Science for Transformation of Food Systems: Opportunities for the UN Food Systems Summit

Abstract

Science offers many important contributions to achieving the SDGs, of which we highlight two here: first, science generates the basic inputs for innovations, i.e., policy and institutional innovations (including social and business innovations), as well as technology-based innovations to catalyze, support, and accelerate food system transformation; and second, science scrutinizes actions, i.e., assessing ambitions, targets and actions along pathways towards reaching them, for instance, through quantitative analyses and food system modeling. Seven science-driven innovations are elaborated in this chapter, each with some concrete examples. We stress that policy innovations, institutional innovations, and technology innovations are closely connected and actually need to be pursued in an integrated approach. Without accelerated interdisciplinary food system science, the necessary innovations for a sustainable food system will not be achieved. We note the need for systems innovations rather than only single-issue innovations, and call on the science communities to commit to enhanced collaboration among all relevant different disciplines of sciences for this purpose. Moreover, science is not naïve vis á vis power relations: social sciences explicitly uncover them and must identify options for innovations that help to overcome adverse effects. Food system science and food system policy need a stronger framework for constructive and evidence-based interaction for moving ahead. We call upon governments and UN agencies to initiate a process to explore options – existing as well as new – for a strengthened global science-policy interface for a sustainable food system.