Food Systems Game Changers Lab Asks Novel Ideas At UN Food Systems Summit

Food Systems Game Changers Lab has introduced The Global Open Call. This is an open invitation to individuals, teams, institutions, companies and cooperatives to come up with their ideas, initiatives or innovations for food systems change forward in collaboration with others.

The organizers made it clear that some selected ideas will be featured in a flagship publication, and will be matched with potential implementation partners or investors at the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS).

Sara Farley, managing director, The Rockefeller Foundation’s Food Initiative mentioned- “Today’s food system doesn’t satiate the needs of people or our planet. We seriously require an inclusive approach that transforms the global food system to be nourishing and regenerative while advancing human dignity and supporting cultures to thrive.”

The United Nations Secretary-General is going to host the 2021 Food Systems Summit to spearhead transformation of the global food systems to work for people, planet, and prosperity by 2030.

For several months in the past, hundreds of groups have extended support to the UN Food Systems Summit process by developing calls for solutions regarding 5 key themes or Action Tracks. As the Summit is nearing, these topics are being prioritized under ‘Areas for Collective Action’ for which creativity, initiative, collaboration, and commitments are required. Through the Food Systems Game Changers Lab, people throughout the world are invited to join in this endeavour, to make their voices heard and ideas visible.

It is a multi-phase programme conceptualized by EAT, IDEO, Thought for Food, The Rockefeller Foundation, and other partners, that targets to include anyone, anywhere in formulating solutions to the calls for action that assists the UNFSS organizers.

Phase 1, The Global Open Call, is hosted by IDEO, and wants game changers who have the passion, and collaborative-spirit, to take forward their ideas and initiatives in association with others and share them publicly at the 2021 UN Food System Summit.

Rebecca Chesney, director of IDEO stated- “Transforming the food system cannot be made possible by organizations and individuals working in silos. This call looks forward for the global community to share all kinds of ideas and initiatives.”

Those competing to become Game Changers will be called to continue to the 2nd phase of the Food Systems Game Changers Lab, where they will further elaborate their solutions ahead of the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit.

It brings people into an experiential programme, organized by Thought For Food, that amalgamates tailored mentorship, facilitation, expert masterclasses, and partnership formation.

In the 3rd Phase, the ideas will be featured in a flagship publication issued at the time of the Summit and they will be matched with capable implementation partners or investors. Then these new partnerships will start the task of converting ideas into reality in 4th Phase 4 i.e. after the Summit. Throughout the Food Systems Game Changers Lab, participants will work with various teams to create and launch bold and fruitful solutions to transform the manner in which the world produces, processes, distributes, and consumes the food.

“Systems change calls for a new approach: new minds working in teams in courageous ways to construct the flexible and inclusive world that we need,” declraed Christine Gould, Founder of the Millennial and Gen Z-focused agri-food innovation network Thought For Food and a member of the UN Food Systems Summit Advisory Committee.