A3. Agroecology

In a packed schedule of field visits, lectures, and discussions, LVC delegates studied and observed a wide range of agricultural practices: from family farming at the village level to industrial-scale operations at the county, provincial, and national levels. This diversity offered a comprehensive view of China's current agricultural landscape.

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The violent interception of the Handala Boat, which occurred while the vessel was sailing in international waters, constitutes a grave violation of international law. It breaches the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which affirms the right to freedom of navigation and prohibits the use of force against civilian ships on peaceful missions.

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Our food systems are at a breaking point, with climate change putting lives and livelihoods at risk. While Europe and the United States are sweltering in unprecedented heatwaves, smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, who grow up to 70 percent of the region’s food, are battling temperatures higher than in any year since the dawn of agriculture over 10,000 years ago.

The global funding context has also dramatically altered, with official development assistance under strain and geopolitical tensions shifting donor priorities towards defense.

The first U.N. Food Systems Summit four years ago laid out an ambitious vision for transforming how countries grow, process, and consume food—making social and environmental concerns as important as productivity and nutrition. Against a backdrop of pressing global challenges, next week’s summit in Ethiopia will take stock of how far we’ve come—and where we go next.

Despite the headwinds, I am optimistic. There is no single blueprint for food systems transformation, but there are common levers of progress. One of the most powerful of these is innovation. When combined with other key levers—smart investments and increased political will—we will see impact for farmers at scale.

Innovation is not a luxury. Accelerating access to innovation for smallholder farmers must be a priority. Ensuring they get the tools and technologies they need will enable them to grow more food, earn more income, and protect the land they depend on while limiting harmful environmental impacts.

Nowhere is this more urgent than in the production of staple crops. Demand for cereals in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to triple by 2050 as the population soars. Unless farmers can rapidly and sustainably increase their yields, the only alternative to import dependency will be massive expansion of cropland, with devastating effects on biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions.

Taking a food systems approach—a holistic view that includes every aspect of food, from farm to table, and its connection with health, the environment, and the economy—requires investing quickly in a new generation of technologies and practices. This includes, for example, Fast-tracking improved crop varieties and livestock that are more resistant to drought, heat, and pests, and shifting to naturally resilient crops like millet and sorghum; unleashing the power of AI to deploy next-level mobile phone-based advisory tools and weather forecasting to help farmers judge what and when to plant; and accelerating the adoption of green fertilizers to restore soil health.

Ethiopia proves climate-smart farming pays off. In the country, innovation is already driving progress at the field level. One example is the Farmer.Chat app. Powered by AI, it allows extension agents to share highly personalized information and advice with farmers, including on the use of fertilizer and water and pest control. It works in local languages and has the preferences of women farmers baked into its design.

Impact studies have shown that its fertilizer advice alone increased crop yields by 38 percent, without increasing the amount of fertilizer used, and cut the cost of agricultural extension tenfold. The government is now scaling the tool through four states.

Importantly, global political will is aligning with opportunity: We’re seeing political will to prioritize innovation, as governments recognize the need to do more with less.

In January, African agriculture ministers adopted the Kampala Declaration, committing to mobilize a total of US$100 billion in public and private sector investment in African agriculture and food systems by 2035, including funding agricultural research and development to the tune of 1 percent of AgGDP. And at the World Bank- IMF Spring Meetings last April, finance ministers signed up to the IMF’s prescription for economic growth, which highlighted mobilizing innovations and technology adoption, alongside a better environment for business by removing excessive regulation and fighting corruption.

The next frontier will be to finance and scale. For innovation to drive lasting, systems-level change, including transforming policy frameworks and other underlying structures, we now need to unlock financing and scale it up.

Private sector capital will be critical, as will climate finance directed towards adaptation. Currently, food systems receive only 4 percent of climate finance, and only 1 percent of total climate finance goes to smallholder farmers. For many African governments, high debt-servicing costs leave little fiscal space for public investment, even when political will is strong.

