Comment in 2020

Global food systems have complex, diverse and coupled multisectoral dynamics that present challenges for progressive interdisciplinary research. We propose a framework for inclusive, flexible and iterative integration across disciplines to support the entire research process.

Mariculture has attracted much attention as a potential new source of food. Yet, the trophic efficiency of marine ecosystems is already high, making further improvements hard to achieve. Increasing marine food production may be possible by fishing at lower trophic levels, but the risks of such a practice must be considered.

Evaluating food systems in a holistic way is paramount to their transformation. Recent initiatives show how true cost accounting can help achieve that transformation at policy, product, organizational, farm, and investment levels.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact health and livelihoods in West Africa. Exposure of food system fragilities by the pandemic presents the opportunity for regional-specific reforms to deliver healthy diets for all and promote resilience to future shocks.

Food systems are driven by incentives that often lead to food being discarded before entering the market and to the degradation of natural resources. Vegetable production in the water-scarce province of Almería, Spain, illustrates this and highlights the need for policies ensuring ethical and environmental sustainability standards.

The European Union’s new Farm to Fork Strategy will initiate several well-defined actions, but its potential to foster genuine change of EU food systems depends on the resolution of four key governance challenges, and political momentum during the implementation phase.

The expression ‘less but better’ is used to guide Western meat consumption towards sustainability. Its definition, however, lacks clarity and may push meat consumption further from sustainable practices. The research community needs to provide a more informed explanation to consumers of what is ‘less’ and what is ‘better’.

The harmonized classification of titanium dioxide as a suspected carcinogen has the potential to misinform consumers and promote aversive behaviour. The case exemplifies the limits of a hazard-based classification system that should not be used without exposure assessment in downstream, sector-specific legislation.

To operationalize the great food system transformation and ensure its sustainability, five areas of research and action require more attention: economic and structural costs; political economy; diversity of cultural norms; equity and social justice; and governance and decision support tools.

Poor ocean governance enables illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing with negative impacts on seafood value chains, environment, society and global food security. A new Blue Paper outlines strategies — based on transparency and international cooperation — that could turn the tide on IUU fishing practices.

Bivalve shellfish represent a nutritious and low-impact food source that is underutilized. New innovations in production in this sector could fulfil the protein needs of nearly one billion people in the most vulnerable global regions.

Recent changes in pesticide regulations in Brazil may have public health and environmental ramifications for Brazil and its trade partners. Cross-country cooperation is key to upholding food safety.

Insufficient capacity in domestic food production, just-in-time supply chains and Brexit-related labour market challenges have weakened the UK’s food system. Building redundancy and diversity in the food system is essential for resilience in the COVID-19 recovery.

The Food Systems Dashboard brings together extant data from public and private sources to help decision makers understand their food systems, identify their levers of change and decide which ones need to be pulled.

COVID-19 is disrupting food systems globally and governments must stabilize food supply chains and thoughtfully expand social safety nets now to avert social unrest. Lessons learned from the 2008–2012 food price crises point to seven actionable points to consider.

Given the important role that nutritional science plays in global food and health policy, some of the key uncertainties in nutrition research that policy makers should take into consideration are outlined here.

Scientific meetings should be organized in the spirit of responsible consumption and production, including the prioritization of plant-based meals for reduced nitrogen loss. The Cercedilla Manifesto indicates how.

The continuing loss of ecosystems, species and intraspecific genetic diversity has profound implications for agriculture, food security and human wellbeing. An urgent response is needed, including at global level.

A food system framework breaks down entrenched sectoral categories and existing adaptation and mitigation silos, presenting novel ways of assessing and enabling integrated climate change solutions from production to consumption.

Without a great food system transformation, the world will fail to deliver both on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement. There are five grand challenges to be faced, by science and society, to effect that transformation.