“Plate, People and Planet: unveiling Finland’s journey towards sustainable food systems transformation with the National Convenor”,  is the 6th Food Systems Talk organized by the Issue-based Coalition on Sustainable Food Systems (IBC SFS).    

The initiative of the Food Systems Talks was launched in 2021 by the IBC-SFS in the context of the UN Food Systems Summit, and it continues to keep the momentum on food systems transformation in 2023, in the context of the first UNFSS+2 Stocktaking Moment, 24-26 July 2023.   

The Talks represent an opportunity to increase awareness on how food systems are interlinked across all three dimensions of sustainability, and why a food systems transformation is necessary to achieve healthy people and a healthy planet.

The Talks are organized as thirty-minute interviews with a renowned speaker to showcase solutions and good practices on a theme, which will inspire and drive action on the transformation of our food systems.   

In this episode of the Food Systems Talk, we will be speaking with the UN Food Systems Summit Members State National Convenor, Adviser at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland, Jyri Ollila, to gain a deeper understanding of the Finnish National Pathway and the approach to achieving sustainable food systems.    

Mary Kenny, a member of the Secretariat of the Issue-based Coalition on Sustainable Food Systems based at the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, will talk with Jyri Ollila. She is also the Food Safety and Consumer Protection Officer, and Coordinator of the Regional Initiative on Transforming Food Systems and facilitating market access and trade.    

This Episode comes just before the Regional Meeting for Europe and Central Asia next 12 March in Geneva and marks the first gathering of National Convenors since last year's UN Food Systems Stocktaking Moment.

The interview will offer important insights for other countries in the Europe and Central Asia region promoting sustainable food systems, to reflect on the role and actions of the National Convenor in light of the UN Secretary General Call to Action for the next two years and contribute to the global effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and 2030 Agenda.   

Enjoy the Talk!