The 16th Annual PortFIR Meeting, held on October 17-18, 2024, was organized by the Food and Nutrition Department of the National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA) and centred on “Food Systems, Soil, Food Composition, and Health.” The event featured an opening conference by Professor Colin Sage, editor of “A Research Agenda for Food Systems”, who underscored the need for a transdisciplinary approach connecting food systems, planetary health, and human well-being, emphasising that effective change requires more than data; it needs new structures, civic engagement, and policy alignment at all levels, including municipal, national, and EU levels. Sage also called for leadership that prioritises human-centred food systems over profit-driven models. Professor Sage’s full presentation is available for viewing on YouTube.
Key sessions included a panel on regenerative food production, exploring whether it is possible to sustain populations while restoring ecosystems. Discussions highlighted that current diets would need significant changes for this to be feasible. Several presentations highlighted the links between soil quality, agricultural practices, and food composition, emphasizing the need for further research. A roundtable with experts from national authorities, public research institutions, universities, and the farming community, discussed collaborative knowledge production for sustainability, resulting in plans for a working group to address these issues.
The second day featured the award-winning documentary “Water is Love: Ripples of Regeneration,” emphasising the critical role of water cycle restoration. Following the film, presentations focused on the award-winning journalism piece “Without Water There Is No Food,” and on water resource management in Portugal, sparking a conversation led by journalists on water use and the cycles of disruption and regeneration, stressing the need to reconnect with local watersheds for food security, climate stability, and water availability.
A panel on food-related health interventions covered the economic impacts of food policies, early indicators of health risks driven by societal changes, current state and projected trends in childhood obesity, and the influence of socioeconomic factors on eating habits. Findings showed that modifying the food environment is among the most effective strategies for enhancing public health.
The event brought together municipalities and civil society organizations to showcase initiatives promoting local food systems, ecological literacy, and community health.
The meeting also featured presentations from PortFIR working groups, selected scientific papers, and the award for the best poster. With 554 participants, both in-person and online, and 1202 YouTube views, the meeting achieved high satisfaction, with 76.1% rating it as “Very Satisfied”.