Program

Opening speech by Flemish Minister for Economy, Innovation, Work, Social Economy and Agriculture, Jo Brouns

Keynote by Timothy Searchinger, Senior Research Scholar at Princeton's Center for Policy Research on Energy and the Environment and Senior Fellow and Technical Director of the Food Program at the World Resources Institute

Debate on sustainable food systems: transition and systemic approach

Stefanos Fotiou, Director in the Office of Sustainable Development Goals in FAO and Head of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub
Elisabeth Hidén, Vice president of European Council for Young Farmers (CEJA) and dairy farmer
Dirk Jacobs, Director General, FoodDrinkEurope
John Bell, European Commission – Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (RTD)

Moderated by Natasha Foote

Recent shocks such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine have foregrounded the need to strengthen the resilience of European agrifood supply chains and increase the continent’s protein sovereignty. Achieving this will require long-term strategies for how Europe is to rebalance and diversify its protein supply. It will also require putting in place forward-looking measures now to support protein diversification as one key element of the long-term shift to more sustainable and resilient food systems.

Plant-based, fermentation-made, and cultivated foods are increasingly being recognised as a key element in governmental strategies to boost protein production, increase food security, and build a more sustainable food system.
During this panel discussion with live audience surveys, participants will present and discuss best practices on how to create effective government action on protein innovation, bringing together experience from the regional, national, and EU levels.

Partner: Good Food Institute

Speakers

Evelien Decuypere, Policy advisor, Government of Flanders – Agency for Agriculture and Fisheries
Simone Eijsink, Government of the Netherlands – Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
Koen Dillen, Head of Unit E.4, European Commission – Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI)
Marja-Liisa Meurice, EIT Food Leader of the Protein Diversification Think Tank

Moderated by Alex Holst, Good Food Institute

The EU funded SchoolFood4Change project stands as a testament to the recognition of school meals as a potent force in combating child poverty.

In this session, the Belgian Child Rights Commissioner accentuates the pivotal role that school meals play as a catalyst in the ongoing battle against inequality. Further enriching the discourse, an expert from DG Employment will delve into the European Child Guarantee, elucidating its role as a strategic instrument. Moreover, a comprehensive exploration of the Whole School Food Approach framework will underscore the imperative to transcend the mere provision of nutritious school meals. This holistic approach emphasizes the significance of considering the entire school system, recognizing its potential to instigate enduring behavioural changes among students. Concluding remarks will touch upon policy recommendations for a greater collaboration across EU policies and initiatives on social justice and food inequality.

Partner: SchoolFood4Change

Speakers

Sarah Meys, Children's Rights Commission Belgium
Stefan Iszkowski - European Commission – DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Team Leader European Child Guarantee
Amalia Ochoa, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability
Eva Blaho, Truly Healthy School Program Slovakia
Alberta Congeduti, Ecosistemi foundation
Alisée Voisin - local manager Mermoz school area
Julia Haas – City of Vienna
Lore Sleeckx – student, Scholierenkoepel Belgium
Katharina Beelen, Rikolto

Moderated by Natasha Foote

Food environments shape the way we consume our food on a day-to-day basis. They play an important part in the transition towards a sustainable food system. But how exactly do food environments manifest themselves? What are food swamps, food deserts and food oasis? How can we map out different kind of food environments and what can we do to make them more sustainable and healthy? Why is it important to do so?

We try to find some answers on these questions by inviting inspiring experts who have done the work and looked for solutions. We draw on experiences and insights of these experts from all over Europe to learn how we can join forces to improve food environments.

Partners: Government of Flanders – Department of Environment & Spatial Development, Sciensano

Speakers

Jolien Plaete, Vlaams Instituut Gezond Leven vzw (Flanders Institute for Healthy Living)
Alba Gil, European Public Health Alliance (EPHA)
Stefanie Vandevijvere, Sciensano
Sacha Gell, MCI Internationale Hochschule GmbH, Center for Social & Health Innovation, Innsbruck
Peter Defranceschi, ICLEI
Anniek de Ruijter, Law Centre for Health and Life University of Amsterdam
Caroline Costongs, EuroHealthNet

Moderated by Kristof Rubens, Flemish Department of Environment & Spatial Development

This session will be about the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices, which was one of the first deliverables of the Farm to Fork Strategy of the European Commission. It will focus on the role of different stakeholders within the agri-food ecosystem to contribute to system change and transition. The speakers will discuss their commitments and interlinkages as well as the challenges they face and the changing context they are working in.

