The fragmentation of food systems and incoherent policies worsen the fundamental interlinked concerns facing the global food system, which include climate change, biodiversity loss, depletion of natural resources, malnutrition, food insecurity, inequality, and avoidable illness. In order to meet these problems, food systems must change in a way that encourages people to eat healthier diets from sustainable food systems, guaranteeing more equitable access to food and nutrition security. Numerous factors impede the advancement of more equal, fair, and sustainable food systems. These include the following: unequal treatment of women, undervaluation of sustainability concerns, a lack of participation from various value systems and Indigenous peoples' traditional knowledge, knowledge gaps about the relationships between various food system operations, and fragmented policies. For example, little is known about how trade regulation affects the environment, food habits, smallholder and Indigenous peoples' production methods, and gender equity issues. Policy makers are uncertain about how to incorporate food policies that support the transformation of food systems because of these gaps as well as the differing interests and values among constituency groups. Consequently, a significant investment in more effective science–policy interfaces (SPIs) and better, more pertinent knowledge systems is required. In order to support multi-sectoral and cross-scale policies that integrate food and nutrition security, public health, environmental sustainability, and societal wellbeing and equity, efficient SPIs must at least deliver on the following three priorities: the integration of research and data across food systems; the provision of a robust, transparent, and independent synthesis and assessment of knowledge, including scientific evidence and insights from the relevant stakeholders; and the provision of a pertinent, policy-related research agenda. By tackling these priorities collectively, we can establish an impartial, transparent, reputable, and authoritative consensus on scientific evidence and other forms of knowledge, which will help to resolve disagreements and uncertainties and close knowledge gaps.
The Scientific Group of the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), the High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) of the UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS), and this group of authors, the High Level Expert Group (EG) of the European Commission, are among the groups and organizations that are currently debating the best ways to transform food systems. In order to better assist the change of food systems in the upcoming decade or decades, we are focusing here on investigating possible possibilities for improving SPIs.
Dr. Sadaf Faryal Shah
The fragmentation of food systems and incoherent policies worsen the fundamental interlinked concerns facing the global food system, which include climate change, biodiversity loss, depletion of natural resources, malnutrition, food insecurity, inequality, and avoidable illness. In order to meet these problems, food systems must change in a way that encourages people to eat healthier diets from sustainable food systems, guaranteeing more equitable access to food and nutrition security. Numerous factors impede the advancement of more equal, fair, and sustainable food systems. These include the following: unequal treatment of women, undervaluation of sustainability concerns, a lack of participation from various value systems and Indigenous peoples' traditional knowledge, knowledge gaps about the relationships between various food system operations, and fragmented policies. For example, little is known about how trade regulation affects the environment, food habits, smallholder and Indigenous peoples' production methods, and gender equity issues. Policy makers are uncertain about how to incorporate food policies that support the transformation of food systems because of these gaps as well as the differing interests and values among constituency groups. Consequently, a significant investment in more effective science–policy interfaces (SPIs) and better, more pertinent knowledge systems is required. In order to support multi-sectoral and cross-scale policies that integrate food and nutrition security, public health, environmental sustainability, and societal wellbeing and equity, efficient SPIs must at least deliver on the following three priorities: the integration of research and data across food systems; the provision of a robust, transparent, and independent synthesis and assessment of knowledge, including scientific evidence and insights from the relevant stakeholders; and the provision of a pertinent, policy-related research agenda. By tackling these priorities collectively, we can establish an impartial, transparent, reputable, and authoritative consensus on scientific evidence and other forms of knowledge, which will help to resolve disagreements and uncertainties and close knowledge gaps.
The Scientific Group of the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), the High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) of the UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS), and this group of authors, the High Level Expert Group (EG) of the European Commission, are among the groups and organizations that are currently debating the best ways to transform food systems. In order to better assist the change of food systems in the upcoming decade or decades, we are focusing here on investigating possible possibilities for improving SPIs.