The High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN) of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) is thrilled to announce the creation of its new drafting team, which has been selected to work on the upcoming HLPE-FSN report on “Building resilient food systems”.
The team was selected based on a rigorous selection process, which includes general principles of scientific and technical relevance, as well as regional expertise. As a result, the HLPE-FSN Steering Committee has nominated an interdisciplinary team, well-equipped to address the multidimensional and intersectional aspects of resilience.
The selected experts bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the project, covering a range of areas, including health and nutrition, sustainable development, sociology, political science, economics, statistical analysis, human rights, gender analysis, Indigenous Peoples knowledge, environmental sciences and emergencies. Their collective expertise will ensure that the report provides a comprehensive and nuanced analysis of the different types of vulnerabilities of agriculture and food systems, and their implications for the different actors involved.
The report “Building resilient food systems” will be presented at the 53rd Plenary Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS 52) in October 2025.
HLPE-FSN experts are not remunerated and serve in their personal capacities.
The selected experts
The drafting team is led by Alison Blay-Palmer; the other members are:
-
Colin Anderson
-
Philip Antwi-Agyei
-
Garima Bhalla
-
Lídia Cabral
-
Francisco Javier Espinosa Garcia
-
Tomaso Ferrando
-
Isabel Madzorera
-
Tammara Soma
-
Monika Zurek
-
Paola Termine (Secretariat)
-
Johanna Wilkes (research assistant)
The team leader
Alison Blay-Palmer, the UNESCO Chair on Food Biodiversity and Sustainability Studies, is the founding Director of the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems and a Professor in Geography and Environmental Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada.
Alison collaborates with academics and practitioners across Canada and internationally including partners in Australia, Brazil, France, India, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Uganda and the United States. Alison has been a member of the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists since 2016. She is the Principal Investigator on Food Learning and Growing (FLOW) which includes research and monitoring over 5 years in eight territorial food systems.
Her research on sustainable food systems, biodiversity and community resilience builds on civil society engagement and innovative governance.
https://www.fao.org/cfs/cfs-hlpe/insights/news-insights/news-detail/new…