Partner: European Commission – Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW)

Speakers
Giacomo Mattinò – Head of Food, Retail and Health Unit, European Commission
Monica Garcia Fernandez – Deputy Director of Public Affairs, Vall Companys Group
Alexander Beck – Managing Board Member, Association of Organic Food Processors
Fabrizio Fabbri - Food & Sustainability Policy Manager at EuroCoop
Inge Arents – Managing Director, Flanders’ Food

Moderated by Marie-Elisabeth Rusling, EIT Food

TRANSfarm is the brand new pilot center for circular bio-economy at KU Leuven. It hosts upscale infrastructure to pilot lab scale research to a demonstration scale for researchers together with end-users. In the animal facilities the focus is on sustainable animal production with functional feed trials, novel management approaches and striving for zero emissions in aquaculture, swine and poultry production. The Veglay food lab hosts plant based, additive free and only mildly raffinated processes in a food grade production environment. In the pilot hall, upscale infrastructure for biomass conversion -Biocon- and stand-alone hydrogen production -Solhyd- are located. And on their experimental fields they focus on multiple land use, protein shift, water and drought and biodiversity.

This session will bring together key stakeholders from various sectors to explore, understand, and reconcile the often conflicting imaginaries surrounding agriculture, food systems and sustainability. Stakeholder groups envision the future of food systems differently: from agro-ecology enthusiasts to proponents of high-tech solutions.

This session aims to explore the critical role of policy makers in navigating these complex landscapes who need to align policy frameworks with these diverse socio-technical visions, recognizing the tensions arising from the competition for scarce resources among different socio-technical visions and paradigms and understanding the conflicts and identify potential avenues for collaboration and coexistence.

Partner: KU Leuven

Speakers

Derk Loorbach, DRIFT (research institute in the field of sustainability transitions)
Olivier Mora, INRAE (Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement)

Moderated by:
Erik Mathijs, KU Leuven
Ines Cottignie, KU Leuven
Hannelore De Schaepmeester, KU Leuven

Did you know that microbial protein is a highly promising alternative protein source that is rapidly gaining importance worldwide? The actual producers are bacteria, yeasts and fungi of which the whole biomass is used, or a purified protein is harvested. It is foreseen that microbial proteins will become a substantial part of our food and feed system in a circular bio-economy.

Today, a number of pioneer companies do already implement microbial fermentation for the production of proteins for food, feed and fine chemicals on a lab, demo or industrial scale. However, the widely extended and multifaceted potential of this technique encounters many regulatory and investment hurdles. Obstacles are faced when building value chains based on this technological innovation for microbial proteins, related to the use of sustainable bioresources, the necessary investments to build production facilities, and the regulatory hurdles to put products on the market.

Partner: The ProteInn Club, Flemish Network for alternative, fermentation-based proteins

Speakers

Muriel Dewilde, Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant
Geert Maesmans, Cargill
Eric De Coninck, Arcelor Mittal
Dirk Carrez, Biobased Industries Consortium
Anna Handschuh, Future Affairs
Hermes Sanctorum, Paleo
Will van den Tweel, Those Vegan Cowboys and Food Fermentation Europe
Nele Ameloot, The ProteInn Club

Moderated by Stef Denayer, Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant

The reduction of food losses is a priority for Flanders and Europe. This session will give insights in the Flemish action plan on circular food losses 2021-2025. Good practices will illustrate the steps forward and the challenges in reducing food losses in the residual waste from households.

How can you change the consumer behaviour, how can you mobilize the consumers to reduce food waste? How can you reduce the food losses in the residual waste? Different research projects and awareness campaigns are going on. This session will focus on the lessons learned and the big challenges on the field.

Partner: OVAM (Public Waste Agency of Flanders)

Speakers

Ann Braekevelt, OVAM (Public Waste Agency of Flanders)
Tim Smits, KU Leuven
Astrid Van Parys, Colruyt Group
Elfriede Anthonissen, Vlaco
Bartosz Zambrzycki, European Commission – Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE)
Bart Van Droogenbroeck, ILVO (Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food)

Moderated by Aminda Leigh

An important challenge linked to plant-based proteins for human consumption is the development of 'protein chains', from production to commercialisation. These supply chains exist in different sizes: short or (middle)long, but all have the same barriers to overcome such as creating sufficient volumes and added value. Which strategies can organisations apply according to the type of supply chain? Through testimonials of two different organisations with different types of supply chains, we will hear how they successfully work with (new) plant proteins, followed by an interactive brainstorm with the audience to find solutions for two important challenges: volume and value creation.

Partner: Government of Flanders – Agency for Agriculture and Fisheries

Speakers

Stefaan Deraeve, Executive chairman, La Vie Est Belle
Cecilia McAleavey, Director of Sustainable Eating and Public Affairs, Oatly

Moderated by Evelien Decuypere, Flemish Agency for Agriculture and Fisheries

What are the expectations for a European, national and regional food system strategy and how can they better work together?

These are two of the main questions this session will attempt to answer. We will dive into the main priorities a food system strategy should have based on the policy level, but also, and perhaps more importantly, how they can better collaborate and share best practices. These exchanges should be held beyond conferences such as these. This session hopes to give Flanders' Food Strategy a direction on how to embed itself within a European framework and to create linkages towards initiatives of other Member States and regions.