COP30 in Brazil will be a key moment. The “Baku to Belém Roadmap” includes a commitment to identify how to scale up climate finance from $300 billion to the estimated US$1.3 trillion needed. However, with persistent disagreement at the Bonn climate talks over inadequate funding for loss and damage and the role of public versus private finance in meeting shortfalls, followed by many leaders opting not to attend the Financing for Development Conference, current efforts are not encouraging.

What matters now is finding common ground to turn commitment into action and ensuring food systems are at the center of the conversation. The promise of impactful new technologies, as Ethiopia is already demonstrating, provides an important key towards finding this common ground.

This is a critical juncture for global food systems. Smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa are operating in uncharted territory. But with the right investment in innovation—adapted to context, accessible to all, and supported by smart policy—they can be at the forefront of food systems transformation.

UNFSS+4 is our chance to turn momentum into sustained progress through greater investment and a bold commitment to innovation.

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of Eyelit Studio, Unsplash

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We, the participants of the African Chefs’ Gathering and Policy Convening on African Food Systems, representing 23 countries across the continent have come together in a spirit of unity, purpose, and solidarity to issue this collective declaration. Celebrating Our Heritage We affirm the beauty, dignity, and sacredness of African food systems, which have nourished bodies, […]

The post Declaration of the First African Chefs’ Gathering and Policy Convening on African Food Systems first appeared on AFSA.

This October, the World Food Prize Foundation will formally award Dr. Mariangela Hungria as the recipient of the 2025 World Food Prize. Hungria is being honored her work on work on nitrogen fixation, soil health, and crop nutrition.

Hungria, a researcher with the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), is credited with helping Brazil become an agricultural powerhouse. But her methods weren’t always widely embraced.

The World Food Prize laureate attended school in the 1970s, a time when when crop yields were seeing dramatic increases as a result of the Green Revolution, characterized by the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides. But Hungria was interested in microorganisms, and she believed they offered a solution that didn’t require farmers to rely so heavily on synthetic chemicals. She called it a micro green revolution.

The pushback that Hungria received from her teachers and peers was significant. “Everybody said that I had no future with biologicals,” she tells Food Tank. But Hungria persisted. In her research, she proved that it was possible for farmers to apply less fertilizer, thereby cutting greenhouse gas emissions, while also improving their yields and livelihoods.

And through her career, farmers remained central to her work, Hungria says. “Every research that I did, it was because a farmer came to me to talk about something. It was because a farmer came [to me] or I met a farmer in the field, and he told me what he wanted and what was happening, and that gave me ideas to do my work.”

Read more about Mariangela Hungria’s work in a new piece on Forbes, and watch or listen to a conversation with the World Food Prize laureate on a new episode of “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg.”

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of Lucas Friederich, Wikimedia Commons

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Recent cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid will result in substantial job loss and declining state revenues for years to come, according to researchers at George Washington University.

In anticipation of the budget reconciliation bill, the researchers ran an economic modeling system to estimate the effects of federal funding cuts for Medicaid and (SNAP) on state economies. Their model projects a myriad of economic ramifications for Americans, including about 1.3 million jobs lost nationwide in health care, food related industries, and other sectors. The cuts will also result in lower state gross domestic products (GDPs) — amounting to US$113 billion in losses.

President Donald Trump signed the tax and spending bill into law early July despite pushback from anti-hunger advocates and community leaders. The bill includes reductions of more than US$1 trillion between Medicaid and SNAP. These cuts will result in about 5 million people seeing reduced SNAP benefits. Additionally, 11.8 million Americans may lose their health insurance according to estimates from  the Congressional Budget Office.

“These cuts are bad for families, bad for businesses, and bad for the economy as a whole,” Crystal FitzSimons, President of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) tells Food Tank. “SNAP is one of the strongest tools we have for keeping people fed and supporting local economies, especially in rural areas. Every SNAP dollar generates up to US$1.80 in economic activity during a downturn, supporting everyone from farmers and truckers to grocery store clerks and small businesses.”

