The Food Systems for Nutrition Innovation Lab (FSN-IL) is a consortium led by Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, funded under USAID through the Feed the Future Initiative. In target geographies of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, the Lab’s goal is to identify and promote uptake of novel technologies, practices or information flows that help in i) reducing food loss and waste, ii) improve food safety, and iii) enhance access to nutrient-dense (often perishable) foods.

This is the third and final webinar of the series conducted in collaboration with Thriving Solutions. In this webinar, we will discuss urban food system basics while exploring the different types of food systems. We will also discuss the key elements of an urban food system (production, distribution, consumption and waste management) and how they differentiate per food system. Finally, we will hear from an expert speaker highlighting a case study or on the ground example on the topic.

Speakers:

• Patrick Webb, Director, Food Systems for Nutrition Innovation Lab, Tufts University

Dr. Patrick Webb is the Alexander McFarlane Professor of Nutrition at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Until 2005, Dr. Webb was the Chief of Nutrition at the United Nations World Food Programme in Rome. Today, he is the Director of the Feed the Future Food Systems for Nutrition Innovation Lab. He has served on numerous task forces and global advisory panels, including currently serving on the High-Level Panel of Experts of the Committee on World Food Security, he is technical adviser to the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition, and serves as one of the Commissioners for the ongoing Eat-Lancet 2.0 study.

• Seta Tutundjian, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Thriving Solutions

Seta Tutundjian is a global advocate for sustainability and transitioning to circular and regenerative economies in water-scarce regions. For the past 25+ years, she led the formulation and execution of transformative ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) programs that engaged and mobilized stakeholders to introduce novel approaches that increased resilience and built a demand management culture in the water, agricultural and energy sectors. Seta co-leads the global Food is Never Waste coalition; and is on the General Board of United Cities. A holder of a MSc. in Climate Change and Development, Seta is the Founder and CEO of Thriving Solutions, a sustainability consulting firm, dedicated to decarbonizing our economy, safeguarding biodiversity, regenerating nature, advancing food-nutrition-water security, and supporting the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030. In recognition of her work, Seta has received several awards including the prestigious Superior Honor Award by the Government of the United States of America.

• John Triantafyllis, Vice Chairman, World Union of Wholesale Markets

John Triantafyllis is the Vice Chairman at World Union of Wholesale Markets, and the General Manager of Central Markets and Fisheries Organization, the company that administrates two central markets and 11 fish-markets in Greece. John has 32 years’ experience in markets. During his MBA, John wrote his theses on “how fresh food prices are formatted from farm to fork and the role of the Central Markets“, he is currently a PhD candidate, researching “how food markets are incorporated in the urban tissue