Catalyzing Food Systems Transformations: The Food Systems Window of the UN Joint SDG Fund

The UN Joint SDG Fund is the flagship fund for sustainable development that drives the acceleration of the SDG, while facilitating broader UN Development System reform. The Fund’s new Strategy for 2023-2026 identifies Food Systems as one of the key transformative entry points to bring the SDGs back on track towards 2030. Thanks to strong collaboration with the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, inclusive, multi-stakeholder, multisectoral and multilevel consultations mobilizing expertise from across the UN system and the experience of National Convenors, supported the development of the Food Systems Window Investment Strategy.

The Strategy anticipates USD 350 million over 5 years of catalytic funding to facilitate national cross-sectoral food systems leadership and multistakeholder implementation. Considering the fund’s catalytic role, including for SDG finance, strategic collaboration with national, regional and global actors of the food systems finance architecture, from domestic budget holders to multilateral banks and programmes, and private sector investors, will be of critical importance.

The Investment Strategy for the Food Systems Window provides a unique opportunity to activate multisectoral UN support, joint delivery by the government, international and regional financing institutions, and the private sector investments that accelerate the SDGs.

Access to financing for transforming food systems is the single most urgent need flagged by National Convenors since the Summit, together with continued UN Country Team support and leadership. The Food Systems Window of the Joint SDG Fund, aligned with current efforts to build a more inclusive financial system, offers a unique opportunity to boost national food systems transformations steered by Governments in the follow-up to their commitments to the UN Food Systems Summit and to set in motion the operationalization of their national pathways with relevant actors from the national and global ecosystem of support.

A fully capitalized Food Systems Window will play a critical role to mobilize the broader ecosystem of support, including domestic public funding, external partners, private sector investments, while strengthening national prioritization and leadership in the broader food systems agenda.

This high-level advocacy moment will provide the opportunity to the Deputy Secretary-General, H.E Amina J. Mohammed, to present the Food Systems Window in light of efforts to ‘rescue the SDGs’ and reshape the global finance architecture. It will also offer Member States, the UN, and prominent food systems finance actors the space for a relaxion on how complementary, interrelated initiatives and perspectives can leverage the UN Joint SDG Fund Window to stimulate faster, broader and deeper systemic transformations.

Agenda

Keynote

Opening remarks: H.E. Ms. Amina J. Mohammed - UN Deputy Secretary-General

Opening video: The Food Systems Window of the Joint SDG Fund

Panel

Moderator: Mr. Mohamed Manssouri, Director of Investment Centre, Food and Agriculture Organization

H.E. Ms. Jhenifer Mojica – Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Republic of Colombia

H.E. Mr. Redouwane Ag Mohamed Ali– Minister Commissioner for Food Security, Republic of Mali

H.E. Dr. Vivi Yulaswati - Deputy Minister for Maritime and Natural Resources Affairs at Ministry of National Development Planning, Republic of Indonesia

H.E. Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser- Chairman, Islamic Development Bank Group

Ms. Hassatou N’sele - Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer, African Development Bank Group

Mr. Roy Steiner - Senior Vice-President, Rockefeller Foundation - Food initiative

Mr. Michael Keller – Chair, International Agri-Food Network and Private Sector Mechanism to the UN Committee on World Food Security

Concluding remarks

Ms. Cindy McCain - Executive Director, World Food Programme