Ad Hoc Working Group on The World at 7 Billion and Beyond: Promoting a Forward-Looking Vision of People-Centred Development POSSIBLE ROLE FOR FAO relating to: A: Urbanization as a problem and an opportunity in a world of seven billion B: Youth as a priority group to guarantee the demographic dividend C: Sustainable technologies, as well as patterns of consumption and lifestyles for a world of seven billion

A1 – Key issues How to feed growing numbers of low-income urban populations with safe, good quality and accessible food products (fresh and processed); understand the impact of urbanization on the organization and logistics of local food systems and value chains; strengthen efficiency and dynamism of food supply and distribution systems and value chains; and Support – rather than fight – informal food sector activities; promote youth’s (micro/small) entrepreneurial opportunities along agricultural value chains (see B); reduce food losses and waste (see C).

A2 - Overall objective of FAO’s contribution “Efficient, sustainable and resilient local food systems and related value chains to adequately feed low-income rural and urban consumers and integrating small farmers/operators”, through: improving the governance of local food systems involving national, regional and municipal authorities to meet expanding food demand with diversified, safe and good quality food supplies; strengthening integration between production-processing-distribution activities in different geographical (rural, peri-urban and urban) spaces and along agricultural value chains; greater participation of low-income farmers and small agro entrepreneurs in new agricultural markets and in dynamic value chains; higher market competitiveness of low-income agricultural households; City-City cooperation (S-S, N-S and decentralized cooperation programmes); …

A3 – Key issues 1.Efficiency and dynamism of food systems and value chains; 2.governance of rural-urban food systems development; 3.food marketing and small farmers/linkages to markets strategies; 4.role of wholesale markets in promoting small farmers groups’ integration into national and international markets; 5.large surfaces and small producers: challenges and opportunities; 6.agribusiness development; 7.finance and investment mechanisms for enhanced productivity and risk management; 8.….

A4 - Food supply issues (from rural, peri-urban and urban to consumer areas) 1.Product assembly and handling rural centres; 2.food packaging and transport to markets; 3.food quality and safety issues along value chains; 4.storage technology and management; 5.food processing technology; 6.cold-chains technology and facilities: planning, management and development; 7.communication technology for modernizing value chains; 8.contract farming for supplying large surface outlets; 9.insurance and other financial products to cope with weather risks.

A5 – Food distribution within urban areas issues 1.Large surface and supermarkets v. traditional outlets consumers’ v. farmers’ perspective; contractual opportunities; urban planning issues. 2.Wholesale markets infrastructure planning and design issues; technological/logistic aspects and development; ownership, development and management aspects; urban planning issues. 3.Retailing communal/municipal markets planning and management; food shops and small self services serving low-income consumers; informal fresh food products distribution (ref. Arab Spring); urban planning issues.

B1 - Youth as a priority group to guarantee the demographic dividend Overall objective of FAO’s contribution Opportunities available to young entrepreneurs to secure incomes through stable employment in the agricultural sector and through micro and small agro-businesses along value chains. Issues for AGS National/local policies and strategies guidelines to promote youth’s entrepreneurship as well as micro and small agro-businesses along value chains; identification of business models and opportunities; legislative, regulatory and operational aspects to support youth’s entrepreneurial development as well as micro and small agro-businesses along value chains; access to credit/savings products; business-management and technological training needs.

SUPPORT TO DECISION MAKERS for A) and B) 1)Analysis of challenges and opportunities for the development of local food systems and value chains supplying urban areas. 2) Formulation of policies, strategies and local plans linking production to consumption areas in the context of expanding urban areas and food demand (regional/metropolitan/municipal level complementing national food security plans). 3) Formulation of investment plans (infrastructure): public investments; public & private investment partnerships; 4) Action plans (legislation and regulations revision, promotion of private investments, training, advice, inspections, …) for business and capacity development at macro and meso levels.

C1: Consequences of food losses and waste (1.3 bn tonnes/year) Repercussions on hunger and poverty alleviation, nutrition, income generation and economic growth; negative environmental impacts because of the energy, biodiversity, greenhouse gases, water, soil and other resources embedded in food that no one consumes.

C2: Causes of food losses and waste Production and processing choices, patterns and technologies, internal infrastructure and capacity, marketing chains and channels for distribution, consumer purchasing and food use practices; in low-income countries, they result from wide-ranging managerial and technical limitations in harvesting techniques, storage, transportation, processing, packaging and marketing systems; In high-income countries, they relate to consumer behaviour as well as to policies and regulations put in place to address other sectoral priorities; food regulations removes food that is still safe for human consumption; consumers’ inadequate purchase planning and failure to use food before expiry dates.

C3: Components of FAO’s “Save Food” Global Initiative on Food Loss and Waste Reduction 1.Awareness-raising on the impact of, and solutions for food loss and waste (global communication and media campaign, dissemination findings and results, organization of regional congresses). 2.Collaboration and coordination of world-wide initiatives on food loss and waste reduction (public/private partnerships among organizations and companies). 3.Evidence-based policy, strategy and programme development for food loss and waste reduction (field studies on food loss reduction interventions, on their socio-economic impacts and the political and regulatory framework affecting food loss and waste. 4.Support to investment programmes and projects, implemented by private and public sectors.