This conference comes at a very critical time. The Global Nutrition Report 2022, while discussing Food Systems and Nutrition Equity, highlights that;
“Imbalances in food systems are major drivers of dietary and Nutrition inequities, and they can restrict access to healthy diets or promote low-quality diets. Therefore, there is a need for food systems to: go beyond a narrow focus on energy intake; reduce the dominance of cereal production (maize, rice and wheat); and increase the availability of healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, nuts and whole grains. The food environment, where consumers make decisions about what to eat, is inequitable for many in terms of physical access, affordability, targeting of advertising and marketing and quality of foods. Thus, the interconnected causes of inequities in food systems require an integrated response at global, national and local levels, bringing together the capacity of multiple sectors. An equity-sensitive approach to food systems that delivers healthy diets would seek to reduce inequities and directly address food availability, accessibility and price in local food environments. Addressing inequities within food systems is ultimately about addressing power imbalances amplifying the voice of those excluded, and holding the powerful to account.” An in-depth systematic review by (Løvhaug et al., 2022) on the potential of food environment policies to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in diets and improve healthy diets among lower socioeconomic groups reveals that food taxation may reduce socioeconomic inequalities in diets. However, for all other policy areas, the evidence base was poor. Current research largely fails to provide good quality evidence on the impacts of food environment policies on socioeconomic inequalities in diets. Research to fill this knowledge gap is urgently needed.

The Theme of this conference is “SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS, DIET, HEALTH INEQUALITIES AND POLICY” The Theme will be discussed under the following sub-themes and symposiums:

1. Food Systems in Sustainable Development
2. Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition and Health Policy
3. Insect-based Diet/Entomophagy, Food Security and Policy
4. Waste Management, Diet and Policy
5. Food systems, Diets and Healthy Lifestyle
6. Technological Approaches in The Food Systems
7. Agricultural Practices and Food Systems Value Chain
8. Indigenous Knowledge and Plant-Based Diet