b'Seed as the starting pointOur sector takes part in the journeyto the Food Systems Summit 2021DECLARATIONINTRODUCTIONWe, the actors of the private seed sector, representing its diversity, acting as individuals or as representa-tives of co-operatives, family-, small-, medium sized- or multinational companies, based around the world, are committed to a future where enough affordable, safe and nutritious food is produced for all without compromising the economies, societies or environments of future generations.To that end, we welcome the UN Food Systems Summit, set to take place in September 2021, which repre-sents an important opportunity to build a shared understanding and solutions in pursuit of a global food system that contributes to the achievement of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Ahead of the Summit, we declare that we:ACKNOWLEDGE the enormous challenge for agriculture ACKNOWLEDGEtheUNFoodand AgriculturalOrgan- to produce suffi cient, safe, and nutritious food for a globalizations (FAO) defi nition of a sustainable food system as population, expected to reach 10 billion by 2050;one that delivers food security and nutrition for all with-NOTE that seed is the basis of all crop production, and thatout compromising the economic, social and environmental the seed sector is a foundational contributor to the produc-bases for future generations; tion of food; NOTE that, since the dawn of agriculture and even moreNOTEthattheseedsectorisdiverseandcompetitive,so since scientifi c discovery in biology and genetics, plant consistingofmultiplelargeplayersandthousandsofbreedersandfarmershavebeeninnovating,improving smaller players in seed markets segmented by crop andplants, and increasing yields for hundreds of years; geographical location; ACKNOWLEDGEthatincreasedagriculturaloutputhasNOTE that seed is the vital starting point for all crop produc-driven signifi cant social and economic progress, but now tion; that without it, there can be no harvest; and that thisfaces the major challenges of climate change, biodiversity makes the seed sector a critical partner in the mission to endloss, declining soil health, and diminishing resources; hunger and to achieve food security and nutrition for all; ACKNOWLEDGE that the global food system is failing toserve all, but there is no one-size-fi ts-all-solution; and thatwhilst hunger and micronutrient defi ciencies grow in someareas, obesity is a major issue elsewhere;ISF, Chemin du Reposoir 5-7, 1260 Nyon, Switzerland, T +41 22 365 4420, F +41 22 365 4421, isf@worldseed.org, http://www.worldseed.orgspecial 4 pager.indd 52 2021-06-08 8:19 AM'