FEED BACKGROUND
In 2019, CIHEAM, FAO and the Union for Mediterranean (UfM) expressed their interest in developing a joint proposal, as a collaborative effort, for the establishment of a multi-stakeholder Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) Platform in the Mediterranean. The Platform, an affiliated project of the UN One Planet Network’s Sustainable Food Systems Programme, was the outcome of the 2nd World Conference on the Revitalization of the Mediterranean Diet on “Strategies towards More Sustainable Food Systems in the Mediterranean Region - The Mediterranean Diet as a Lever Bridging Consumption and Production in a Sustainable and Healthy Way”, organized by CIHEAM Bari and by the Forum on Mediterranean Food Cultures, held in Palermo (Italy), in May 2019 .
In July 2019, the development of the multi-stakeholder sustainable food systems platform in the Mediterranean , was included in the workplan of a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FAO and CIHEAM.
In January 2021, CIHEAM, FAO, and the UfM signed a four-year tripartite MoU. Its aim was to provide a framework for collaboration to accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The development and initial operation of the SFS-MED Platform were included in the MoU workplan. Later, in the fall 2021, PRIMA Foundation joined the SFS-MED Platform Coordination Desk, hosted at CIHEAM Bari, as part of the implementation of the MoU between FAO and CIHEAM.
The “SFS-MED Platform” was funded by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture – DG PESCA. It aimed at speeding up the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and to promote inclusive and multilateral collaboration, as developed through web-dialogues and during the 3rd World Conference on the Revitalization of the Mediterranean Diet held in Bari, Italy, in September 2022.
In the process of stimulating dialogue to transform and redesign future sustainable food systems, the SFS-MED Platform evolved taking on a new format and a brand-new name.
FEED, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, is geared towards the enhancement of the supply chains related to local diets in Mediterranean countries.
MISSION
FEED - the knowledge community is the platform designed to host and share projects and ideas that have brought about change for a community in the field of Food Sustainable Systems. It’s an open network where everyone can share his/her own knowledge by becoming a member of a constantly growing and interconnected community.
WHAT WE DO
FEED translates successful initiatives of cooperation and development into a platform that brings together communities and knowledge systems. Every logged member will have the chance to upload through specific forms the results of his/her activities, research, experiences, read about the real needs of territories on drivers and barriers to the development of Food Sustainable Systems, and get in touch with other FEED members. He/She will be able to have access to the FEED community knowledge system, by having access to its database through topic-driven research. He/She will be in touch with the other members of the community to seek advice, exchange opinions, and establish new partnerships. This set of elements makes possible the development of a knowledge system useful to anyone who wants to keep up with progress.
GOVERNANCE
The CIHEAM Bari is responsible for approving FEED’s strategy and for overseeing its operation.
The Coordination Team manages and supervises the functioning of the FEED platform and consistency with the vision and the mission.
The Content Team draws up and develops the editorial plan. It elaborates a content production plan, defines style, format and effectiveness of content. Designs new content such as podcasts, photos, cross-media reports, videos, infographics.
The Assessment Committee evaluates the quality, correctness and consistency of the material uploaded by members, following the FEED methodology.
The Enhancement Committee chooses the best Good Practices and Projects that will be played out in audiovisual material.
The Enhancement Committee consists of 5 members who have in-deep knowledge on:
- International cooperation
- Research and development
- Media enhancement
- Sustainable Food Systems
- International bodies
The IT Team is responsible for the management, performance, maintenance, and overall reliability of the platform. The IT Team must ensure that the stored information is protected and easily accessible to those authorised to access it.
Regarding the governance of the platform’s data, CIHEAM Bari has established processes and responsibilities that ensure the quality of the information according to a flow of evaluation and approval of the proposed content.
