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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.
COVID-19 has provided valuable insights into the role of logical-scientific communication during a crisis. Narrative communication may be better suited for other public and planetary health challenges, including those that pertain to food systems — and story-telling could be an effective agent for change.
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.
The multidimensional problems of food require integrated solutions. Yet, there is a lack of clarity on the operationalization of systems thinking in research. This is a major challenge for those working towards the Food Systems Summit.
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.
Food systems must be transformed urgently, hunger is on the rise and the targets of SDG2 are off track. But we are moving briskly to pivotal summits in 2021 and World Food Day has a powerful message of hope and solidarity: ‘Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together’.
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.
