Director, ACES Office of International Programs Food Systems for Food Security Symposium of International Food Security at Illinois (IFSI) February 10, 2015 Alex Winter-Nelson Director, ACES Office of International Programs

Food Security

Grand Challenge of Access to Sufficient, Safe, Nutritious food for all Food Security 800 million to 1 billion people globally lack access to sufficient food (FAO) 2 billion people suffer micronutrient malnutrition from inadequately nutritious food (HarvestPlus) Unknown numbers globally suffer health effects from unsafe food (CDC FoodNet for USA) Grand Challenge of Access to Sufficient, Safe, Nutritious food for all

Food Systems Input supply Production Processing Distribution A food system includes all processes and infrastructure involved in growing, harvesting, processing, packaging, transporting, marketing, consuming, and disposing of food and food-related items. Input supply Production Processing Distribution Consumption Waste Waste Waste Waste

Food Systems Complicated by: Environmental Technological Economic Political Social Legal And Other Factors and Feedbacks. Do not present nice closed loops at local or national scale. Processing Distribution

Food Systems University of Illinois Capacity in Food Systems Working on them since 1867

Food Systems University of Illinois Capacity in Food Systems Working on them since 1867 Research, teaching and outreach address all stages of food system and engage multiple factors and feedbacks What does focusing capacity on Food Security mean?

Food Systems for Food Security Start with vulnerability to food insecurity work is rooted in problems of consumers’ access to food Identify intervention in food system to address it work is grounded in understanding of full food system Apply research to enhance food system’s capacity to provide access to Sufficient, Safe, Nutritious food work is likely multidisciplinary Work with partners to implement change

Food Systems for Food Security Today Demonstrate breadth of capacity Explore limits & potential of food systems approach Identify linkages and potential linkages across and beyond campus Welcome and thanks for being here