Partnership for a Healthier America Commits to 50 Million Additional Servings of Vegetables, Legumes, and Fruits in the Marketplace as part of UN Food Systems Summit
September 22, 2021
by Nancy E. Roman, President and CEO of Partnership for a Healthier America
CEO’s Corner
The UN Food Systems Summit that begins Thursday will be just the beginning of a sweeping, global effort to better leverage the food system to end hunger, build health and to reduce carbon emissions.
Having been actively engaged with more than one hundred global leaders working on the Summit over the past 18 months, I can say that we already have achieved a few important steps critical to necessary systems change:
Scientists from around the world agreed on evidence about food’s role on carbon emissions and climate, human health, biodiversity and more. You can access these papers submitted to the UN here.
Networks of people across countries and cultures are now working together on defining the problems and opportunities around hunger, health, climate, livelihoods and biodiversity. For example, I worked with leaders from UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the World Food Program, EAT Forum and many others on defining areas that we can work on together.
There has been an acknowledgement among global leaders that the foods that are best for our bodies – vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts and seeds – are also low in their carbon footprint. In other words, sustainability and health have converged in a powerful way.
Whether this adds up to a Summit with lasting impact or one that is forgotten depends on what happens after Thursday when heads of state gather to announce their commitment to change. The UN Special Envoy Dr. Agnes Kalibata has called on us to step into the challenge. We intend to step up, and we welcome our partners and everyone committed to this important work to join us.
“We called for action, and this is action,” said Dr. Kalibata, commending our efforts. “PHA is working with companies, foundations, and community-led nonprofits to make a difference.”
PHA is committing to add 50 million servings of vegetables and fruits to the marketplace through innovative programs like Good Food for All and by working with companies, foundations and local community organizations. This is an expansion of our work that began in 2020, which has already provided more than 15 million servings of fruits in vegetables in communities across the country. This is also part of a broader effort to meaningfully shift the food supply available in disadvantaged communities as we work to improve food equity.
PHA is proud to join the many global players including nations from every continent, and organizations like GAIN, the EAT Forum, The World Wildlife Fund and many others to work together so that our collective impact on hunger, health and planet is greater than it could or would be on our own. If you want to work with us, please contact sbailey@ahealthieramerica.org. We can do this!
Demand Food Equity
Take the pledge! PHA envisions a world where every family and every person in the United States has ready and affordable access to good food and has launched a pledge in conjunction with the commitment to demand food equity.
Our Work with the UN Food Systems Summit
2021
2020
Leading Advocates for Transforming Global Food Systems Named Ahead of Milestone UN Summit
UN Food Systems Summit Pre-Event: Emerging Leaders on the Future of Food Systems