Sustainable and nutrition sensitive food systems
Food systems describe the process of food production, from selecting the seeds to be grown and the environment to consumption and food waste management. For plant-based foods, the food systems include seed selection, growing, raising, harvesting, processing, ensuring food safety, distributing, eating, and food waste management. In parallel, the animal-based foods food systems include breeding, fishing/hunting, processing, ensuring food safety, distributing and eating.
For sustainable food production and to achieve food security, all the processes in the food systems need to be sustainable and nutrition-sensitive. In addition, measures to reduce food wastage in each step, conserve resources, and value addition to increase the shelf life of seasonal foods should be included in the food systems. An inclusive approach involving and sensitizing the responsible stakeholders in each step in the food systems is crucial for holistic and sustainable nutrition security.
Table 1 Shows responsible stakeholders in every step of the food system.| Steps in the food systems | Responsible stakeholders |
| Food production | Ministry of Agriculture (MoA,) Ministry of Marin Resources (MoMR), Ministry of Land Water and MoLWE |
| Food distribution | Ministry of Transportation (MoT) |
| Food processing and marketing | Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI), Eritrean Institute of Standards (EIS) |
| Food Legislation | Ministry of Justice (MoJ) |
| Food Marking | MoTI |
| Food Consumption | Ministry of Health (MoH) |
| Waste managment | MoLWE, MoA, MoMR |
| Nutrition awareness | Ministry of Education (MoE), and Ministry of Information (MoI) |
| Making sure no one left behind in nutrition security | MOLSW |
In addition to the stakeholders, the people and resources that contribute to- and are impacted- by the food system and local NGOs that facilitate the processes, such as the National Union of Eritrean Women (NEUW), National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students (NUEYS) and National Consideration of Eritrean Workers (NCEW) are impportant stakeholders.
By involving all relevant stakeholders in the food systems, a sustainable and nutrition-sensitive approach to food systems can be assured, leading to sustainable food security. Through such an approach, the availability and accessibility of nutritious and safe food can be secured and impact national health, economy, productivity, and security.