Bhutan Food Systems Summit Puts Consciousness on Global Policy Map as Countries Move Towards Implementation

Bhutan Food Systems Summit Puts Consciousness on Global Policy Map as Countries Move Towards Implementation

RITURAJ PHUKAN

The first Global Conscious Food Systems Summit took place in Paro, Bhutan, from 31 August–4 September 2026, bringing together nearly 400 participants from about 65 countries. It was convened by the Royal Government of Bhutan, the Conscious Food Systems Alliance (CoFSA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The summithas put an idea historically associated largely with personal and spiritual practice firmly into discussions about policy, institutions and global systems change.

[Andrew Bovarnick, Global Head, UNDP Food Systems]

Nearly 400 participants from about 65 countries – including political leaders, Indigenous Peoples, farmers, scientists, businesses, young people and development practitioners – explored whether changing how people think, relate, exercise power and make decisions can unlock different responses to an interconnected polycrisis spanning climate change, food insecurity, inequality, conflict and ecological degradation.

Drawing on Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness approach, Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay stressed that growth and prosperity matter, but development must ultimately serve people and wellbeing. For Bhutan, food systems should nourish people, support livelihoods and opportunities for young people, protect soil, water and biodiversity, and sustain a competitive and resilient private sector. He brought the argument directly into decision-making:

[H.E. Ban Ki-Moon, 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations]

“Behind our systems are people making decisions, and those decisions are shaped not only by what we know and what we can do, they are shaped by what we value. This is where consciousness enters the conversation.

The Summit explored how development can serve human wellbeing while supporting livelihoods, protecting soil, water and biodiversity, and building resilient economies.The gathering concluded that science and technology remain essential, however participants called for Indigenous and traditional knowledge, lived experience, cultural values and local realities to contribute alongside scientific evidence.

A central proposition emerged from the week: transforming systems requires looking not only at what decisions are made, but at the values, relationships and ways of thinking that shape how and why they are made.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon placed that shift firmly within the sustainable development agenda:

“The lesson is clear: inner and cultural transformation—a conscious shift in our mindsets, values, and worldviews—must be recognized as a fundamental enabler of sustainable development, alongside policy, finance, and technology.”

[H.E. Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka during the opening ceremony]

Carlos Watson, Director of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub and FAO Office of the SDGs, connected that argument directly to the global food-systems policy process. Despite progress since the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, he warned that change is still not happening fast enough and that food systems risk being reduced to a technical or technocratic issue.

“This Summit, by emphasizing values, inner capacities and principles, shed light on the invisible part of the iceberg: it always starts, and ends with people.”

He said CoFSA and its members could contribute to the acceleration needed towards 2030, pointing to future opportunities including the UNFSS+6 Stocktake and the 2027 SDG Summit.

[H.E. Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of the Government of Bhutan during the opening ceremony]

Moko Morris, a Māori food sovereignty advocate from Aotearoa New Zealand, said:

“Conscious ways of working require us to heal from past trauma and lead from a deeper place. Leadership is in every single one of us. We might do it differently, but we are required to lead in a holistic way in connection with the ecosystem.”

The Summit also explored how these inner dimensions connect with collective and structural change. Dr Jessica Bockler, Director of Alef Trust, said:

“Lasting food-systems transformation requires us to work with the inner dimensions which shape our systems: consciousness, values, relationships. We are committed to exploring how inner transformation, collective capacities and structural changes can work together to create more life-affirming futures.”

[Opening Ceremony at the Dungkar Dzong]

ALEF Trust supported CoFSA to make the summit inclusive with online reflective spaces for 5 different regions through its new Centre for Ecology of Human Transformation which explores the connections between consciousness, inner transformation and wider social and ecological changes.

Business leaders challenged conventional ideas of value. Dilhan Fernando, CEO of Dilmah Tea, said:

“People and Nature are one; if a business creates value for nature and people then it has the right to create economic value for itself. If it doesn’t fulfill that condition, it is extracting value. That’s no different to colonialism.”

[Rituraj Phukan (writer) sharing his collated reflections as a sense-maker during the opening plenary on the final day at Tui Blue Resort, Paro.]

From Bhutan to implementation

The Summit launched the Conscious Food Systems Framework, consolidating more than five years of global co-creation and over 50 examples of practice exploring how consciousness, values, mindsets and relationships can contribute to food systems transformation. The next phase will focus on practical application, including guidance for different sectors and implementation at country and local levels.

Practical guidance will now be developed to translate the approach for different actors and sectors, while the international community of practice will expand through national and regional networks and leadership programmes.

At the country level, the next phase will begin testing what conscious food systems approaches look like in practice and building evidence around their application.

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Andrew Bovarnick, UNDP’s Global Head of Food and Agricultural Commodity Systems, said:

“I look forward to seeing the Conscious Food Systems Framework applied by countries, building a growing body of evidence of what this looks like at national and local levels, and how values and principles can help create the conditions for regeneration, health and equity to grow.”

“Our collaboration with Bhutan provides an exciting opportunity to take this work forward, exploring how the Framework can be applied here and connected with Bhutan’s approach to Gross National Happiness. We also look forward to supporting Bhutan in bringing its experience and voice on conscious food systems to the world.”

The Summit concluded with butter-lamp lighting and a water blessing, symbolically activating the “heart of food systems transformation.” The Global Conscious Food Systems Summit was convened by the Royal Government of Bhutan, the Conscious Food Systems Alliance (CoFSA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

RITURAJ PHUKAN : Founder, Indigenous People’s Climate Justice Forum; Co-Founder, Smily Academy ;National Coordinator for Biodiversity, The Climate Reality Project India; Member, IUCN Wilderness Specialist Group; Commission Member – IUCN WCPA Climate Change, IUCN WCPA Connectivity Conservation, IUCN WCPA Indigenous People and Protected Areas Specialist Groups, IUCN WCPA South Asia Region and IUCN WCPA-SSC Invasive Alien Species Task Force; Member, International Antarctic Expedition 2013; Climate Force Arctic 2019 ; Ambassador, Marine Arctic Peace Sanctuary. Rituraj Phukan is the Climate Editor, Mahabahu , Managing Editor –Mahabahu Mirror and  the Secretary cum Convenor, Mahabahu Climate Forum.

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