Jakarta, 17 October 2024 – SEAMEO RECFON holds its 2nd International Conference on Food and Nutrition (ICFN), co-organized with SEAMEO SEARCA and SEAMEO BIOTROP, in two days, 17 and 18 October 2024, located at Redtop Hotel and Convention Center Jakarta.

The 2nd International Conference on Food and Nutrition (ICFN) was opened by Datuk Nur Habibah (Director of SEAMEO Secretariat) along with Dr. Herqutanto (Director of SEAMEO RECFON), Dr. Glenn Gregorio (Director of SEAMEO SEARCA), and Mrs. Sri Widayanti (Acting Deputy Director of Administration at SEAMEO BIOTROP)

The 2nd ICFN presents a theme of “Understanding the Gains, Challenges, and Opportunities in Environmental Nutrition Research, Programs, and Policies in Southeast Asia” which focuses on the importance of sustainability in complex interactions within the food system, health, and environment. In line with the theme, the 2nd ICFN aims to enhance the understanding of gains, challenges, and opportunities associated with environmental nutrition in Southeast Asia in terms of research, programs and policies.

Previously, the 2nd ICFN opened abstract submission on 23 March 2024 until 14 July 2024. There were a total of 155 abstracts received by the selection committee. A total of 54 abstracts for oral and 44 abstracts for poster presentations were further accepted to proceed to the next step for submission of powerpoint and poster.

During the opening ceremony of the 2nd ICFN, Dr. dr. Herqutanto, MPH., MARS.,  SEAMEO RECFON Director gave his welcoming remarks, marking the start of the first day of the 2nd ICFN. “I am certain that this conference is an opportunity for us to learn from each other and grow together as regards environmental nutrition. We hope that our conference will allow us to understand more about the exciting yet complex nature of environmental nutrition that concerns the relationship between our food system and the way we perceive and consume our food for our overall health and well-being”, says Dr. Herqutanto.

Datuk Dr. Habibah Abdul Rahim,  SEAMEO Secretariat Director, also regards a message of support for this international conference. “SEAMEO believes that through working together we can find that within challenges are opportunities to effect change. Thus, this conference is a testament and platform to our shared commitment to address these problems by discussing new ideas and identifying innovative solutions”.

As the keynote speaker on the first day of 2nd ICFN, Dr. Lawrence Hadad from Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), delivers his presentation entitled “A Synergistic Food System for Nutrition, Agriculture and Environmental Sustainability.” Lawrence mentions that “Climate and nutrition outcomes are linked, but very little action is taken within food systems to advance both at the same time”, which aligned with his explanations about why and how climate and nutrition should be advanced together using food systems, during his presentation.

Alongside with the keynote speech, 2nd ICFN includes two plenary sessions: “Bridging Disciplines for Holistic Solutions/Integrated Actions on Sustainable Food System” and “Food Systems for Nutrition: Opportunities for the Provision of Nutritious and Safe Diets to Prevent Childhood Stunting.”

The first plenary session highlights connecting disciplines for comprehensive solutions and coordinated actions in sustainable food systems. One of the focuses is to normalize sustainable food production. Next is to adapt a sustainable food consumption from recommended nutrition. Another important discipline is to go local in food purchasing, in order to reduce food “travel” distance.

The second plenary session highlights food systems for nutrition about opportunities to provide nutritious and safe diets to prevent childhood stunting. One of the focuses is to be aware of opportunities and challenges of animal source food value chains to alleviate childhood stunting. Another focus is the idea to develop a multi-criteria decisions analysis tool to support food selection to strengthen local food systems for improved nutrition. The last but not least, is Adeveloping a Multidimensional Food Environment Experience Metric (MFEEM).

Between the plenary sessions, there are two parallel sessions held during the day 1 of the 2nd ICFN, with the following topics, (1) Impacts of Food System on People’s Food and Nutrition Security, (2) Impacts of People’s Food Consumption Habits on Health and Environmental Integrity, and (3) Biophysical and Social Food Environmental Influences on People’s Food Consumption Habits and Nutritional/Health Outcomes.

On the second day of the 2nd ICFN, Fatima Hachem, PhD from Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) as the keynote speaker delivered her speech regarding the topic entitled “Increasing Awareness on Sustainable Food Consumption.” Dr. Fatima explained while improving nutrition requires concomitant improvements in health, hygiene and sanitation, education, income, and livelihoods, unhealthy diets remain the major direct cause of all forms of malnutrition.

Alongside the keynote speech, a talk show agenda is also held with the 3 speakers from SEANLP Alumni: Dr. Leila S. Africa (UPLB, Philippines/alumni of SEANLP 2003), Muh Nur Hasan Syah (UPN Veteran Jakarta, Indonesia/alumni of SEANLP 2015), Chheanghong ENG (GIZ, Cambodia/alumni of SEANLP 2017), and also moderator Dr. Judhiastuty Februhartanty (SEAMEO RECFON/alumni of SEANLP 2003).

The talkshow with the theme “Nutrition and the Environment: Nurturing Food and Nutrition Scientists for Research and Collaboration” focuses on empowers and educates emerging leaders in the field of food and nutrition for innovation and invention. There are also parallel sessions with three different topics as follows, (1) Ensuring Food Security and Safety during Natural Disasters and Emergencies, (2) Indigenous Biodiversity and Locally Available Food Sources for Health and Nutrition Improvement, Models and trends in environmental nutrition and sustainable diet (MEN) & (3) Indigenous Biodiversity and Locally Available Food Sources for Health and Nutrition Improvement.

Continuing the first day of 2nd ICFN, another two plenary sessions are also held on day 2. The third plenary session under the theme “Sustainable Food Consumption Practices and Exposures among Adolescent and Young Adults in Indonesia”,  this session highlights school as potential place to enhancing knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to sustainable food consumption (SFC) among adolescents in the SEA Region.

The last plenary session’s theme is “Charting The Way Forward on Regional Environmental Nutrition Policies and Programs” which concerns policy, programs, and collaborative efforts to tackle the problems on food and nutrition in the respective countries. Nita Yulianis, M.Si from the National Food Agency, Indonesia, says that on facing food waste, the implementation of incentive and disincentive systems seeks to create economic incentives for reducing food waste while imposing penalties for excessive waste.

Overall, the 2nd ICFN is attended by students, researchers, lecturers, development program implementers, industry managers, and decision makers from government and private sectors in Southeast Asia and beyond, including SEAMEO RECFON’s Governing Board Members. Furthermore, the 2nd ICFN is co-organized in collaboration with SEAMEO SEARCA and SEAMEO BIOTROP. The 2nd ICFN is also supported by International Medical University, Monash University Indonesia, Food Bank Bandung, Action Against Stunting Hub, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jakarta, and Universitas Mataram.

Participants of the 2nd International Conference on Food and Nutrition (ICFN)