products
One of the most baffling paradoxes of our time is that while millions go hungry, we could feed all of them with the food that is wasted. In this dialogue, we uncovered best practices and business models to create products out of food that would otherwise be chucked out as trash. In this dialogue, a diverse participant group of over 68 individuals dove deep into concepts such as accountability from the private sector and the crucial role of cross-sector collaboration in identifying food waste solutions.
Main takeaways
We must engage all parts of the food system on a global scale to co-create food waste solutions.
Education is key in reconnecting people with the value of food and democratizing the food system.
A system of accountability and transparency will help foster equitable networks and sustainable change.
We must empower the youth and marginalized communities to be active in farming and food system change.
Breakout Room Recaps:
Breakout Room 1: The role of social gastronomy organizations and farmers in the prevention of food waste.
We must engage all parts of the food system to create multiple solutions that will collectively foster sustainable change.
We need to create a system of accountability for consumers, governments, small/medium businesses, and corporations.
Empowering farmers and making farming sexy again. We must harvest the talent of female, minority, and youth populations.
Breakout Room 2: Exploring the hidden potential of food waste through multi-sector partnerships
Educate young minds on the importance of preservation of ingredients and acknowledging the entire products, for example, through traditional culinary methods
Educate the producers on how to meet the demand of consumers more responsibly, for example, by not overstocking (and more possibilities)
Build a global campaign with multiple sectors around food waste – improving the chains of communication between producers, consumers, and large supermarkets (donate)
Breakout Room 3: How can public policy foster more community-driven food waste products?
Education. If we are going to generate change, we need to focus on education. It is the true pillar of change. We need to educate on resources and systems and teach people the real value of food.
Partnerships. We would like to see incentivization of profitable networking. Partnerships are key for change. There should be an incentive for collaboration.
Transparency. The system cannot change if systems aren't transparent. Trust makes change. We can only trust food systems if they are transparent.
Breakout Room 4: Culture: matchmake consumer needs and the producer's perspective
Food literacy as a tool for mindset shifts in every part of the food chain (teaching the value of good food and impacts)
Giving visibility and responsible messaging about the solutions that currently exist, their added value, and their impact on the food systems.
The power of togetherness and Networks of networks, creating an ecosystem of change.
Breakout Room 5: Community solution around food waste
Nurturing equity across our food system: We need to build models that support economic equity and benefit all stakeholders to see true systems change. By creating examples and mechanisms of how sustainable practices can bring value and opportunity. With this, we can build a new culture around the value of our food
Education is key to bridging inclusivity and social equity across all cultures. Education needs to be democratized: accessible and recognized by all class systems to ensure adoption and a shift in behaviors. It should also be responsive to the diverse communities and represent food customs and heritage.
The need for a global perspective owned and supported by governments that express the value of our food system recognizes how their countries' systems are interconnected and asks for commitments that will positively influence and incentivize sustainability, health, and equity.
Looking Back to Move Forward: Ancestral Roots & Agroecology
Read the UNFSS Official Feedback Form for this dialogue here.
Sustainable food production is one of the most urgent needs that we have as a global community today, but we must go beyond sustainability. In this dialogue 56 individuals rom across sectors came together under the challenge of identifying solutions and acting as quickly as possible is necessary to protect our planet and feed our society, in a way that is regenerative.
Climate change poses a threat to our agriculture systems, but the relationship is mutually violent. The way we have been farming in the past century has caused immense damage to the environment.
Indigenous groups around the world have been practicing sustainable agriculture for eons. To build a healthier future, we must look back at our ancestral roots. Over subsidized farming in the Global North has caused the loss of crop-based resources in the Global South. Modern agriculture has had a drastic impact on local economies and threatened age-old agricultural practices and family farming which, for the most part, is characterized by a symbiotic relationship between people and planet.
Specifically, the Dialogue addressed to the following questions:
How can history and indigenous agricultural practice inform farming of the future and nature positive production
What innovative pedagogies, methodologies, approaches, and learnings can inform the way that we produce food?
How can acknowledgment of old agricultural practices inform the private sector, governance strategies, and policies, and civil society to create more equitable and healthy food systems
How can food communities, on a global and local level, emerge as catalysts for nature friendly production on a global scale
How can we engage young people in regenerative agriculture?
Main Breakout Room Takeaways
Breakout Room 1: Corporate Takeover of the UNFSS
We need to throw something back to the UNFSS, a simple message, where everyone sees their role in food systems transformation.
