LUPPA is the world’s only food policy lab that has been recognized by the UN for its efforts to achieve the zero hunger and sustainable agricultural goals

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organization (WHO) are launching the “State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2023” report, which analyzes the food insecurity scenario in depth, as well as identifies challenges, chances for action, and guidelines for public food policies.

This year’s report examined the phenomenon of the impact of urbanization and healthy diets on the urban-rural axis, as well as the important innovations and initiatives addressing the pressures of rising urbanization. Among the solutions that cause powerful transformations, “food lab” models were cited, and SOFI pointed to Brazil, through LUPPA (Brazilian Lab on Urban Food Policies), idealized by the Comida do Amanhã Institute and coordinated with ICLEI South America, as an outstanding example to be followed to achieve SDG 2 (Sustainable Development Goal), which talks about zero hunger and sustainable agriculture.

For Juliana Tângari, Director of the Comida do Amanhã Institute, although SOFI 2023 provides difficult and challenging data on the state of food security in the world, it also points to ways forward. “As we enter the decade of action to achieve the SDGs, everything we do must have an immediate and systemic impact. This is why SOFI views food labs as change agents and effect generators, particularly from the perspective of a change theory that includes cities, consumer rights, and the role of food environments. And it was precisely this change theory that guided us when we built LUPPA. And being acknowledged by all of these UN organizations as a global model of innovation for the transformation of food systems is the highest honor we could receive,” she said.

LUPPA aims to be a tool to help cities achieve food systems that are healthy for people and the planet, resilient to climate and economic vulnerabilities, and that promote social justice through the democratic development of integrated and coherent policies that address urban food challenges on a systemic level.

For Rodrigo Perpétuo, Executive Secretary at ICLEI South America, FAO’s acknowledgment recognizes the importance of local implementation of the food agenda. “In recent years, there has been a growing evolution of the concepts and needs involved in the food agenda; SOFI itself represents this multiplicity of options for addressing the issue. What we believe distinguishes LUPPA is its ability to use diversity constructively and productively to influence public policies where change is made: at the territorial and municipal levels.”

LUPPA is a project designed and coordinated by Instituto Comida do Amanhã, in co-realization with ICLEI América do Sul with full support of Instituto Ibirapitanga and ICS – Instituto Clima e Sociedade, special support of Delegação da União Europeia no Brasil, Embrapa and WWF Brasil and institutional support from ACT Promoção da Saúde, Alimentação Consciente Brasil, Organização das Nações Unidas para a Alimentação e a Agricultura – FAO Brasil and Humane Society International with methodological support of Reos Partners Brazil.