WHAT IS THE FOOD SYSTEM?
Framework of the Agri-Food Systems
FOOD SYSTEM
The Food System is a complex web of processes that involves the entire range of actors and their interlinked value-adding activities involved in the production, aggregation, processing, distribution, consumption, and disposal of food products that originate from agriculture, forestry, or fisheries (FAO, 2018; UN, 2021). The food system relies on the governance and economics of food production, its sustainability, the degree to which food is wasted, the ecologic impact on natural systems and the impact of food on individual and population health (FAO, 2021a; OX, 2021).
Why is the Food System complex?
The food system comprises sub-systems (e.g., farming systems, waste management, input system, etc.) and interacts with other key systems (energy systems, trade system, health system, etc.) (Mind map 1). Hence, a change in the structure of the food system may lead to a change (positive or negative) in other systems (FAO, 2018).
What is a Sustainable Food System?
“A Sustainable Food System is one that delivers food security and nutrition for all in such a way that economic, social, and environmental bases to generate food security and nutrition for future generations not compromised”(FAO, 2018).
Furthermore, a sustainable and functional food system aims to ensure the food security, nutrition and livelihoods of millions of people, through the resilience of the agri-food systems in front of the increasing shocks and stresses of diverse origins, both biophysical and socio-economic (FAO, 2021b).
It follows the next principles:
It is profitable throughout (economic sustainability)
It has broad-based benefits for society (social sustainability)
It has a positive or neutral impact on the natural ecosystems (environmental sustainability)
How can we transform our Food System with a sustainability approach?
All around the world, people are inadequately malnourished and the ecological systems are collapsing due to the overexploitation of natural resources and the expansion of the agriculture frontier. As the world’s population is rapidly expanding and as the safe boundaries of sustainable food production are not met, there is an urgent need for a global transformation of the food system (Willett et al., 2019). Moreover, it is necessary to focus not only on sustainable agricultural practices (e.g., agroecological and climate-resilient sustainable approaches), but also is vital to addressing the sustainability of the demand for a portion of healthy and diversified food (FAO-INRAE, 2020).
Therefore, the transition to sustainable food systems must be fostered in their different spheres, such as how we produce and consume food; how we use and preserve natural resources; how we transform them into food, energy and materials, which are transported, distributed and sometimes wasted; how we recycle them after they are used; how we finance economic activities; how we organize labour and communities; and how we value a different kind of knowledge that multiple actors bring to food systems activities.
Thus, it is essential that these changes cut across action - from local through territorial to national, regional and international levels of intervention- and every person involved plays a crucial role, from the government, through private and public sectors, individual citizens and organized groups of citizens, researches, and communities should also contribute (FAO-INRAE, 2020).
“To change and adapt the food systems we need food system innovators, which are defined as people who are actively experimenting in (re)valuing agriculture in sustainable food systems, e.g. changing the way in which we produce, transform, transport, store, sell, and consume our agricultural goods” (FAO, 2016).
How can we be part of the solution?
As GlocAllia, we are an organization aiming to build a gloCal impact-driven society, looking forward to co-creating with local people through the empowerment of communities and women. As food system innovators, we aim to foster sustainable development, focusing on resilience, equality, inclusivity, and sustainability to enhance a positive systemic change for Societies and our Planet to thrive.
For instance, we work with diverse social enterprises, development agencies, ecosystems builders in mature ecosystems or in developing countries, and through the collaboration with local communities, we aim to stop social inequalities between the richest modern regions and others that are less fortunate. We believe in our citizens and organizations, sharing knowledge and networks globally can tackle this local challenge and replicate it where it is relevant. As we are all connected, we need a collective approach to make sure our people and planet thrive respecting our local cultures and environments.
Resources:
Ericksen, P. J. (2008). Conceptualizing food systems for global environmental change research. Global Environmental Change, 18, 234–245
FAO. 2016a. Innovative markets for sustainable agriculture: How innovations in market institutions encourage sustainable agriculture in developing countries. Food Agriculture Organization, Rome. 390 pp.
(also available at http://www.fao.org/3/a-i5907e.pdf).
FAO (2018). Sustainable Food Systems. Concept and Framework. Food Agriculture Organization. Retrieved from: https://www.fao.org/3/ca2079en/CA2079EN.pdf
FAO (2021) a. Agriculture Food Systems Transformation: From Strategy to Action. Food and Agriculture Organization. Retrieved from: https://www.fao.org/3/nf649en/nf649en.pdf
FAO (2021) b. The State of Food and Agriculture 2021: Making agri-food systems more resilient to shocks and stresses. Retrieved from: https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/The%20State%20of%20Food%20and%20Agriculture%202021%20-%20Making%20agri-food%20systems%20more%20resilient%20to%20shocks%20and%20stresses.pdf
OX (2021). What is the food system? The University of Oxford. Retrieved from: https://www.futureoffood.ox.ac.uk/what-food-system
UN (2021). Food Systems – Definition, Concept and Application for the UN Food Systems Summit. United Nations. Retrieved from: https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/food_systems_concept_paper_scientific_group_-_draft_oct_26.pdf
Willett, Walter, Johan Rockström, Brent Loken, Marco Springmann, Tim Lang, Sonja Vermeulen, Tara Garnett, et al. 2019. Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. The Lancet 393 (10170): 447-492.