States are already grappling with how to balance budgets and are beginning to cut other critical programs such as the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program which provides free lunches to school-aged children. Without these systems in place FitzSimons warns that, “families will once again be left to make the impossible choice between paying for groceries or paying the rent. No one should have to make that choice.”

SNAP benefits, historically funded solely by the federal government, will now be shifted to state contributions. States must contribute to SNAP benefits in relation to error rates, the higher a state’s error rate, the higher amount of contributions it must make. Additionally, states will be required to cover 75 percent of administration costs and new work requirements will go into effect.

According to research from George Washington University and the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, work requirements fail to lead to increased employment. Instead, they “push even more families off [SNAP benefits] and deepen rural food insecurity.” FitzSimons tells Food Tank.

“Cuts to Medicaid and SNAP have drastic repercussions for the states and have economic effects that ripple out beyond healthcare and food,” Dr. Leighton Ku, Director of the Center for Health Policy Research at George Washington University and one of the lead researchers on the report, tells Food Tank. “The cuts are deep and harm state economies, employment, and state and local tax revenues.”

The modeling from Ku and his colleagues is based on the original House bill, and they are currently working on a revised analysis that takes into account the detailed provisions of the law. But, Ku tells Food Tank, he expects the general effects will not differ greatly, noting “the overall impact is similar with more [than] $1 trillion in cuts over a decade.”

GWU’s model reveals a multiplier effect: Every dollar cut from SNAP and Medicaid will lead to a larger negative impact on the economy. Health care providers such as hospitals, doctors’ offices, pharmacies, and nursing homes, as well as grocery and food stores will likely see lower revenue as eaters’ spending falls. Employer income loss can lead to reduced salaries, cuts in staffing, and job loss. State and local government revenue will drop as well due to reduced sales, income, and property taxes. Ultimately, the researchers show that states’ economies will suffer.

“Not only do [SNAP and Medicaid] directly support major parts of the health and food economy in each state, they are counter-cyclical programs, designed to provide more aid when the economy is weak and there are more poor people,” Ku explains to Food Tank. “Cuts to Medicaid and SNAP have drastic repercussions for the states and have economic effects that ripple out beyond health care and food.”

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of Rithika Gopal, Unsplash

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La Via Campesina expresses its deep concern over credible reports indicating that the Handala Solidarity Boat, currently en route to Gaza, is under drone surveillance—signaling a serious and escalating threat to this peaceful civilian mission organized by international civil society.

The post La Via Campesina expresses grave concern over the safety of the Handala Solidarity Boat and its participants appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.

Peasants, artisanal fishers, traditional peoples, and rural workers in Brazil face structural challenges that threaten their livelihoods and fundamental rights. Land concentration and agrarian conflicts are exacerbated by the lack of agrarian reform and the privatisation of common lands, leading to violence and impunity.

The post Challenges facing the Brazilian Peasantry: The UNDROP as a Tool for Struggle appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.

Each week, Food Tank is rounding up a few news stories that inspire excitement, infuriation, or curiosity.

U.N. Food Systems Summit Stocktake Kicks Off in a Few Days

From July 27–29, the second U.N. Food Systems Summit Stocktake will convene in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Four years after the inaugural summit launched a global push to transform how food is produced, distributed, and consumed, more than 3,000 delegates from around the world will assess whether those efforts are translating into meaningful change.

Co-hosted by Ethiopia and Italy, the meeting—referred to as UNFSS+4—will examine national progress on food systems transformation in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 2: ending hunger, improving nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture.

While over 120 countries have now developed national pathways, advocates express concerns about the  slow pace of implementation. Food and agriculture systems “are finally on the global agenda,” Ambassador Ertharin Cousin, CEO and Managing Director of Food Systems for the Future, tells Food Tank. But heading into this year’s Stocktake, she says, “progress remains too slow.”

