SOILS AND THE FOOD WE EAT
International high-level conference
Södertälje, Sweden
May 20th, 2015
Background
2015 has been declared the International Year of Soils by the 68th UN General
Assembly. The Year of Soils aims to be a platform for raising awareness of the
importance of soils for food security and essential eco-system functions.
“Soils and the Food We Eat” is a 3-day conference about soils and food as a
tool to combat environmental challenges on a local, regional and global
scale. It is organized by BERAS International together with its partners and it is
part of the UN International Year of Soils event calendar.
We invite you to the open public high-level conference day on May 20th.
Based on research and full scale examples in two BERAS EU projects (2003-06 and
2010-13), this conference will discuss and showcase examples of Ecological
Regenerative Agriculture, Learning Centers for Sustainable Food Societies and the
Diet for a Green Planet concept.
The Diet for a Green Planet concept – designed for actors in both public and private
sectors – is currently being implemented by Södertälje Municipality in all public meals
(24 000 meals per day), having resulted in the award “2014 School Food Municipality
of the Year” by Junior White Guide. The concept is also being spread to other cities
in Europe through an EU supported pilot transfer project (URBACT II Programme).
The high level conference on May 20th gathers key note speakers from the United
Nations, Swedish national and local government and other experts. It facilitates
discussions and workshops targeting concrete and practical ways for public and
private actors to contribute to more sustainable agricultural systems and food
production chains. The focus is to create systems where local farmers and producers
are recognized as essential and where surrounding food chain actors support a
development towards more environmentally friendly agriculture practices.
The conference also includes the final conference for a Thematic Partnership project
financed by The Swedish Institute including partners from Sweden, Lithuania and
Belarus (http://beras.eu/projects/beras-belarus/).
In line with BERAS’ principles of “Multi Actor Approach” we are inviting farmers, farm
advisors, actors from the whole food chain, authorities, researchers, NGOs, banks
and the business sector to the conference.
Program May 20th
Theme: Diet for a Green Planet
09:00
09:15
OPENING SPEECHES featuring:
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Jostein Hertwig, CEO, BERAS International
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Boel Godner, Mayor of Södertälje Municipality
KEY-NOTE SPEECHES featuring:
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Gunnar Rundgren, Co-Author of the 2013 UN Report "Wake up before
it is too late - make agriculture truly sustainable now for food security
in a changing climate".
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Agr. Dr. Artur Granstedt, Ecological Regenerative Agriculture.
10:00
Coffee break
10:30
THE FOOD WE EAT featuring:

Introduction to “Diet for a Green Planet”: BERAS International

International outlook:
 Dr. S. Natarajan/Dr. K. Perumal (India).
 Dr. Caesar Lopez (Dominican Republic).
 Farmers University development in Sweden, Belarus and
Lithuania (speaker to be confirmed).

Business sector approach to the Diet for a Green Planet concept:
Johan Ununger, CEO Saltå Kvarn & board member, Organic
Sweden.

Transformation of public meals – food as a driver for sustainable
development: Sara Jervfors, Head of the Diet Unit, Södertälje
Municipality.
12:30
Lunch à la Södertälje’s public school meals
13:30
Diet for a Green Planet workshops
16:00
Conclusions & summary
Target groups
In addition to representatives from BERAS International network the conference is
designed for:
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Municipalities in Sweden; diet units, environmental strategists, sustainability
officers, politicians etc.
Private sector; companies interested in implementing Diet for a Green Planet
or in joining teams or networks that work in this direction.
Farmers and farm advisors; key players who will be the suppliers of the
sustainable food that is discussed.
Researchers.
Banks and financing institutions
Environmental and Agriculture NGOs.
The public at large.
Expected outcomes
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Approximately 200 participants representing a wide variety of interests
(authorities, universities and research institutes, agricultural advisory services,
farmers’ organizations, ecological and environmental NGOs, farms, food
companies, social banks etc.)
Raising awareness of the importance of soils for food security and essential
eco-system functions.
A deeper understanding of the Diet for a Green Planet concept and its
potential to contribute to better food and a sounder environment.
Concrete ideas about implementation of Diet for a Green Planet in other
municipalities than Södertälje – initiated by either public or private actors.
A strengthening of the BERAS network and its associated networks.
Sign up
Please visit our registration site to announce your participation. Follow this link:
http://simplesignup.se/event/56508-soils-and-the-food-we-eat
About BERAS International
BERAS International is an independent institute working with research, development
and implementation in concepts regarding ecological regenerative agriculture,
sustainable food societies and sustainable and healthy diets that account for
regional and cultural adaptations. Visit www.beras.eu for more information.
Contact
Daniel Dworetsky, project manager, BERAS International
Tel: + 46 8 551 577 99. E-mail: [email protected].