Workshop: Coherent policies and collective action across agrifood systems in Europe and Central Asia

The Regional Technical Workshop, which will be held in Budapest and online on 21-23 May 2024, is organized under the framework of the Technical Cooperation Programme  “Transforming agrifood systems in the Europe and Central Asia region” and serves as a pivotal platform for advancing the agenda of transforming agrifood systems in Europe and Central Asia. By fostering collaboration, policy coherence, and knowledge sharing, it aims to drive tangible progress towards achieving sustainable development goals within the region. 

By addressing the multifaceted challenges within agrifood systems, the regional event contributes directly to the overarching regional objectives of the ‘Zero Hunger’ goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which foresees the eradication of hunger, achievement of food security, improved nutrition, and promotion of sustainable agriculture.  

National food systems convenors and representatives of relevant sectors (agriculture, health, environment, trade and economy) from the three focus countries (Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Uzbekistan) as well as from Albania, Georgia, Kazakhstan, North Macedonia, and Serbia will participate. 

OBJECTIVES 
Strengthen national capacities in promoting and applying a holistic approach to agrifood systems as a basis for coherent policies and collective action, with a focus on addressing healthy diets in the context of economic, social and environmental sustainability, and climate change.   
Specifically, the workshop will

• Raise awareness, build capacities and facilitate cross-country learning on the key concepts and application of a holistic food systems approach for coherent policy and collective action towards healthy diets and better nutrition and better environment (through systems thinking and sharing of country experiences). 
• Disseminate key guidelines and principles in food systems and nutrition leading to strengthening the implementation of the UNFSS National Pathways and other policy processes.  
• Promote the uptake of existing data sources and tools developed at global and country levels to support evidence-based policy making and monitoring.  
• Review next steps, further analysis, and capacity development needs to advance understanding in policy coherence, trade-offs and synergies at country and regional levels.