The summit arrives amid growing criticism. Civil society groups are boycotting the event, citing concerns over corporate influence and a lack of focus on urgent humanitarian crises. But FAO’s Corinna Hawkes hopes the Stocktake offers a crucial opportunity for solidarity, learning, and renewed commitment and hopes UNFSS+4 will create a greater sense of solidarity between countries.

Indigenous Vegetables See Greater Demand in Kenya

Kenya is experiencing a resurgence in demand for indigenous vegetables. Long marginalized and once dismissed as weeds, these nutrient-rich crops are now gaining recognition for their health benefits, climate resilience, and cultural importance.

A resurgence began in the early 2000s, as rising food prices, malnutrition, and concerns over chemical inputs led researchers and activists to investigate the nutritional and ecological benefits of indigenous crops. Studies highlighted their nutritional value, pest-resistance, low input needs, and climate resilience. Kenya also launched national initiatives to inventory traditional foods and document indigenous knowledge and practices.

Demand grew, farmers responded, and efforts to preserve traditional foodways took root. In 2021, the country was acknowledged by UNESCO for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage.

Today, indigenous greens are more popular than imported varieties, despite higher costs, a restaurant near Nairobi tells BBC . Horticulture professor Mary Abukutsa-Onyango says production of these vegetables has doubled in the past decade, reaching 300,000 tons last year.

But efforts to scale up indigenous vegetable production in Kenya face legal hurdles. A law—introduced in 2012 to protect farmers from poor quality and counterfeit seeds—criminalizes the sale or exchange of uncertified seeds, carrying penalties of up to two years in prison or a US$7,700 fine, or both. Wambui Wakahiu, who trains farmers on seed conservation, tells the BBC that such policies do not support efforts to save indigenous crop varieties, as their seeds are not available in farm-supply shops.

But farmers are taking action. 15 smallholder farmers petitioned the High Court to challenge the law, arguing it makes seed access unaffordable. Meanwhile, chefs, farmers, researchers, and vegetable vendors see the demand and the benefits and they are committed to helping more eaters enjoy these once-overlooked crops.

Tanzania Launches a Digital Agricultural Extension System

Tanzania’s Ministry of Agriculture has launched e-Kilimo, a digital platform designed to help farmers—particularly in rural and remote areas—connect with certified extension officers for real-time, location-specific technical advice.

Accessible via a mobile app, the platform aims to improve productivity and enhance public sector responsiveness by bridging gaps in farm-level support. The system also includes a registry of agricultural input suppliers, enabling the government to trace product distribution and crack down on counterfeit seeds and agrochemicals.

To improve service delivery, e-Kilimo incorporates a performance evaluation system for extension agents, including mandatory feedback forms and annual reviews. “This is about protecting the farmer and safeguarding our national food security,” the Minister of Agriculture says.

Despite its promise, national adoption may face challenges. According to the International Telecommunication Union, only one-third of Tanzanians are online, and 75 percent live in rural areas where internet and smartphone access remains limited. Still, the government says it is optimistic and working toward wider platform uptake.

EPA Plans to Close its Scientific Research Arm

The U.N. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will close the Office of Research and Development (ORD), the arm of the agency that is responsible for providing scientific expertise for environmental policies and regulations.

The Office analyzes dangers posed by hazards including toxic chemicals, the climate crisis, water pollution, soil pollution, smog, wildfires, indoor air contaminants, watershed destruction, and drinking water pollutants. The Associated Press reports that as many as 1,155 chemists, biologists, toxicologists and other scientists could be laid off.

The news has been expected since March, when the New York Times first reported on a leaked document calling for the closure of ORD. And in May, EPA said it would shift its scientific expertise and research efforts to program offices that focus on major issues like air and water.

Former EPA and ORD scientists argue that dismantling ORD will “jeopardize human and environmental health” and “weaken American science and global competitiveness.” They write that the Office “provides the scientific backbone for response and recovery—safeguarding human health, the environment, and the economy.”

