Mission 

To advance the concept of Territorial Diets, place-based, biodiversity-rich, and culturally rooted diets as a pathway to healthier people and a healthier planet. 

Background 

Transforming diets and food systems is critical for both human and planetary health. While FAO and WHO highlight the importance of territorial diets, they remain underexplored and often absent from national dietary guidelines and food policy debates. This Task Force seeks to bridge that gap, showing how territorial diets can help deliver on global goals, including SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 12 (Responsible Consumption), and 13 (Climate Action). Building on prior IUNS work on Indigenous Foods and Sustainable Diets, this initiative aims to elevate territorial diets in both science and policy. 

Key Objectives 

• Document how territorial diets can support sustainable, healthy food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs). 

• Generate Evidence through literature reviews, surveys, interviews, and consensus workshops. 

• Promote Uptake of territorial diets in global food and nutrition policy processes. 

Planned Deliverables 

• A literature review on territorial diets and sustainability. 

• A Policy Brief with case studies, supported by at least three regional webinars. 

• A symposium at IUNS-ICN 2029. 

Leadership Team 

• Chair: Dr. Stineke Oenema (Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs) 

• Co-Chair: Dr. Rebecca Kanter (University of Chile, Chile) 

• Core members include: 

• Dr. Gina Kennedy (Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT, Italy) 

• Prof. Jennie Macdiarmid (University of Aberdeen, UK) 

• Prof. Mark Lawrence (Deakin University, Australia) 

• Dr. Farah Naja (University of Sharjah, UAE) 

• Prof. Lesley Macheka (MUAST, Zimbabwe) 

• Dr. Sandro Dernini (Forum on Mediterranean Food Cultures, Italy) 

• Tesfaye Hailu Bekele (Wageningen University, Netherlands) 

• Zeyuan Wang (University of Toronto, Canada)