June 2, 2015

Lucas Simons presented Changing the Food Game to senior policy advisors at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. The aim of the debate, which featured the book, was to discuss how to tackle hunger and malnutrition.

Marcel Beukeboom, Head of Cluster at Food and Nutrition Security at the ministry: “The concept brought forward by Lucas Simons during the meeting, as also set out in Changing the Food Game, brings several very pertinent questions to the surface. Why are so many sectors in trouble? What is it that makes transformation so difficult? And above all: what can you do about this? From a governmental perspective this last question is the crucial one, but it can only be answered if you can properly analyze the underlying causes and patterns. Lucas’ insights help us in making this analysis. It thus informs our future policy on food and nutrition security. One advice that I will take to heart is to be bold and reward innovation. Difficult in a regulated environment, but crucial for the change we want.”

The debate is one in a series of consultations the where the ministry receives input for policy from experts.

“As a cluster responsible for food and nutrition security we make it our habit to work in multi stakeholder partnerships [which] leads to better informed policies that have a broader support base.” Said Mr Beukeboom.

Participants also included senior representatives from various knowledge institutions such as ICCO, Food & Business Knowledge Platform and SNV.

Frans Verberne, Director of Food & Business Knowledge Platform: “The concept of Lucas Simons helps me to understand the dynamics of agro-food systems and as such the efficiency of interventions.

“The debate underlined the ambition of the F&B Knowledge Platform to address knowledge questions related to integrated agro-food systems and sector transformation as well as how we can take next steps from improving value chains to real sector change.’ “

Photo credit: Food & Business Knowledge Platform.