And U.S. Members of Congress Chellie Pingree and Jeff Merkley writes that eliminating ORD will “have devastating consequences.” The decision, they say, “will weaken scientific oversight, eliminate critical regulatory safeguards, and give polluting industries unchecked influence over environmental policy and ultimately human health.”

In ORD’s place, the agency is creating a new Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions. Officials say that once fully implemented, it will save the EPA nearly US$750 million.

New Report Reveals Insufficient Progress to Reach Global Nutrition Targets

A new report from the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the World Bank reveals that there has been significant progress made in the last decade, but we are “still far from a world without malnutrition.”

The Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates (JME), released annually, track global trends in child stunting, overweight, underweight, wasting, and severe wasting. The latest edition of the JME show that wasting—the most life-threatening form of acute malnutrition—has declined from 50.9 million cases in 2012 to 42.8 million in 2023.

But rates of stunting, a condition where a child’s height is significantly below average for their age, remain high. There are 150.2 million children affected and just over a quarter of countries are on track to halve the number of children affected by stunting in 2030. And child overweight continues to affect nearly every region, with 35.5 million children under five classified as overweight—an increase of 2.2 million since 2000.

The agencies cite challenges in data collection and monitoring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, armed conflict, and declining development aid. In 20 percent of countries, there is insufficient data to assess progress. Without reliable data and sustained investment, the report stresses, countries risk reversing gains in child health and nutrition.

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of Annie Spratt, Unsplash

The post Food Tank’s Weekly News Roundup: A New Platform for Farmers in Tanzania, the Future of the EPA, and New Data on Global Malnutrition appeared first on Food Tank.

The Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) is seeking a qualified consultant or research team to carry out a desk-based study on the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) financing of agriculture between 2019 and 2025. The study will analyze AfDB investment flows, project types, governance structures, and alignment with agroecology and food sovereignty principles. The work will […]

The post Call for Proposals: Tracking the African Development Bank’s Role in Reshaping African Agriculture first appeared on AFSA.

By Brooke Franke, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union This year, National Farmers Union (NFU) All-States Leadership Summit took a major leap forward, hosting the event for the first time in Washington, […]

The post Brooke Franke: My Experience at All-States Leadership Summit first appeared on National Farmers Union.

The new Food Security Leadership Council (FSLC) led by 2024 World Food Prize Laureate Cary Fowler aims to align American policy, science, and action to solve global hunger.

The council will spotlight the impact of U.S. policies on global food systems and craft a forward-looking blueprint for U.S. engagement on food and nutrition security. Their work will focus on six interconnected themes: food and agricultural innovation, multilateral policy, public data and early warning, trade, international agricultural development, and humanitarian response.

More than 700 million people face hunger in the world, according to the United Nations, with numbers expected to rise in the coming decades as the climate crisis, soil degradation, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss worsen.

“What really keeps me up late at night is the combination of factors. It’s not just the effect of climate change on food production. It’s the effect of climate change plus soil degradation plus problems with aquifers that are supplying irrigation water,” says Fowler. “We’re going to be seeing the effects of all of these factors combined.”

U.S. policy decisions are exacerbating these challenges. The closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Fowler writes, has “changed the world.” The effects of the sudden termination of agricultural research and humanitarian aid programs are only beginning to reveal themselves, but as experts shape a response to these changes, Fowler warns that “restoration of what came before is unrealistic, unwise and unnecessary. We seek transformation, not a return to the status quo ante.”

FSLC is drawing on the expertise of two advisory groups that will guide and support the organization’s work as they try to chart a new path forward. A team of Distinguished Fellows include Food Tank Board Member Bill Burke, former USAID Deputy Director Jerry Glover, Rosamond Naylor of Stanford University, Roy Steiner of The Rockefeller Foundation, and Arun Baral of HarvestPlus.  A second group, referred to as Members, include Ambassador Ertharin Cousin, Chef Dan Barber, 2022 World Food Prize Laureate Cynthia Rosenzweig, and former U.S. Senator Jon Tester.

