Archive for year: 2019

6 – 7 February 2019
Ministry of Health, 14 Avenue de Duquesne, 75007, Paris (France)

France and Australia with the support of the Nutrition Decade Secretariat will convene countries to the inaugural meeting of the Global Action Network on Nutrition Labeling with the aim to engaging countries into accelerating efforts around nutrition labelling, strengthening collaboration among countries, foster policy dialogue and facilitate and enhance local and global actions. The network intends to expand to a growing number of countries. By implementing nutrition labelling, it will strengthen national nutrition policies and help reduce the incidence of malnutrition worldwide.

Concept note

Agenda

The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Nutrition (JEMNU) was established in 2012 to provide scientific advice to the committees of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme (i.e. Codex Alimentarius) or Member Countries. JEMNU aims to provide relevant scientific advice in an independent and cost-effective manner; therefore, the Meetings will be convened when there is a specific request from a Codex Committee or Member Countries.

Currently being discussed at the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) is the most appropriate nitrogen to protein conversion factor (or factors) to use in estimating protein content of soy-based ingredients and milk-based ingredients used in infant formulas and follow-up formulas. To provide guidance on this topic, at the 39th Session of CCNFSDU in 2017, the Committee requested that JEMNU be convened to review the evidence and develop evidence-informed guidance regarding nitrogen to protein conversion factors. (To facilitate the work of JEMNU, a systematic review is currently being conducted to compile and analyse the available data on nitrogen to protein conversion factors for foods containing soy-based and/or milk-based ingredients.)

FAO and WHO have therefore initiated the convening of JEMNU and are in the process of identifying experts with relevant knowledge and experiences to participate in the expert meeting to be held during 15 – 19 July 2019 (exact dates to be confirmed). The selected experts will review the evidence to establish appropriate nitrogen to protein conversion factors for soy-based and milk-based ingredients used in infant formulas and follow-up formulas.

For more information please visit: https://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/callforexperts-JEMNU-Feb2019/en/ or http://www.fao.org/nutrition/requirements/proteins/en/.

Applications must be received by 1 March 2019.

04 Feb 2019, 09:30 – 17:00 (CET)
FAO HQ, Green Room
Rome, Italy

Over the next 15 years, it is estimated that about 1.6 billion people will reach working age in low and middle-income countries. How can food systems and enhanced rural-urban linkages provide more and better jobs for women and youth? What are the key driving factors and enabling conditions for food systems and enhanced rural-urban linkages to create employment and decent work? What is the role of small cities and rural towns in promoting women and youth employment in the food systems? And what is their role in linking producers to diverse and more equitable markets? 

Inclusion of youth and women in food system labour market will be paramount to achieving food security and nutrition for all.

Following the first intersessional event on The Food Security and Nutritional Impacts of Urbanization and Rural Transformation on Lower Income Groups, through an interactive format, this event will focus on policy approaches that support employment opportunities, improved livelihoods and adequate working conditions for youth and women, across food systems and across the rural-urban continuum. 

Besides furthering CFS stakeholders’ understanding of the interplay between food security, nutrition and rural-urban linkages, the intersessional events organized under the workstream Urbanization and Rural transformation and implications for Food Security and Nutrition are also expected to facilitate a functional and effective link with the CFS Multi-Year Programme of Work planning process.

Interpretation services will be provided in all UN official languages.

The webcast can be followed on http://www.fao.org/webcast

The event will build on the findings of the following CFS documents: 

• CFS 44 2017: Addressing Food Security and Nutrition in the Context of Changing Rural-Urban Dynamics: Experiences and Effective Policy Approaches (CFS 2017/44/6)
• CFS 43 2016: Urbanization, Rural Transformation and Implications for Food Security and Nutrition: Key Areas for Policy Attention and Possible Roles for CFS (CFS 2016/43/11)