Partner: Government of Flanders – Agency for Agriculture and Fisheries

Speakers
Luisella Ciani, European Food Forum
Joke Schauvliege, Member of the European Committee of the Regions and Flemish Parliament
Coline Questiaux, Good Food Brussels
Kris Roels, Agentschap Landbouw en Zeevisserij
European Regions, Regions and Innovation Network (ERRIN)
Angèle Liaigre, Cities Northern Netherlands EU Office, European Regions, Research and Innovation Network (ERRIN),

Moderated by Natasha Foote

KRIKET

Every bite of KRIKET is tasty, full of energy and kind to our planet. Delicate, soft, and nutty, these nutritionally rich little buggers will make your taste buds jump any time of the day.

Robin Food

Robin Food saves food waste by turning it into delicious and healthy products, making nutritious food available to all.

Farmer Heirbaut with algae poducts

Micro-algae are tiny single-celled 'plants'. On Heirbaut’s farm, they grow the micro-algae chlorella. This is a green freshwater algae with a deep vegetable flavour somewhat reminiscent of watercress or spinach. Discover cheese, icecream and even chocolate with algae.

La Vie est Belle

Balanced, sustainable, local & reliable. Taste delicious, high-quality vegetarian products close to the source.

Kopje Zwam

Kopje Zwam stands for 100% circular. This urban agriculture project in Bruges grows oyster mushrooms on residual flows such as coffee grounds, and microgreens on compost. From oyster mushrooms they make plant-based food products, such as burgers, bitterballen and vegan minced meat, for the catering industry and consumers.

Opening speech by Flemish Minister for Welfare, Public Health and Family, Hilde Crevits
Key note by Raschad Al Khafaji, Director of FAO Liaison Office Brussels (FAOLOB)

Debate on healthy food within environmental limits

Fabrice DeClerck, Director of Science, EAT
Patrick ten Brink, Secretary General, European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
Claire Bury, Deputy Director-General, European Commission - Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE)
Tijs Boelens, farmer and member of Via Campesina

Moderated by Aminda Leigh

Food behaviour is a complex phenomenon motivated by many factors. Some people’s priorities are to purchase and consume foods that contribute to healthy diets, others care about foods that are sourced sustainability and many are motivated by other factors. However, actual food choices are not always in line with these motivations. The gap between intention and action is a reality that most people live with. Education, awareness, and economics are certainly among the factors that influence food choices, but not the only ones. In many cases, healthy and sustainable choices are just not the easiest ones to make.

The event will inspire participants to re-imagine food literacy: to include awareness of food environments and become literate not only in nutrition and sustainability concepts but also in learning to "read" the context and understand what influences food decisions. A panel will debate how choice architecture, as currently used in our food systems, often drives unhealthy food choices. The event will propose ways to equip consumers with a better understanding of the critical role of food environments, how to mitigate their negative effects and how to co-design new environments together with government, civil society and private sector. The event will also address the enabling food environment policies, actions and incentives required to make healthy foods from sustainable food systems the easy choice for consumers.

Partner: Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)

Speakers

Opening remarks: Raschad Al Khafaji, Director of FAO Liaison Office Brussels (FAOLOB)
Scene setting: Cortney Price, Lead for Behavioural Science, Office of Innovation, FAO

Panel discussion:
Loes Neven, Innovation manager – senior expert nutrition, Flanders Institute for Healthy Living
Hannah Nohlen, Behavioural Scientist, EU Policy Lab: Foresight, Design and Behavioural Insights, Joint Research Center, European Commission
Emma Calvert, Senior Food Policy Officer, BEUC, the European Consumer’s Organisation
Andreas Thurner, member of the European and Social Committee (EESC)
Vincent Thoen, Public Affairs manager, Delhaize

Closing remarks: Ana Islas Ramos, FAO Nutrition Officer

Moderator: Cortney Price, Lead for Behavioural Science, Office of Innovation, FAO

Why should food companies and food system thinkers worry about agricultural soils? Is it not a matter for farmers?

Healthy soils are an integral part of sustainable food systems. Many agricultural soils in Europe are in an unhealthy state and subject to land degradation processes such as carbon and biodiversity loss, erosion and compaction. Several factors contribute to this, but some market demands, specifications of the agrifood industry, or even consumer preferences are pushing farmers toward unsustainable soil management practices. The central question is: how could alternative food chain approaches or regulatory systems (e.g. Corporate Sustainability Reporting) contribute to enhancing soil quality and promoting climate-resilient soils? This session, organized by the Flanders scientists involved in EJP SOIL*, explores ways to engage the entire agrifood chain in maintaining and improving soil health.