“We have an unprecedented opportunity to reset and rebuild our policies, investments, and institutions to meet this challenge,” says Fowler. “The FSLC intends to develop a blueprint to do just that.”

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Photo courtesy of Elisa Kerschbaumer

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Bangladesh's Daily‑Based Temporary Workers Employment Policy, 2025, introduced by the Ministry of Finance, allows government agencies to hire workers on a daily basis for up to 22 days per month, aimed at filling urgent or essential roles. The Bangladesh Agricultural Farm Labourers’ Federation (BAFLF) has strongly criticized the policy, calling it misguided and harmful to workers’ rights.

The post Bangladesh: Farm Workers Protest Finance Ministry’s Temporary Employment Policy appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.

World Food Program USA launched a new campaign that will leverage the arts and the power of Gen Z to mobilize a new generation of anti-hunger advocates. 

Through custom artwork Fill the Silence is highlighting the futures that are unlocked when communities have access to nutritious food—and the potential that is lost when it’s inaccessible. A series of pieces by artists Brandon Breaux and Indie184 serve as anchors of the campaign. They convey eight stories of people facing food insecurity around the world, while remaining hopeful and action oriented.

The works are designed to change the dominant narrative around hunger, which advocates say is no longer inspiring action. “Dire photos and desperate pleas—nothing seems to shock or move us anymore. The world’s hunger crisis is blurred in our minds and getting tuned out,” says Brandon Rochon, a World Food Program USA Board Member. 

With the campaign, the organization hopes to encourage a “mindset shift” in Americans, says Jessamyn Sarmiento, World Food Program USA Chief Marketing Officer. “We want them to see the limitless potential of the hungriest people and understand the critical, doable, available solutions that can make a difference,” she tells Food Tank.

World Food Program USA aims to convert new attention into action, raising funds to support families around the world who are experiencing hunger. They also hope to recruit members for the Zero Hunger Generation, a new program for grassroots advocates passionate about creating a world where everyone is nourished. 

The Campaign comes at a time when funding for food aid is on the decline, which the World Food Programme says they have been forced to scale back and even halt some operations. Reduced assistance “could amount to a death sentence for millions of people,” the organization says. And according to an analysis in Nature, the cuts for global nutrition funding could result in an additional 369,000 child deaths each year that would have otherwise been preventable.

“We are at an inflection point in the global hunger crisis,” Sarmiento tells Food Tank. “There’s a rising tide of interest in global hunger issues—and because of the news coverage around funding cuts, more people are talking about it than ever before. We’re leaning into this elevated awareness to harness it and mobilize action.”

World Food Program USA wants to show that hunger is a human-made crisis, with solutions available to solve it. And they believe Gen Z will play a critical role in sharing this message.

“Our research shows that global hunger is the number one issue that Gen Z cares about,” Sarmiento says. “They have a vested interest in improving this world they will inherit and one day lead. Gen Z is also a tremendous influence with other generations; they have the passion and charisma to persuade others to take on the mission of creating a hunger-free world.” 

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.

Image courtesy of Indie184 for World Food Program USA

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When governments normalize genocide and institutions retreat behind silence, it is the duty of peoples' movements to act. The Handala mission stands as a concrete expression of grassroots determination in the face of institutional failure and global silence.

The post La Via Campesina Joins the Handala Mission to Break the Siege on Gaza appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.

While India is in the middle of negotiating a trade agreement with the US, Indonesia has already entered into a deal that grants American agricultural goods duty-free access—moves that farmers say will lead to long-term dependency and harm.

The post US Trade Deals: Peasant Unions in Indonesia and India Sound Alarm, Warn of Erosion of Food Sovereignty appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.

