Looping into tomorrow’s food systems

Looping into tomorrow’s food systems – Innovative circular bioeconomy as a path to building resilient food systems

This side event will explore how we can shift the challenges with organic waste and instead make it a usable source as fertilizers, feed, food and bioenergy. 

Abstract: While global food security is lagging behind, organic waste from households and food production cause major water and soil pollution and GHG emissions, not the least in urban and peri-urban areas. In parallel, the dependency of imported fossil fuel-based fertilisers, feed and food is growing, while international trade is volatile.

To link these systems, new behaviours need to be encouraged, and responsibilities reshaped. By separating organic waste and by-products already at the source, it is possible to develop decentralised solutions for waste streams, which are efficiently used as nutritious high-value resources for fertilisers, bioenergy, feed and food.

This event will show innovative ways to harness available resources into food value chains, contributing to nutritious and sustainable food systems, and increasing communities' resilience and independence. It will explore how disconnected systems can be linked into a circular bioeconomy for sustainable and resilient food security.

Organised by: Sweden, SLU, the Swedish FAO committee, together with Kenya, Axfoundation, WeEffect, SIANI. 

Register at the CFS website here. Scroll down to Side Event #10

Preliminary agenda

• Welcome, Sweden. Head of Delegation, Fredrik Alfer, Ministry of Rural Development and Infrastructure
• Introduction to theme Björn Vinnerås, SLU
• Statement, Kenya. Beatrice Tuei, PhD, Agriculture Attaché, Kenya Embassy, Rome
• FAO’s innovation support – fish waste to fashion. Barbara della Rovere, FAO OIN
• Panel conversation: 
  • Empowering women & youth: Turning waste into impact. Maria Taddesse, WeEffect
  • Circular innovation - Turning waste into feed without soy or fishmeal. Christian Sjöland, Axfoundation
  • Tools for practitioners to overcome challenges. Christian Zurbrugg, EAWAG
  • Joint panel conversation
• Open discussion 
• Closing words Sweden. Head of Delegation, Fredrik Alfer