EGYPT – French multinational dairy company, Danone has signed a partnership with The UN-Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) aiming at improving nutrition, agriculture practices and food safety across Egypt for more sustainable food systems.

The collaboration involves exchanging the most recent information on developing food safety problems as well as sharing data on food consumption and nutritional intakes in the North African country.

Using Egypt as the pilot nation, the parties will use the information in order to enhance awareness and encourage the adoption of better eating habits.

Furthermore, the collaboration includes exchanging information about food systems and nutrition security through the FAO’s provision of e-learning courses and digital certification to Danone employees.

This will further promote compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and responsible corporate behavior in global agricultural supply chains.

“This partnership will assist in promoting efforts to enhance food security and nutrition as well as improve the sustainability of food systems.”

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu

Mr. Haitham Sadek, General Manager and Managing Director at Danone Egypt said, “The collaboration will reinforce the company’s goal to promote health through food to as many people as possible through its products.

“We have a clear set of long-term objectives that contribute to the United Nations’ 2030 SDGs and inspired by our ‘One Planet. One Health’ vision. Through these goals, we pledge to, among other things, impacting Egyptian’s health, laying the groundwork for healthy generations,” he added.

The UN-FAO Agency and Danone recognize that sustainable food and farming practices need to be strengthened, and people need to have access to more diversified and healthier nutritious meals.

“This partnership will assist in promoting efforts to enhance food security and nutrition as well as improve the sustainability of food systems,” FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu emphasized.

With a plant in Obour city and a world-class dairy plant in Nubariya city, Danone Egypt, a subsidiary of Danone company, has many positive contributions to the Egyptian society that support healthier lifestyles.

IFAD, partners launch coalition to propel financing of sustainable food systems

Further promoting sustainable and equitable food systems, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has announced the formation of a coalition of partners who will champion financing of sustainable and food systems.

According to IFAD, creating food systems that benefit the world’s most vulnerable people will require substantial investments – by some estimates as much as US$350 billion per year over the next decade.

“Public development banks already make considerable investments in food and agriculture. If we harness and redirect those investments to support the transition towards fairer and more sustainable food systems, this could be a game-changer.

“We need PDBs to be part of strong, united and decisive action on a global scale if we want food systems to benefit all, particularly the poorest in rural areas who grow much of our food,” said Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of IFAD.

According to estimates, transforming food systems that deliver healthy people, a healthy planet, and a healthy economy will require US$300-US$350 billion per year for the next decade – but this would also generate potential economic gains of US$5.7 trillion annually.

The planned coalition will not only bring together PDBs, but also governments, research institutes, the private sector and civil society working together to strengthen the capacity of PDBs to reorient, optimise and scale-up their financing for social and green investments, and to benefit the rural small-scale producers working in some of the world’s poorest countries.