*EJP soil is a science to policy European Joint Program, working towards climate-smart sustainable management of agricultural soils, as a key societal challenge for supply security and climate resilience

Partner: ILVO (Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food), EJP Soil (European Joint Programme)

Speakers

Greet Ruysschaert, Senior Researcher soil management, ILVO
Giulia Meloni, European Commission – Directorate-General for Research & Innovation (RDI)
Maira Dzelzkaleja Burmistre, Deputy Board Chairman, Latvian Farmers Parliament (Copa-Cogeca)
Noémi Van Bogaert, Scientific advisor fvp house - the umbrella organisation of the Belgian potato, fruit and vegetable wholesale trade and processing industry

Moderated by Greet Riebbels - ILVO

Food systems transformation is a costly affair. How do we address the gap, which is estimated between 38 and 50 billion euros per year? As we all know, it takes more than what existing instruments can deliver to deliver on the badly needed, accelerated transformation of our food systems. How do we as Europeans plan to accelerate and create the space for more funding?

This session will discuss existing financial instruments, their limits and new models, ventures, opportunities to fund the transformation of food systems.

Speakers

Michiel de Ruiter, Chairman Supervisory Board, EIT Food
Adelaide Cracco, Head of Greentech Investments, European Investment Fund (EIF)
Pawel Kazmarek, Board member and farmer, Foundation Terra Nostra
Wielkopolska and Jagrol Ltd.
Lieven Van Waes, Belgian Presidency representative

Moderated by Natasha Foote

Public food procurement is a great yet often overlooked underestimated mechanism for steering the transition towards healthy, inclusive, and sustainable food systems. By implementing small changes in the sourcing, preparation, and presentation of food in public canteens, local authorities can unleash substantial health, environmental, and social impacts. The session places a specific focus on the potential of establishing minimum mandatory standards for sustainable public food procurement, offering a comprehensive showcase of successful practices from various cities and regions across Europe. These examples vividly illustrate that sustainable public food procurement is not merely a conceptual aspiration but an attainable and impactful reality.

The focus of the session will be the potential of minimum sustainability standards to transition towards more inclusive, healthy, and sustainable food systems. More specifically, the session will delve into the minimum standards for public food procurement (PFP) proposed by the Food Policy Coalition and progressively developed by the European Commission (DG Sante) to ensure higher standards for healthy and sustainable food and support small-scale farmers all the while contributing significantly to climate change mitigation. Therefore, the session will provide the public with an overview of the minimum sustainability standards for PFP as well as practical examples from around Europe showcasing the multiple benefits local governments can reap through their implementation.

Partner: ICLEI European Secretariat

Speakers

Vincent Demaison, Dordogne (France)
Claudia Paltrinieri, Food Insider (Italy)
Tamara Bruning and Daisy Schellinck, City of Ghent (Belgium)
Orsolya Diófási-Kovács, Corvinus University of Budapest (Hungary)

Moderated by Peter Defranceschi, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability

Join us for an insightful session on agroecology that delves into the heart of sustainable farming practices, connecting the dots between on-ground experiences, scientific insights, and crucial policy considerations, particularly within the framework of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Starting from the Ground Up: Explore the foundations of agroecology through practical applications, illustrating its direct link to science and its vital role in shaping policies such as the CAP. This bottom-up approach emphasizes the importance of grassroots initiatives in driving the agroecological movement.

Understanding the Stakes: Gain a comprehensive understanding of what is at stake for the development of agroecology in both Belgium and Europe. Explore the challenges, opportunities, and the transformative potential that agroecology holds for the agricultural landscape.

Following the Money Trail: Uncover the financial landscape of agroecology with a concrete study focused on the Walloon region. Learn where the funding flows and, equally important, where it may be lacking. This fact-based analysis provides valuable insights into the financial support required for agroecological practices.

Political Support Matters: Recognize the critical need for political backing in advancing agroecology and identify promising policies put in place in Belgium promoting sustainable and fair farming and food systems.

Participative and Inclusive: Engage in a participative session that encourages dialogue, sharing of experiences, and the exchange of ideas. Connect with experts, farmers, and movements to learn more about the potentials and limitations of agroecology.

Don't miss this opportunity to be part of a dynamic session that bridges the gap between theory and practice, fostering a deeper understanding of agroecology and its role in shaping the future of sustainable food systems.

Partners: Voedsel Anders, Agroecology Europe

Speakers

Ingrid Pauwels, Voedsel Anders (Flemish network for agroecology)
Jennifer Nold, De Witte Beek (organic farmer in Flanders)
Caroline Amrom, Sytra – Transformation of Food Systems
Ruben Savels, University of Ghent

Moderated by Elena Ambühl, Agroecology Europe

Recent events have led to food security remaining high on the agenda of policy makers, with many discussions emphasizing on the link with biodiversity and how it is used to the detriment of the transition and vice versa.

This session will talk about the trade-offs between food security and biodiversity, but more importantly, how they can actually be linked in a way that benefits social, ecological and economic development. Natasha Foote from Euractiv will moderate the session and use her extensive experience on reporting in the agrifood community to shed light on this pressing subject. We will discuss the development of this food security narrative and talk about mitigation and adaption, trade versus environmental measures, as well as the geopolitical implications.

