Second Theme: Strengthening Sustainability Systems in Food Security:
The world's quality policy aims to protect certain product names to enhance their unique characteristics associated with their geographical origin as well as knowledge of their traditional origins and uses. Product names can be given a "geographical indication" if they have a specific link to where they are made. A geographical indication protects ownership and origin and enhances consumers' confidence in high-quality products and their distinctiveness while also helping producers to market their products better.
Geographical indications, recognized as intellectual property in the EU and globally, play an increasingly important role in trade negotiations between the EU and other countries. Geographical indications establish intellectual property rights for specific products whose qualities are specifically related to the field of production. The system of geographical indications protects the names of products originating from specific regions and having specific qualities or having a reputation associated with the territory of production.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has defined a sustainable food system as a food system that provides food security and nutrition for all in a way that does not compromise the economic, social, and environmental foundations to generate food security and nutrition for future generations. This means that: - it is profitable in all ways (economic sustainability); - have wide-ranging benefits to society (social sustainability); and – has a positive or neutral impact on the natural environment (environmental sustainability). A sustainable food system is at the heart of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted in 2015, which call for significant transformations in agriculture and food systems to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition by 2030. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, The food system needs governance and legislation to be more productive, more controlled and inclusive of all populations of all social strata, and by governing the food system it becomes environmentally sustainable, resilient to risks and fluctuations, especially climate change, and able to provide healthy and nutritious diets for all. These are complex and systematic challenges that require combining systems and procedures Interrelated legislative and regulatory at the local, national, regional and global levels.
Food waste is one of the most important issues facing current food systems: in 2011, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated that more than a third of food is either lost or wasted along the entire food supply chain, negatively impacting food security and nutrition and causing significant economic, social and environmental impacts. Food loss and waste in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region is estimated to amount to around 250 kg per capita, representing more than US$60 billion annually, making the economic, social, and environmental repercussions serious for a region that relies heavily on global food imports, has limited capacity to increase food production, and suffers from water and arable land scarcity. Nearly two-thirds of food lost during production and processing are lost. Food is processed and distributed, a third of which is wasted at the consumer level.
Food loss and waste are recognized as one of the most worrying challenges in the current food system, as we produce tons of edible food waste every year. Food loss occurs from farm to retail, food service and family. Causes range from poor handling, inadequate transportation or storage, lack of cold chain capacity, extreme weather conditions, cosmetic standards, and consumer behavior.
Sustainable food management systems can reduce food loss and waste to provide more food for all, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce pressure on water resources and land, preserve natural ecosystems and biodiversity, increase productivity and economic growth, thereby creating more food- and environmentally sustainable communities. . This is integral to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
21-23 Rabi' Thani 1445 AH (5-7 November 2023 AD)