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In this episode, Ragnar talks with Paul Newnham, Director of SDG2 Advocacy Hub. He’s part of a critical movement that aims to build a collective voice and a unified commitment – a Chefs’ Pledge – to amplify a global call to action at the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit.
2021 ushered in a new decade, a Decade of Action. With it has come a remarkably simple realization with a remarkably complex goal: to feed all radical progress, we must first build a food system that nourishes all.
Food systems and the power structures that define them intersect with key issues from the climate crisis to conflict. To drive lasting change towards equitable, healthy food systems, we must act as a collective. That is only possible with clear, honest intentions and common core values. So how can that be achieved on a global scale?
Paul and his team at the SDG2 Advocacy Hub coordinate international campaigning and advocacy around Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2: To end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030.
This mission is participatory. Everyone has a role to play and a responsibility to act, from the private sector to NGOs, public servants, farmers, consumers, and of course, everyone in between.
Paul (2nd from left) and Ragnar (2nd from right)
Chefs can be powerful advocates for a better food future. As storytellers, tradition-keepers, sourcers, connecters, influencers — chefs can both inspire and guide people towards more conscious kitchens, and empower communities to raise their voices for the common good.
To help enlist chefs to harness this power, the SDG2 Advocacy Hub facilitates the Chefs’ Manifesto, a community of over 900 chefs from 80 countries, equipped with a simple set of actions to drive progress against the food issues that matter most to them.
The Hub has recently launched Good Food For All, a SDG2 narrative that aims to help connect all of the great policy, advocacy and campaigning work happening in the SDG2 space.
In September 2021, the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) will be convened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The purpose: to shape global commitments and transform food systems to reduce diet-related diseases, resolve hunger, and restore planetary health.
The Chefs’ Pledge will be a part of this transformation. Community-led, building on diverse global platforms, the UNFSS will aim to foster agreements and highlight collaborative actions. By sharing knowledge, we can build what we need: shared values, shared milestones, shared mission, shared future for all.
About the Guest
Paul Newnham joined to the SDG2 Advocacy Hub following 15 years at World Vision International where he was responsible for campaigning, advocacy, communications and youth mobilization.
He leads the way with a new and innovative approach to tackling hunger, which focused on youth and livelihoods in East Africa. This approach sought to bridge the divide between programmes and mobilisation and was subsequently implemented in several countries.
Paul is passionate about bringing new voices to the Global Goals conversations, particularly around zero hunger and in his role as coordinator at the SDG2 Advocacy Hub, he is committed to ensuring that members have the support and resources they need to work collaboratively and achieve SDG2 by 2030.
Resources
For more from The Chefs’ Manifesto, visit www.chefsmanifesto.com. For resources on Good Food For All, head to this direct link.
You can also get involved with the Chefs’ Pledge. If you are a chefs association, consider joining in on the 2021 Survey of Chefs and Scientists. To find out more, download the pdf below.
Want to get involved in sustainability projects at home and around the world? Feed the Planet can help connect you with fun, easy, and impactful initiatives designed for especially for chefs. Visit www.howtofeedtheplanet.com now.
Have an earth-friendly recipe to share? Click here to submit it! And don’t forget to become a part of the Feed the Planet community. Join now.
For more on sustainability, tune in to our World on a Plate episodes with UN Advocate Chef Arthur Potts Dawson, influencer Max LaManna, and The Vegetable Chef, Frank Fol.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to Paul Newnham for joining as as a guest.
World on a Plate is supported by Nestlé Professional and our podcast sponsors.