Additionally, we will give start-ups a stage to present their innovation that might change habits and processes the way they are now. Together with the audience, we will try to reconciliate these different views and decide what innovation might be a game changer to secure food security and biodiversity.

Partner: Government of Flanders – Agency for Agriculture and Fisheries

Speakers

Emilie Haspeslagh, Director sustainability at Ardo
Tomaso Ferrando, Professor at University of Antwerp
Federico Sgarbi, Senior policy advisor at IEEP (Institute for European Environmental Policy)
Simon Kraemer, farmer and representative at European Alliance of Regenerative Agriculture
Johannette Klapwijk, Former council member at IBMA (International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association) and General manager at Koppert Foundation

Moderated by Natasha Foote

Meeting time transport: 13:45 in front of Provinciehuis

Bio-incubator Leuven is fully dedicated to biomedical life sciences and offers opportunities for both start-ups and established companies. Bio-incubator provides multifunctional ventilated office and lab space, as well as general and technical, logistical and environment-technical support, to R&D intensive life sciences companies with high growth potentials.

Equitable pricing for agricultural products and services is imperative to furthering the sustainability of food production and achieving sustainable food systems. This session will contemplate suitable policy instruments for fair prices in agriculture as 'takeaway messages' for policymakers at both the EU and member states' levels. The recommendations of the Strategic Advisory Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (SALV) for a more active and broader socio-economic policy for agriculture serve as a starting point for reflection and the exchange of ideas on the topic of true policies for fair prices.

Questions addressed in this session include: how can the EU further strengthen and develop policy initiatives to improve the position of farmers in the food chain? How can trade and competition policy contribute to this goal? Can Flanders' Food Strategy offer inspiration for other Member States and for the European policy level, and what lessons can Flanders and Belgium learn from other Member States?

Partner: SALV (Flemish Strategic Advisory Council of Agriculture and Fisheries)

Speakers

Opening remarks: Koen Carels, Secretary, Strategic Advisory Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (SALV)

Scene setting:
Pieter De Graef, Strategic Advisory Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (SALV), presentation of SALV policy recommendations for a more active and broader socio-economic policy for agriculture
Reflection on these recommendations by Fabien Santini, Acting Head of Unit at the Unit E1 “Governance of the agri-food markets”, European Commission, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI)

Panel discussion:
Fabien Santini, Acting Head of Unit at the Unit E1 “Governance of the agri-food markets”, European Commission, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI)
Pieter Verhelst, Boerenbond (Belgian Farmers’ Union)
Léna Girard, Manager Agriculture & Economic Affairs, FoodDrinkEurope
Camille Perrin, Senior Food Policy Officer & Team Leader, BEUC (European Consumer’s Organisation)
Anton Delbarre, Chief Economist, EuroCommerce

Concluding remarks: Hendrik Vandamme, Chairman SALV

Moderated by Natasha Foote

There are multiple, mutual expectations between scientists and policymakers, to proactively address food safety, quality and security and to gain and apply knowledge in a well-organized future-fit agri-food system. It’s complex and vitally important. A myriad of actors and factors dynamically interplay aiming to provide good food for the world’s growing population. What are the blind spots, processes or approaches to be further optimized in the interface of research and policy? This session presents cases, theories, experiences, good practices, and finally identifies issues qualified as deserving further attention.

Partner: ILVO (Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food)

Speakers

Introduction: Anna Verhoeve, researcher at ILVO

Discussion:

Klaus Berend, Director for Food Safety, Sustainability and Innovation, European Commission - Directorate-General for Health and Food (DG SANTE)
Edith Feskens, Wageningen University & Research (WUR)

Els Van Pamel, researcher, ILVO
Daniela Lüth, Policy Officer, European Commission - DG Research & Innovation (RTD)

Moderated by Greet Riebbels (ILVO)

This session focuses on the societal need to promote better health through a more balanced diet. The objective is to preventively address food-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes type II, and malnutrition. The focus is both general (general public) as well as specific (various age groups, athletes, residents of care facilities, etc.).

The NuHCaS partnership ((Nutrition Health Care System) brings stakeholders together and strengthens collaboration between the health sector, food sector, policy and research. The emphasis is on integrated care, practical connections between care providers and meal providers, and sharing of science-based knowledge. This integrated approach can effectively address individual dietary needs, e.g. nutrient-rich foods, customized smooth foods, improved intake of fruits and vegetables, and support for making healthier dietary choices. This approach requires a multi-sectoral collaboration from agri-food, health care, logistics, technology and others. NuHCaS comprises 5 Flemish knowledge institutes and is expanding its knowledge network through the establishment of structural collaboration clusters in Wallonia (Belgium), the Netherlands, Spain, and France. The session will present the future perspectives of this network and learn from case studies abroad, e.g. in African countries.

