Food Governance Conference
The 2024 Global Food Governance Conference
The Food Governance Node at the Charles Perkins Centre and Sydney Health Law (The University of Sydney) and the George Institute for Global Health have partnered with the Global Center for Legal Innovation on Food Environments at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law (Georgetown University) to organise the 2024 Food Governance Conference.
This conference, to be hosted at the University of Sydney February 14 to 16, 2024, will bring together lawyers, policymakers, nutritionists, and health scientists to explore how law, policy, and regulation can help address food system challenges at the local, national, regional, and global levels.
A side event hosted by the Global Center for Legal Innovation on Food Environments will focus on highlighting global perspectives on legal and policy solutions, including a public keynote address on February 14 at 6:30-8:00pm following the opening day of the conference, and a closed workshop on 13 February in Sydney. Please see further information below.
About the conference
Malnutrition, climate change, globalisation, and trade patterns profoundly shape the global food system. These challenges, along with rapid population growth, have compromised the ability of food systems to deliver safe, nutritious, sustainable, and equitable foods, and are in turn impacting the fulfillment of fundamental human rights and the health of our planet.
Through a broad and interdisciplinary approach, the Food Governance Conference aims to share topical ideas, advocacy and research that moves the dial on food governance issues facing Australia and beyond. The conference will explore issues such as (1) the promotion of healthier diets via food policy and governance (Australian and global case studies), (2) Indigenous Peoples food system governance, (3) equity and social justice in food systems, (4) food security, and sustainability, and (5) commercial determinants of health.
Highlighting the interrelationships between the main challenges facing the food system in the 21st century, this conference also aims to create new opportunities for collaborations that promote access to healthy and sustainable food for all.
Keynote speakers
- Prof. Anne Marie Thow, Menzies Centre for Health Policy and Economics, Sydney School of Public Health and the Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney.
- Prof. Sharon Friel, ARC Laureate Fellow, Professor of Health Equity, Director, ARCHE | Australian Research Centre for Health Equity, School of Regulation and Global Governance, Australian National University
- Prof Tom Calma AO, Poche Indigenous Health Centres and Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney.
Plenary panel sessions
Case studies of succesful food governance and regulation
Panel members:
- Dr Sirinya Phulkerd, Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Thailand.
- Dr Philip Baker, School of Public of Health, The University of Sydney, Australia.
- Prof Ana Paula Bortoletto Martins, School of Public Health at Sao Paulo University.
- Dr Fabio Da Silva Gomes, Pan American Healteh Organisation.
- Chair: Prof Jaime Miranda, Head of School, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Australia.
Moving forward: shifting the dial on food governance
Panel members:
- Tammi Jonas, Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance.
- Alex Greenwich, Independent Member for Sydney in the NSW Parliament.
- Sophie Scamps, Independent Federal Member for Mackellar.
- Keziah Bennett-Brook, The George Institute for Global Health.
- Chair: Prof. Steve Simpson, Academic Director, Charles Perkins Centre and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, the University of Sydney.
Food and Nutrition Security in First Nations Communities
Panel members:
- Nicole Turner, Kamilaroi woman, Adjunct Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Canberra, Aboriginal Health Engagement Director at the Rural Doctors Network, and Chair of Indigenous Allied Health Australia.
- Simone Sheriff, The Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, the University of Sydney.
- Further speakers TBC
Exposing Corporate Political Activity
Panel members:
- Jenn Lacy-Nichols, VicHealth Commercial Determinants of Health Research Fellow, Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health.
- Katherine Cullerton, School of public Health, the University of Queensland.
- Further speakers TBC
Global Center for Legal Innovation on Food Environments public keynote address - 14 February
The keynote address of the side event will be presented by Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng on February 14 at 6:30-8:00pm at the University of Sydney.
Dr. Mofokeng will be presenting virtually, and will be joined by in-person panellists from Barbados, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. The keynote will be centred on Dr. Mofokeng’s thematic report on food, nutrition, and the right to health. The keynote address will provide an opportunity to unpack the conclusions of the report, linking human rights frameworks at the international level to concrete policy solutions at the national level.
Expressions of interest to attend side event - 13 February
A side event hosted by the Global Center for Legal Innovation on Food Environments will run on 13 February focused on highlighting global perspectives on legal and policy solutions.
Following the themes of the main conference, the side event will be centred on solutions-oriented interventions, examining how best to overcome technical, legal, and political issues within the food policy space. Specifically, the side event will focus on challenges and opportunities in Latin America and the Carribean, and will seek to: (1) frame the regulation of food environments from a rights-based approach, (2) elevate policy progress in the Global South, particularly in the aforementioned regions, and (3) discuss and critically assess policy solutions in light of the food and beverage industry's dynamic and fast-paced strategies. Panellists will include advocates and researchers from Barbados, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.
EOI closed.
Conference dinner - 6pm Thursday 15 February - SOLD OUT
Tickets for the conference dinner are $75 per person and can be purchased when you complete your conference registration. Dinner includes a selection of canapes and non-alcoholic beverages, with alcoholic beverages available for purchase. Please notify any dietary requirements at the time of booking.
Fee waiver
There will also be an option to request a complete fee waiver. Requests will be determined by the Conference Organising Committee. Please email foodlegalinnovation@georgetown.edu.
Registration
- Early bird: $245 (until 31 December)
- Full Conference Fee (3 days): $280
- Full Single Day Fee: $120
- Conference Dinner: $75 (Thursday 15 February, including canapes and non-alcoholic beverages)
- Discounted Full Conference Fee: $160 (Students, civil society members, unwaged, and researchers/academics based in low- and middle-income countries)
Registration is now closed.
Program
2024 final conference program,
Contact
Should you have questions, please email:
- Sally McDonald Charles Perkins Centre: sally.mcdonald@sydney.edu.au
- Dr Fiona Sing University of Auckland: f.sing@auckland.ac.nz
Previous conferences
2021 Food Governance Conference
- 2021 conference program (pdf, 1MB)
- 2021 conference abstract booklet (pdf, 1.65MB)
- More about the 2021 conference