With a focus on the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit, this is the first of a two-part dialogue series that brings together African and European leaders to discuss how to strengthen access to food  through climate-resilient and inclusive land governance. At the heart of the discussions will be a frank exchange on how international partnerships  can make a real difference for those most vulnerable to both hunger and climate change, while also protecting Africa's rich biodiversity.

The discussions will highlight small-scale and nature-based solutions for food production practices in both rural and urban settings. Panelists will further explore how a rights-based perspective can help bridge the gap between the Sustainable Development Goals and other global aspirations, and the daily reality of people on the ground.

The event series is convened by Berlin-based Robert Bosch Stiftung and TMG Research, in collaboration with the Future Africa Initiative at the University of Pretoria and the African Research Universities Alliance Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems (ARUA-SFS).

Speakers include:

Luc Gnacadja, President, Governance & Policies for Sustainable Development (GPS-Dev) and Former Executive Secretary, UN Convention to Combat Desertification

Fatima Denton, Director, UN University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA)

Tawana Kupe, Vice Chancellor, University of Pretoria

Lindiwe Mabele-Sibanda, Director, Director African Research Universities Alliance Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems (ARUA-SFS)

Martin Frick, Deputy to the Special Envoy, UN Food Systems Summit

Muthoni Wanyeki, Africa Regional Director, Open Society Foundation

Sebastian Lesch, Head of Agriculture Department, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development