All around the world, there is so much focus on increasing food production, with little to no attention to how current food production methods impact human health, the climate, and the environment at large. Bhutan will host the first Global Conscious Food Systems Summit in Paro later this year. This new international effort will call on global partners to rethink how the world produces and consumes food. A virtual kick-off event was held yesterday to prepare for the summit.
Farmers across much of the developed and developing world are engaging in intensive farming. They are expanding farmlands, using high-yielding crops, and extensive amounts of pesticides and fertilisers.
These modern farming methods are boosting production but falling short in addressing climate change, inequality, and unhealthy diets.
Bhutan is among the few nations that continue to promote sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation.
Speaking at the virtual event, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay said Bhutan is hosting the summit to share its unique approach to food systems, rooted in culture, spirituality, and sustainability. He said food in Bhutan is not seen as a commodity, but as a relationship with nature and across generations, guided by the philosophy of Gross National Happiness.
“For us, conscious food is not new. It is how we live. You see it in our fields? Our farmers, for instance, begin with prayers to the earth. What do you say? The soil must be fed before it can feed us. Herders take only what they need. Communities save seeds. For the next season, but also for the next generation. These are not just policies; they are habits. They are values in action.”
He said Bhutan is investing in regenerative agriculture, improving water systems, and linking food to nutrition to ensure no one is left behind.
“The Global Conscious Food Systems Summit is not just a meeting; it is a moment to rethink food. A moment to restore balance. A moment to act with clarity and with purpose. So when you come to Bhutan. You will not just hear about conscious food systems, you will feel them. You will feel them in our land. You will feel them in our communities. You will feel them. In our way of life.”
UNDP Associate Administrator Haoliang Xu said Bhutan is an ideal host, noting that its development philosophy places well-being, culture, and nature at the Centre.
“We could not have dreamed of a better country than Bhutan to host this important gathering. Bhutan’s leadership in placing well-being, culture, nature, and sustainability at the center of development sets exactly the right tone for our discussions and reminds us that development is ultimately about how we choose to live, and what we choose to value.”
Around 300 to 350 participants are expected to gather for the summit from 31st August to 4th September. The government is collaborating with Conscious Food Systems Alliance and the United Nations Development Programme to host the summit.
During the summit, a framework for conscious food systems will be developed which will include policy recommendations to promote sustainable and inclusive food systems.
Namgay Wangdi
