Towards a community of practice : a way to improve research, advocacy and policy in healthy food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean

This project aimed to create a Community of Practice to strengthen research and advocacy tools and regional capacities in the field of healthy diets, non communicable diseases prevention, health promotion and sustainable food systems, by fostering collaboration and cooperation among correlated sectors, across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC region). This final report presents considerations about the activities developed by all institutions included in the project, highlighting those related to the construction of Colansa's governance and institutional development. Colansa was launched in March 2021, and has organized 8 member meetings, online consultations, and open spaces for interactions among the members. Until July 2022, 20 organizations and 169 individuals are members. The activities and strategies developed by all partners played a key role in establishing common values and visions about what we aspire to as food systems that promote health, contribute to the environment and social justice in the region. By developing the capacity building sessions, it was possible to strengthen research and advocacy tools and regional capacities to address the priority action lines of the CoP. The elaboration of the conceptual framework on gender perspective for projects contributed to embed gender analysis and promote women empowerment as part of the regional research and advocacy agenda of the CoP. A series of advocacy and communication activities were developed in order to improve a regional strategy on front-of-package nutrition labeling, as a model of collaboration for other priority action lines. Colansa shares the understanding that structural changes are needed in food systems and that the LAC region has great potential to contribute regarding public policy innovation. Colansa is becoming an active and knowledgeable community, bringing relevant topics for discussion and subsequent propositions of strategies, insights, experiences, synergistic opportunities and useful connections for diverse, but related stakeholders.