WASHINGTON – National Farmers Union (NFU) proudly supports the Strengthening Local Food Security Act, introduced today by Senators Justice and Reed. This vital legislation establishes a federal program to fund […]

The post NFU Celebrates Introduction of the Strengthening Local Food Security Act first appeared on National Farmers Union.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recently released a report entitled “Transforming Food and Agriculture Through a Systems Approach.” Published ahead of the U.N. Food Systems Summit +4 Stocktake (UNFSS+4), this food systems transformation report tries to lay the groundwork for governments to make unified, strategic efforts in addressing mounting food security challenges globally.

The report, authored by Corinna Hawkes, Director of the Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division at the FAO, aims to demystify an interconnected approach to transforming food and agriculture. Hawkes argues that systems thinking isn’t a buzzword; it’s a necessary shift if the world hopes to solve overlapping food, health, and environmental challenges.

Hawkes links this call for transformation to her high expectations for the upcoming UNFSS+4. This year’s event provides an opportunity for countries to reflect on progress since the 2021 U.N. Food Systems Summit and first Stocktake in 2023, and align on next steps for food system reform.

UNFSS+4 “will create a greater sense of solidarity between countries,” Hawkes tells Food Tank. She also shares that, “at a deeper level, this is what I believe is key to multilateralism: a sense, a feeling that it’s better to work together on issues of common interest, and there is so much that can be learned from each other.”

This spirit of collaboration and shared learning is at the heart of “Transforming Food and Agriculture Through a Systems Approach.” The report argues that real progress requires interconnected, system-wide solutions. And it highlights case studies, called “pockets of progress,” from around the globe to show where this is already happening.

Ethiopia, for example, has brought different ministries together to create a holistic plan that improves food systems, health, and sustainability since 2021. Supported by cross-ministerial coordination and monitoring aligned with national, regional, and global goals, the country is now sharing lessons learned from the process. And in Switzerland, the government worked to improve agrifood policy by applying true cost accounting to expose hidden social, environmental, and economic costs—fostering transparent, evidence-based decisions across sectors.

This food systems transformation report highlights six core elements to help policymakers and practitioners think, organize, and act differently. These include systems thinking, systems knowledge, systems governance, systems doing, systems investment, and systems learning.

The approach the report advocates for begins with systems thinking, Hawkes writes. Practitioners start a systems approach by identifying how different parts of agrifood systems connect and who needs to be involved. It helps build a shared vision and pinpoint key opportunities for change. Systems thinking relies on systems knowledge, which draws on diverse evidence to uncover root causes, anticipate impacts, and support better decision-making.

Effective systems governance coordinates sectors, shares leadership, and addresses power imbalances to unite efforts and ensure equity. Furthermore, systems doing focuses on aligning actions, policies, and programs to work together smoothly, maximizing impact rather than working in silos. Systems investment can provide the long-term funding needed for transformation. And systems learning embeds ongoing monitoring, adaptation, and knowledge-sharing to improve strategies over time. This can help governments respond to the ever-changing complexities of agrifood systems.

Overall, the six elements aim not just to inform, but to guide concrete, coordinated action. And Hawkes believes that the momentum to employ this systems based approach is growing. “Countries are not about starting from the beginning – they are already making the shift, as the examples in the report show,” she tells Food Tank.

Hawkes emphasizes that she wants to see the report support that shift in mindset and action: “I hope this report stimulates policymakers and practitioners to ask the question: What does taking a systems approach mean for what we need to do differently? What does it mean to me?”

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.

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"The territorial violence criminalizes struggles, increases persecution, threats, arrests and murders. The dispute in the territories is patriarchal, colonial, LGBT-phobic and sexist. And we are the organizations that have historically defended the territories."

The post Diversities Seminar, Brazil: Rural organizations describe the main challenges in defending the “body-territory” in Latin America appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.

Peasant youth face abandonment, dispossession, and the structural violence of public policies that deny essential rights such as health, education, food, housing, decent jobs, and access to land. The consequence is clear: inequality is growing, our lands and common goods are being monopolized, and our dignity as peoples is being violated.

The post CLOC – La Via Campesina’s Central American Regional Youth Camp | Statement appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.