Urban communities and consumers hold power in demanding food systems change with their actions, and the rural and urban connection is crucial.
We need to be open and positive and co-create; we need to be together, unite in the fight. There are so many communities working towards change., especially indigenous populations. Let us also unite human rights and the right to nature.
Breakout Room 2: Engaging youth in farming, Embracing technology, & Preserving Culture
We need more farmers' markets to close the gap between the producers and consumers. We need more chefs cooking in the farmer markets to create awareness on how we eat, how we farm, and celebrate the colors and biodiversity. To change preconceptions of food and engage more youth.
Ecological illiteracy is a huge mindset problem for a generation. Therefore, concepts like rural ag schools to train future farmers are important.
Bringing value to the farm. Until the farmer only provides ingredients, we will never get out of this broken system. However, youth can engage in smart commercial relations and partnerships with farmers to disrupt the system.
Breakout Room 3: Decolonizing our Plates
We must implement alternative systems that challenge our capitalist model by consulting local communities and creating resiliency to truly decolonize our plates.
Create a system of accountability for appropriation and cultural theft that can make traditional foods accessible to everyone
We can shift our narratives on food through education about our histories and by revaluing ingredients in a way that reflects the real price of food.
Breakout Room 4: Engaging youth in farming, Embracing technology, & Preserving Culture
Regional Education - value what is local.
Use technology to spark curiosity amongst youth and make it growing food cool again.
Breakout Room 5: Decolonizing our Plates
Communication that brings sensitivity to the consumer. How effective is the use of seals? How can the industry take advantage of this, even restaurants.
Education in the industry, education for kids. How do we change our mindset from the way we consume to the industry.
Action. Better networks between producers and chefs: Accessibility to local products and income to producers. Better traceability of the products. Governments that value more the work of producers.
Restaurants of the Future: The Powerhouse for inclusion, prosperity, and resilience
The food service industry is an essential and complex area of the food system with a core purpose to provide good food for all. This dialogue broke apart the complexity of restaurants into 10 separate aspects, only skimming the surface of challenges that the future restaurant must address.
The criteria that form a well-rounded socially responsible restaurant are yet to be defined. However, we can piece together these elements that begin to form the concept by taking practices from the successes and failures of the industry.
By bringing together 143 minds from around the world, all from different sectors and disciplines, this dialogue began to further develop the concept, create an analysis for improvement, make holistic connections, and suggest models for sustainability. It is not to say that we have yet to witness successful practices in these areas, but rather we must make them visible and practical, fostering a culture of open innovation to learn, adapt, and create. The restaurants of the future are here, now. Through continued collaboration we can create a successful and equitable system for all.
Main takeaways
1.- Education is key.
2.- Build, foster & promote open innovation and collaborative ecosystems to find cross-sectorial solutions. We need a trans-disciplinary approach to tackle each challenge (government, business, academic, private sector, etc.)
3.- Ethical values (to be accountable for your actions) as a source of competitive advantage and organizational efficiency. Let's build more transparent cultures.
4.- Redefine efficiency holistically. It's not only about financial outcomes- we need to embrace ecological and social KPI as a fundamental component of business models (ESG)
A special thank you to all of our participants!
Breakout Room Recaps:
Breakout Room 1: The Chef Beyond the Restaurant
The Chef beyond the restaurant is social, focusing on its environment's necessities to confront them with sustainable projects. We are going further from the hard skills and soft skills, taking them down into the essential skills. The importance of chefs getting out of their heads and taking a step back to observe our impacts...
We can all see that the chef beyond the restaurant is totally outside the restaurant; it´s in schools, in hospitals, in senior centers, in needed environments, and in countries. Building societies, sharing, developing sustainable products... We are a community; we are not independent, all choices are connected.
We can see the necessities within the sector and the many things we need to do, but maybe we need a motivation push to get with it. The future chef must focus on resolving true problems altogether; young chefs need to be inspired to get a bit dirty and not stay on the surface...Change the mindset in the educational world: We don’t study a degree to become rich and famous; we develop ourselves to confront the problems that our society faces, constructing new ideas, projects, and businesses with a purpose. That is the importance of the gastronomic academic world.
Breakout Room 2: What is the role of the restaurant toward society and the planet?