Partner: NUHCAS (Nutrition Health Care System)

Speakers

Marijke Van Moorhem, Jo Mons & Kim Doan Ngoc, Odisee, University of Applied Sciences
Ellen Fierens, Flanders’ Food (spearhead cluster and innovation platform for the Flemish agri-food industry)
Catherine Malingreau, Wagralim (Walloon agri-food cluster)
Carl Lachat, University of Ghent

Moderated by Aminda Leigh

Meeting time transport: 17:15 in front of Provinciehuis

Park Abbey is a unique and special heritage site in Leuven, where historical heritage and vibrant activity meet flawlessly. Craft and agriculture were given a contemporary future here. In Park Abbey, after all these centuries, people are still working, living, thinking and praying, but in the manner of today, in line with the motto 'tradition in renewal and renewal in tradition'.

You can expect a tantalising tour that takes you past four key crafts:

1. Brewing past and present - Brewery Braxatorium Parcencis
2. Symbols on your plate - Historical refectory in the Claustrum
3. From cow to cheese - Cheese-making in the Abbey Farm
4. From flower to honey - Beekeeping in the Tienden Barn

During each stop, our guide treats you to a delicious snack prepared with local, sustainable (abbey) products, as well as a refreshing drink, a taster of abbey beer and an apple juice made from apples from the abbey's orchard.

Opening speech by Kris en Ginny Heirbaut, circular farm Heirbaut

Keynote by Alan Matthews, Professor Emeritus of European Agricultural Policy in the Department of Economics, Trinity College Dublin

Debate on resilient food economies while connecting farmers and consumers

Peter Schmidt, President of the NAT section, Section for agriculture, rural development and the environment European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle, Director, European Commission – Directorate-generale for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI)
Lode Ceyssens, President Boerenbond (Belgian Farmers Union), member of Copa-Cogeca
Els Bedert, Director product-policy and sustainability, Eurocommerce

Moderated by Aminda Leigh

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a stark reminder of the fact that our health is closely intertwined with the health of animals and the shared environment in which we live. The silent pandemic of untreatable infections caused by antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is another example of how animal health and the environment through direct contact between animals and humans and the food chain can threaten human health.

This session will focus on how a One Health approach is needed to sustainably balance and optimize the health of humans, animals and the environment. Through this One Health approach multiple sectors, disciplines and communities are mobilized at varying levels of society to jointly tackle threats to health and ecosystems.

At the level of the UN, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) created a mechanism to strengthen multisectoral coordination. This Quadripartite adopted the One Health Joint Plan of Action 2022-2026 (OH JPA), which offers a set of tools, guidance and support mechanisms for countries, international partners and non-state actors to draw up their own One Health implementation plans.

In this session participants will discuss the challenges, enabling factors and benefits of operationalizing the One Health approach at national and local level, with a specific focus on sustainable food production and consumption and management of zoonotic diseases. This will be illustrated with real-world examples.

Partners: WHO (World Health Organization) Regional Office for Europe; Leuven One Health (KU Leuven)

Speakers

• Inspirational video by the Regional Directors for Europe of the Quadripartite
• Welcome by the co-facilitators - Robbert Boudewijns, Research Manager, Leuven One Health – the KU Leuven One Health institute and Kira Fortune, Regional Advisor, Division of Communicable Diseases and Environmental Health, WHO Regional Office for Europe
• Setting the scene. What do we mean by a One Health approach? What benefits does it bring? How does the Quadripartite work and engage with partners to operationalize the One Health approach? - Peter Sousa Hoejskov, Technical Officer - Food Safety & Zoonotic Diseases, WHO Regional Office for Europe
• Implementing the One Health approach in Irish farming - Caroline Garvan, Senior Superintending Veterinary Inspector, Ireland
• What is the EU Interagency task force on One Health and the activities set by the ENVI agencies - Carlos Gonçalo das Neves, Chief Scientist, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
• Best buys in putting One Health into practice: findings from the One Health European Joint Programme (OHEJP) - Hein Imberechts, Scientific Support Advisor & Biosafety Officer, Sciensano
• Implementing the One Health approach: the farmer’s perspective Els Goossens (Boerenbond - Belgian Farmers Union)
• Q&A and discussion - Facilitated by Robbert Boudewijns, Research Manager, Leuven One Health – the KU Leuven One Health institute and Kira Fortune, Regional Advisor, Division of Communicable Diseases and Environmental Health, WHO Regional Office for Europe
  

Local food strategies are crucial for sustainable food systems, and they rely on a coordinated approach across different levels of government. During this session, we will see how these strategies work in action in Flemish cities like Ghent and Leuven. By understanding their experiences, we can learn about both the successes and challenges of local food initiatives. This helps us see the important role that higher levels of government play in supporting these endeavors.

