Bhutan hosts first Global Conscious Food Systems Summit

The first Global Conscious Food Systems Summit has convened in Paro, Bhutan, bringing together approximately 400 delegates from over 60 countries. Organized by the Royal Government of Bhutan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Conscious Food Systems Alliance (CoFSA), the summit runs from August 31 to September 4, 2026.

Participants are addressing a global “polycrisis” involving food insecurity, climate change, and extreme weather patterns, including a strengthening El Niño expected to persist through 2026. The summit explores “conscious food systems,” an approach that integrates agricultural production with human health, culture, and environmental stewardship.

Keynote speakers include spiritual leader Amma, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former Irish President Mary Robinson, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, and Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya. Discussions emphasize that policy and investment must be paired with shifts in individual and collective consciousness to achieve sustainable development and ensure food reaches those in need.