We want to shake up the industry because we are not happy with the status quo. The goal should be about the legacy we leave- for our community, our society, and our planet. If we know this is what we want, we will lead by doing it.
The responsibility is to prioritize the relationship between farm and mouth, seed to stomach. The role of the restaurant is to foster these relationships and build networks where food is a commons.
Sharing knowledge is crucial. We need to shift our culture of collaboration, exchange our best practices and be an inspiration instead of keeping these models to ourselves.
Breakout Room 3: Industry vs. craftsmanship
Restaurants have a platform to educate consumers. However, to move forward, we must open a dialogue with them on sustainability; this includes providing education for customers and staff.
Transparency in sourcing chain: let's make bold decisions on sourcing and transparency. Restaurants should be more dependent on local food, have seasonal choices, engage with the farmers in the community, and lead by example. As customers, we should ask where the ingredients come from and demand answers.
There is no planet B. We are all in this together. That said, everyone could have a specific role. For example, the industry might contribute to lobbying, changing laws, small producers' support, scaling, financing, and research.
Breakout Room 4: Responsible consumption
Sustainability is the first element that we discussed. Let's create a transparency system to increase accountability in terms of how we are sourcing. Our role is to reconnect citizens to farming. Restaurants can be a platform for education.
A second element is livelihoods. How do we support local food chains, increase the visibility of local smallholder farmers, enhance the operations of artisans, and propose equity and dignity?
Decolonizing our plates to increase biodiversity. How do we bring back ancestral ingredients? As we know, familiarity is important for habits.
Breakout Room 5: Human rights along the restaurant value chain
First of all, we want to talk about dignity, not just human rights. This pandemic has brought visibility to the invisible problems. It's not easy to do good in food, but we must.
We want to start from education, both in schools and in restaurants. Food is the nexus of society; it can be included in history and science. Farmers play a crucial role, and let's make that clear for the next generation.
Education is not just communication; we also have to educate by demonstrating best practices, giving tools for farmers. We also need subsidies for all players in the food systems. Farmers should know that they are crucial to society.
Breakout Room 6: Lists and incentives
There is a responsibility to creating lists: because they have an impact on the public: this is why transparency is crucial. The more well-known a list maker is, the bigger their duty is when it comes to accountability. So let's let people see the process behind how awards are given.
We need to engage more stakeholders and allow for the emergence of new lists that reward all aspects of the industry, including social, environmental, and educational work. The time for this emergence is now. This could be new systems or even just tweaking the way we give awards now.
There needs to be a greater focus on inclusivity and diversity- there is nothing that shows that restaurant culture is a monolith; how can we focus in a more holistic way?
Breakout Room 7: Ethics vs. aesthetics
Partnerships for reducing waste. Let's start working with companies that recover food waste, companies that prevent it. Engage producers before it is even given to the restaurant. Example: An app that prevents food from being wasted.
Education and culture for consumers and producers, but also policy. There should be laws against wasting food.
Optimizing and tracking the journey of food from suppliers to plate. See the economic impact it has on the restaurant. We're talking about throwing money in the trash? How do we advance that notion so that smarter decisions are being made?
Breakout Room 8: Data driven business decisions
Growing omnichannel opportunity: technology is changing restaurant culture. There will be much further growth, and it will no longer exist within brick and mortar restaurants. How do we make sure it's not just large companies who come out on top?
Invisible technology: there will be an opportunity to focus not only on customer technology but even more. Technology should bring equity.
Creating a culture of collaboration between users and technology providers is crucial to promote open integration and enhancing user experience. Let's drive capital support and grants to implement software.
Breakout Room 9: Leading People in a dynamic Era
Skills are inherent to leadership, and this requires education. Not only hard skills but also soft skills. Let's promote skills related to data and technology.
Technology will affect leadership and challenge. Technology, as we know these days, is not necessarily accessible; let's think about how we can make it easier to use.
Each of our workers should feel like the owners of our restaurant. Those employees should be empowered to feel purpose and dignity at work. Let's manage from the 'why' instead of the 'how.'
Breakout Room 10: The Nightmare of the numbers
Financial control comes from financial education. World ambassadors could help with expertise. They should be able to access information easily. We can use storytelling to sensibilize people with finance. We can spread the word by using our platforms. Financial education should be a commons.
Starting with investment is about starting small with the help of models. Bookkeeping is fundamental for success. Money is there, but funders should be easily found and connected properly. How do we change the willingness of entrepreneurs so that they immediately are assessing their business? It is key to their success.
