More than 400 participants from 60 countries have gathered in Paro, Bhutan, for the first Global Conscious Food Systems Summit, seeking new approaches to the growing challenges facing the global food system. With climate change, environmental degradation, hunger and changing consumption patterns putting increasing pressure on agriculture and natural resources, the summit is exploring how food can be produced, consumed and valued in ways that support human wellbeing and protect nature. Discussions on the opening day highlighted the importance of consciousness, individual choices, leadership and collective action in addressing what participants described as a wider global polycrisis. Former President of Ireland Mary Robinson emphasised the need for people, nature and policies to work together, while former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon linked food security directly with climate security and called for a fundamental rethink of global food systems. Participants also explored conscious eating through a guided mindful-eating practice, focusing on the relationship between food, health and personal choices. Bhutan is positioning itself as a potential testing ground for innovative food-system approaches, with Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay stressing the importance of honest testing, careful measurement, open learning and sharing results. Over the next three days, the summit will examine sustainable food production, indigenous knowledge, farmer wellbeing, nutrition and stronger connections between consumers and markets, with the aim of turning ideas into practical action and creating solutions that can be shared globally.