Then, the City of Milan will share a document called the 'Comparative Analysis of Existing Urban Food Policies,' which is part of the Cleverfood project. This document gives us a detailed look at how different levels of government influence urban food policies. By examining this information, we can have a better understanding of the landscape and have a more meaningful discussion about implementing food policies in cities.

Together, these discussions will help us understand why Flanders is seen as a model for integrated food policies. We'll also explore how European Union policies can better support these initiatives.

Partners: Eurocities, City of Leuven, City of Ghent

Speakers
David Dessers, Deputy Mayor of Agriculture & Consumption, Climate & Sustainability and Mobility, City of Leuven
Tine Heyse, Deputy Mayor for Climate, Environment and Housing, City of Ghent
Dirk Van Gijseghem, Head of Division of Rural Development, Flemish Land Agency (VLM)
Elisa Porreca, Food Policy Officer, City of Milan
Pasquale DI RUBBO, Team Leader - DG Agriculture and Rural Development - Unit on Policy Perspectives - European Commission

Moderated by Madeleine Coste, Head of Food, Eurocities

Leaders everywhere are developing and implementing policies for their food systems as they seek to (re)balance and improve food security, climate adaptation and resilience, equity and rural development. So do many African governments and the EU. These policies mainly target their domestic food systems; however, domestic food systems are like a pasta bowl: they are closely connected with food systems abroad, often dependent on critical imports or export chains. Policies can then, unintended or not, impact food systems abroad. For example, African and European food systems are closely intertwined, linked directly and indirectly through trade, investments, development support, cross-border pollution, policy spillovers and others. In this policy mix, opportunities for Africa-Europe cooperation on food systems are plenty, as evident in the thriving food trade between Africa and Europe. But when one’s policy does not align with what a partner envisions or carries costs, tensions can arise as well.

This dialogue seeks to make these opportunities and tensions more explicit and ask: Where are the options for cooperation and the areas of tension between the two continents regarding food systems? What are the governance and policy changes needed to align stronger and lower unintended consequences? What are the roles of support agencies, like FAO, in assisting such transformation? Are Africa and Europe drifting apart or sailing together more?

Partner: ECDPM (European Centre for Development Policy Management)

Speakers

Bitange Ndemo, Kenya's Ambassador to Belgium & EU and Professor of Entrepreneurship
Andrea Alfieri, European Commission – Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA)
Adriana Opromolla, Advocacy lead at Alliance2015 Hub
Bibi Giyose, Head of nutrition at AUDA-NEPAD (African Union Development Agency)
Daniel Adeniyi (ECDPM)

Moderated by Koen Dekeyser, European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM)

The future role of animals in our food system is the subject of much debate these days. A central question is what function animal husbandry has in a future food system where healthy food is available to all, but where the impact on the environment is minimal.
Then, depending on the function, what would be the ideal shape and scale of animal production systems in the near future. These questions are complex and there is no unique, simple solution. But by unravelling the complexity of sustainability issues in livestock production systems and exploring options to produce with respect for the planet, the animal and society, we can contribute to a sustainable food system in the future.

Partner: Government of Flanders – Agency for Agriculture and Fisheries

Speakers
Ana Granados Chapatte, vice-president Animal Task Force, EFFAB Director – Secretary General FABRE TP
Stuart Reigeluth, Revolve Media-Pathways project
Emma Finnamore, Revolve Media-Pathways project
Nele Lauwers, Boerenbond (Belgian Farmers’ Union)
Geoff Perrott, Arla Foods
Luis Vivas-Alegre (European Commission – Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development)
Brigitte Misonne (European Commission – Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development)

Moderated by Aminda Leigh

This session aims to discuss the importance of food democracy and of a comprehensive approach in achieving sustainable food systems, as well as ways to further strengthen the governance of the food policy process. A panel of experts and civil society actors will be invited to address the following points:

• How to implement food democracy in the EU? What are the necessary steps?
• What is the role of Food Policy Councils to effectively achieve a sustainable food systems and resilience preparedness at EU level?
• What could be the role of a European Food Policy Council consisting of a common platform at EU level that brings together stakeholders with policy makers to support food democracy and governance as part of the EU framework for sustainable food systems?
• What are the systemic changes that need to be made by all food supply chain actors in order to improve food democracy in the EU?

Partner: EESC (European Economic and Social Committee)

Speakers

Keynote: Tim Lang, City University London's Centre for Food Policy

Views from civil society actors:
Almudena Garcia Sastre, FIAN EU and member of the EU Food Policy Coalition
Harry Dalton, Generation Climate Europe

Concrete examples of food policy councils:
Christian Jonet, Liège Food Belt
Zoe Heuschkel, Representative of the national Network of German Food Policy Councils

Keynote reaction: Alexandra Nikolakopoulou, European Commission – Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) – Farm to Fork Strategy unit

Moderated by Piroska Kallay, European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)

As we navigate the challenges of our food system, it’s crucial to focus not only on the agribusiness and consumer research ends of the food chain but also on food processing.

