Iman Ahmed

Boğaziçi University, 34342 Bebek/Istanbul Turkey, abdulkadir.ahmed@boun.edu.tr

Defne Cılız

Üsküdar American Academy, 34674 Üsküdar/ İstanbul Turkey

Abstract

The pandemic not only has halted our day-to-day life but has also slowed down our progress towards attaining the SDGs by 2030. Hence, an all-hands-on-deck approach in which stakeholders come together to ensure the implementation of the SDGs is essential for a post-pandemic recovery. As the SDGs are perceived to be an invisible whole it is eminent that synergies and trade-offs exist within the different goals. This conference paper explores the environmental-human linkage within SDG 2 and SDG 12 with a focus on the optimization of the synergies between sustainable food production systems and resilient agriculture practices while addressing how to reduce the tradeoffs between these goals. Moreover, the paper will look into specific targets and indicators for both SDG 2 and SDG 12 and will explore these targets within the framework of food loss, proper food waste management, and utilization; increased crop yield; sustainable food production methodologies; the effect of the food production sector on the environment; as well as efficient resource utilization including water, land, and nitrogen in the context of turkey. Additionally, the paper will look into and provide suggestions on how different stakeholders, and most importantly the youth, can play a part in accelerating the realization of these specific targets.

Keywords: SDG 2, post-covid, Food Sustainability, Resilient agriculture systems, Responsible food production, Food security