Sustainable food systems are fundamental to ensuring that future generations are food secure and eat healthy diets. Many food system activities must be reconstructed to transition towards sustainability, and myriad actors worldwide are starting to act locally. While some changes are more comfortable than others, knowing how to navigate them to promote sustainable consumption and production practices requires complex skill sets.

This handbook is written for "sustainable food systems innovators" by a group of innovators from Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe, leading initiatives to grow, share, sell and consume more sustainable foods in their local contexts. It includes experiences that are changing the organizational structures of local food systems to make them more sustainable. The handbook is organized as a "choose your own adventure" story where each reader – individually or in a facilitated group – can develop personalized learning and action journeys according to their priorities. This handbook covers specific categories of innovations by engaging consumers, producing sustainably, obtaining products to market, and getting organized.