The educational level starts at the bottom with the cooking and service and other hospitality schools. As always, education needs to be adapted to every different culture.
Stories of Radical Resilience
Stories of Radical Resilience focused on Action Track 5 of the Food Systems Summit: Build resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks, and stress. The ambition is to ensure that all people in a food system are empowered to prepare for, withstand, and recover from instability or shocks. It means a food system that is good for people and the planet. A food system that is inclusive, equitable, and leaves no one behind. As an audience of 98 individuals from around the world- together, we listened, learned from each other, and collectively identified the key ingredient in a recipe for resilience.
This dialogue was unique in that we also engaged artists in the journey. Check out the stories from our incredible storytellers as well as the beautiful artwork on SGM Stories- our blog.
Key Ingredients in a Recipe for Building Resilience:
Community and finding a sense of belonging are central to resilience. While self-determination is a foundational quality of those who shared stories of overcoming challenges, we are stronger together. With a solid support system, role models, and a safe space for expressing vulnerability, we are able to grow organically and find a place where we not only survive, but we thrive.
Learning- it takes creativity and problem-solving skills to overcome any challenge- no matter how small. Many stories of resilience are inspiring not only because individuals have been able to teach themselves hard skills, but because they are on a path of continuous learning and are part of an environment that fosters it with care and attention.
Empathy is a crucial ingredient both for ourselves and our community. It can be found within ourselves, and when we have empathy for others, we become more resilient by proxy. When we do something to better the lives of those around us, it becomes easier to continue fighting for their futures. Commitment to a cause keeps us going and growing as humans.
“What are the key ingredients of building resilience?”
Breakout Room 1: El Liderazgo Comunitario
The fight is worth it. If you can, fight for hope.
Care for our leaders. We need them today more than ever. Create networks that care for and empower leaders.
We can all be leaders from the experience of our realities.
Breakout Room 2: El Aprendizaje y Trabajo Inclusivos
The power of the collective: we lift each other up by doing so we become stronger together
Giving chances, to everyone, especially for those who need the opportunity
Helping others reach their truest potential and empowering them to grow
Breakout Room 3: Food Security & Social Cohesion
Confidence in our ability to recover. Nobody is born with resilience but it does go inside of us: going through difficulties makes us stronger
A support system to help us get up in the morning when it becomes too difficult
The will to leave a trace and making life better for others, not accepting things as they are
Breakout Room 4: Food Justice & Community Education
Commitment to a cause and commitment to finding solutions TOGETHER
Empathy for yourself and your community. 'We instead of me.' Empathy is the ingredient you find within yourself: finding empathy for others makes you more resilient too
Knowledge: also goes into empathy, as you first may have to learn about the problems others are facing. Also includes knowledge about food and nutrition
Breakout Room 5: Social Entrepreneurship
Clear vision to give you purpose and priority;
Inclusion- businesses, and entrepreneurs have a responsibility to include people in the conversion
Mindset and awareness- building an education network based on hope and open-mindedness
Breakout Room 6: Inclusive Learning & Labour
Continuous learning and a community that supports and allows for it. Having a role model, sharing vulnerability, and feeling a sense of belonging also allows for organic growth
Inclusive learning- which is much more a family than a traditional colonial/institutional model of education that is top-down. Peer-to-peer learning and working within your community creates multipliers and fosters resilience
The move from fear to strength. Being self-taught and creative problem solving out of necessity and a desire for a better future for yourself and those around you.
a WRAP UP: SOLUTIONS ROOTED IN FOOD AND SOCIAL INNOVATION
We have always known that the food system is complex. This complexity takes on a myriad of forms sometimes overlooked as we dive and focus on our specific problem at hand. Through our last 5 dialogues we brought these sectors together to dive deeper into their intricacies. As we each continue to confront our own realities the reality is that the Food System needs to change for the better — and that’s common to us all. We can’t expect system-wide changes without working as a system-wide collaborative. But that is no easy task. Change starts with dialogue. After dialogue, comes action.
Throughout each of our dialogues there were three main themes 1) The central role of education 2)The need for systems of transparency and accountability and 3) the power of cross-sector collaboration.
In this dialogue we identified bottlenecks and barriers to change, potential actions for networks like the Social Gastronomy Movement, and outcomes we hope to see from this year’s Food Systems Summit.