Future Food System Summit Summary

FUTURE FOOD SYSTEM SUMMIT

Mexico City

November 23 & 24 2023

Institute of Geography of the UNAM, Mexico City

In our recent Future Food Systems Summits we brought together a diverse group of food system experts and change-makers.

This provided a unique platform for networking, identifying common goals, and developing actionable plans for a brighter future.

What happened in our Future Food Systems Summit

Day 1

Building a common vision for Mexico City’s future food system at an individual and group level.

To reach a shared vision, we began with individual perspectives of a desirable food system. Participants then collaborated in three diverse groups to create group visions. Together, we identified key values from these visions, which ultimately guided us in forming a collective shared vision.

Common Values:

No hay como una mente individual, sino es una colectividad. De eso trata el trabajo colaborativo.

– Summit participant

Participants came together and identified common values across the three group visions

  • Collaborative work
  • Reciprocity, dignified interconnection (between humans and nonhumans)
  • Participatory, inclusive and equitable governance
  • Free seeds
  • Recognition of biocultural diversity
  • Revalue agrobiodiversity
  • Sustainable food networks
  • Right to healthy, adequate and sustainable food

Los conocimientos de las personas en las comunidades es muy importante, ya que esos conocimientos que tienen vienen de atrás de los abuelos, como nosotros los llamamos, los ancestros, esos conocimientos hacen acción, hacen trabajo, entonces, puede trabajar la tierra, puede entrar a este giro agrícola.

– Summit participant

Final Vision:

Based on common values, participants created a shared vision of a desirable food system in 2050

Today, in the year 2050, our food systems are the fruit of collaborative effort (work) and participatory, inclusive and equitable governance that puts care of people and nature at the center and that guarantees the right to adequate, healthy, and sustainable food (alimentacion). Our foods are produced in the country and in the city, recognizing the biocultural diversity of the territories and following agroecological principles.

The earth’s fertility has been restored, water is (well) managed, and there exists a great diversity of seeds, which are accessible, local, and culturally appropriate. Food distribution takes place through sustainable food networks, which consider fair trade and trueque (traditional systems of barter and exchange), as a consequence of change in the capitalist system. We feed ourselves in an informed, conscious, reasoned, solidary way, seeking health and nutrition and care for the environment. We have time to produce, select, prepare and share our foods and knowledges. There is no longer food waste and residues are managed adequately.

Art representation of the vision

What happened in our Future Food Systems Summit

Day 2

Networking and guided visit to Tienda UNAM

Through the guided tour, we gained valuable insights into how Tienda UNAM supports small Mexican producers who implement sustainable practices in part of their ‘Orgullo México’ initiative. Participants also had the chance to connect with other initiatives, exchanging experiences about the challenges they face and discovering new inspirations within the food system.

Special thanks to those who made this workshop possible:

Facilitator:

Sergio Beltrán

Researchers:

Dr. Verena Seufert

Dr. Anne Elise Stratton

Marisol Galicia, M.Sc

Kelzy Jepsen, M.Sc

Dra. Ayari Pasquier Merino

Kaya Lange

Venue and Catering:

Institute of Geography (UNAM)

Dra. María José Ibarrola,

Colectivo Zacahuitzco

Juan de Dios Gonzalez

Networking:

Sofia Espinosa

Artitst:

Damián Alejandro

Segura Ramírez

Workshop Design:

Altekio (Conchi Pineiro

and Cintia Lara)

Check Out the Summit Summary

Click on the link to read the group vision summaries and common values.

The journey continues

Stay Connected with Bright Spots Project

As we move forward with the Bright Spots project, our next step is to identify indicators that will help us track our progress toward our shared vision for a better food system. By mapping these indicators, we aim to uncover “bright spots”—positive examples of sustainable agriculture and food systems in Mexico and India. These bright spots are not just solutions; they can be sources of inspiration and practical knowledge that can help us improve our food systems.

We invite you to stay connected with the Bright Spots project as we collectively seek solutions to food system sustainability challenges. By working together, we can gain a deeper understanding, learn from these positive examples, and work to share this valuable knowledge in ways that are meaningful to you.

Your ongoing engagement is vital as we build on the momentum generated during the Summits. Thank you for being an essential part of our journey toward a resilient and sustainable food future!

Stay tuned for future updates, and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

If you haven’t already, please fill out our survey

Our Mexico team

  • Prof. Dr. Verena Seufert

    Junior Professor

    • verena.seufert@uni-hohenheim.de
  • Dr. Anne Elise Stratton

    Postdoctoral Researcher

    • ae.stratton@uni-hohenheim.de
  • Marisol Galicia

    Research Coordinator Mexico

    • mexico@brightspotsproject.com
  • Kaya Lange

    M.Sc. Student

    • kaya.lange@uni-hohenheim.de
  • Kelzy Jepsen

    PhD Candidate

    • kelzy.jepsen@uni-hohenheim.de

Our Mexico collaborators

  • Dr. Ayari Pasquier

    Researcher & Collaborator - UNAM

    • ayaripasquier@gmail.com

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