Perspectives in 2023

Agricultural extension services are critical for food security and rural development but face several limitations—particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Based on real-life testing of GPT to generate technical advice for cassava farmers in Nigeria, this Perspective examines the shortcomings of this technology, as well as its potential to transform extension services.

The European Commission’s recent proposal for more sustainable use of plant protection products has raised concerns over the impact that reduced pesticide use could have on agricultural yields. This Perspective reviews some of the impact assessments informing policy developments and critically analyses their assumptions.

Terrestrial controlled environment agriculture (CEA) will have an increasingly important role in food production. By comparing the technical similarities between space controlled environment agriculture (SpaCEA) and CEA systems, the authors argue that the development of SpaCEA provides a proportionate approach to addressing the technical, environmental and economic challenges of conventional CEA design.

Nutrition resources are limited and recent cuts in governmental development funds have added urgency to the matter. Building on the broader costs of malnutrition for human health and the sustainability of food systems, this Perspective offers an overview of the nutrition-financing landscape and public spending, as well as new opportunities with private funding and other non-traditional sources of financing.

The links between food systems and gender-based violence (GBV) remain largely neglected in research and policy. Building on the analysis of GBV and systematic inequalities within food systems, as well as how specific food system contexts shape GBV risk, this Perspective proposes a five-point collaborative agenda to address GBV in food systems.

Edible insects contain dietary fibre in the form of chitin and its derivatives, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, but questions remain about how consumption impacts the gut microbiome and intestinal health. Although insect production may be useful to address food security, more human intervention studies are needed to explore their potential for broader health benefits.

Assumptions built into databases may influence research outcomes and practices. This Perspective identifies and analyses public agricultural data practices in the United States as an under-recognized lever for transformative food systems change.

Using a resilience heuristic to diagnose food systems will allow us to identify and relieve the underlying drivers of food system challenges. This perspective identifies four ‘aching points’ that are central points of tension in the local–global debate, and proposes transformative pathways towards more sustainable and resilient food systems.