A major new UN report warns that the world’s food systems must be fundamentally transformed if they are to withstand growing environmental, political and economic pressures.
The report, prepared by the High Level of Experts (HLPE), at the request of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), highlights how climate extremes, conflict, and rising inequality are leaving millions vulnerable to hunger and malnutrition. Dr Monika Zurek, Food Systems Transformation Group Lead at the Environmental Change Institute (ECI), was part of the international expert team that drafted the study.
The report argues that resilience can no longer mean simply “bouncing back” after a crisis. Instead, food systems must be able to “equitably bounce forward” — adapting and changing in an equitable manner to tackle deep-rooted differential vulnerabilities and protect both people and the planet.
The study stresses that more equitable and diverse food systems are key to improving livelihoods, securing nutrition, and safeguarding biodiversity and the climate system. It sets out practical recommendations for governments, communities and international organisations, including:
- Stronger governance and fairer policies that give a voice to farmers, Indigenous Peoples and vulnerable groups.
- Better emergency preparedness to respond to shocks before they escalate into crises.
- More diverse food systems — from small farms and fisheries to local markets — that reduce reliance on a handful of crops and global supply chains.
- Investment in knowledge and innovation, combining scientific research with traditional and local expertise.
Social protection schemes, such as school meal programmes and cash transfers, are also highlighted as vital tools to shield communities from shocks while promoting long-term food security.
Dr Zurek was part of a drafting team that brought together experts from across the world, with backgrounds in food systems, health, nutrition, economics, gender analysis, Indigenous knowledge, political science and environmental science, to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive perspective. She said:
In order to build food systems that can deal with short term shocks and long-term stresses while staying within planetary boundaries we need to re-think resilience concepts. Measures to address the causes of food system failures need to be based on understanding systemic, differential vulnerabilities of different food system actors together with the notion that we need to also fundamentally improve food system outcomes, thus bounce forward in an equitable manner.”
The report makes clear that these changes are urgent and require coordinated global action. Without them, the world will face more frequent and severe food crises, undermining efforts to ensure the right to food for all.
Produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization’s High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN), the publication offers practical recommendations for policymakers to help ensure food systems can adapt to future shocks while protecting both people and the planet.
Read the full report: Building Resilient Food Systems