Innovation in food processing plays a pivotal role in achieving sustainable, safe, healthy, and affordable foods at the scale needed to feed our growing population. Food products must however not only meet sustainability goals. It is essential that they are organoleptically attractive as consumers’ sensory experiences drive purchasing decisions, making taste, texture, and visual appeal critical factors. Combining all these quality attributes in a more sustainable process is a real challenge for which innovative research is essential.

Our seminar will explore diverse approaches of different EU research projects to processing-level innovation via lectures followed by a panel discussion involving food researchers, the Belgian and EU food industry federations and Flanders’ Food. Join us as we discuss how these strategies contribute to the production of more sustainable food products.

Partner: Government of Flanders – Department of Economy, Science and Innovation

Speakers
Imca Sampers, University of Ghent
Tara Grauwet, KU Leuven
Inge Arents, Flanders’ Food
Luc De Vuyst, VUB
Rebeca Fernández, FoodDrinkEurope

Moderated by Natasha Foote

Europe supplies with its own fishery production one third (5 million tonnes live weight) of seafood products to the EU consumer food market. A no-brainer is that the EU needs to aim for more protein resources from the seas along with responsible and sustainable fishing. But… how to realize? Are there multiple roads to Rome?

This session focusses on pro’s and cons of the way we (try to) reach the goals of the EU. Enforcing regulations, systems approaches, stakeholder involvement, smart automation digitization, data sharing & AI, nudging, big brother watching… This session presents relevant scientific developments from the EU and Flanders. Honest evaluations of feasibilities, transition opportunities, and cost benefits are expected from the closing panel discussion.

Partner: ILVO (Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food)

Speakers
Hans Polet, ILVO - A concept for an alternative fisheries management system in the EU explained by the Belgian fisheries case
Thord Monsen - Norwegian Fisheries Management
Esben Sverdurp Jensen, European Association of Fish Producers Organisations (EAPO) – EU Common Fisheries Policy - a fisher’s perspective)
Marloes Kraan, Wageningen University & Research - A better understanding of fisher behaviour is crucial

Moderated by Greet Riebbels (ILVO)
Debate & questions from the audience
Closing remarks by the speakers

Despite several industry’s voluntary commitments to sustainability, the path to sustainable food systems is a journey of ups and downs, riddled with questions. How can companies, civil society, government actors and knowledge institutions collaborate to enhance sustainability in international chains and address the multiple challenges in a holistic way? How can stakeholders use and implement the different tools and strategies available, from value chain experiments, over non-binding sectoral agreements to upcoming mandatory due diligence legislation at EU level?

The NGO Rikolto hosts the dialogue amongst these stakeholders in order to identify pathways forward.

Partner: Rikolto

Speakers

Antonie Fountain, coordinator The Voice
Charles Snoeck, coordinator Beyond Chocolate, IDH
Karen Janssens, sustainability manager, Colruyt Group
Liesbeth Van Meulder, inclusive business officer cocoa and coffee, Rikolto
Barbara Creemers, federaal parlementslid, Groen
Mr. Abou Dosso, Ambassadeur de la Côte d’Ivoire près le Royaume de Belgique, le Grand-Duché de Luxembourg et l’Union Européenne

Moderated by Jelle Goossens (communication officer, Rikolto)

In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and extreme weather events caused or exacerbated by climate change have prompted the EU to take steps towards strengthening its resilience in the agri-food sector. From analysing supply chain vulnerabilities to developing capabilities to act more autonomously, the EU has actively revived the discussion on the concept of Open Strategic Autonomy.

This workshop will focus on open strategic autonomy and sustainability of the European food system. It serves as an opportunity to reflect and discuss the internal and external dimensions of both concepts and how they interlink. We will also look ahead and explore options for the next EU policy cycle on how to move towards a more sustainable and resilient food system.

Following introductory remarks and input from the speakers, the audience will engage in in-depth discussions in three break-out groups. Speakers and the audience will explore key questions such as the socio-economic impacts of open strategic autonomy inside and outside the EU, the balance between shaping global economic governance and reducing dependencies of the EU’s agri-food system, and the ways to green food production.

Partner: Europe Jacques Delors

Speakers

Alan Matthews, Trinity College Dublin
Geneviève Pons, Director General of Europe Jacques Delors
Sergi Corbalan, Advisor on International trade for the Greens/ European Free Alliance (EFA)

Moderated by Claudia Azevedo (Europe Jacques Delors)

Speakers

Patricia De Clercq, Administrator-General of the Agency of Agriculture and Fisheries, Government of Flanders
Wouter Nachtergaele, Head of Division of Flanders Chancellery and Foreign Office, Government of Flanders
Johan Hanssens, Secretary-General of Department of Economy, Science and Innovation, Government of Flanders

Moderated by Aminda Leigh