Agrifood systems concern the way our food is produced, processed, transported, traded, distributed, consumed and disposed of. Population growth, urbanization, shifting wealth and changing consumption patterns are straining these systems, jeopardizing their ability to provide healthy food and sustainable livelihoods.

Agrifood systems produce about one- third of global greenhouse gas emissions and consume large amounts of natural resources, especially water. They also contribute to critical biodiversity loss and land degradation, threatening the very existence of agriculture for future generations. All this underscores the urgent need to sustainably transform agrifood systems.  

At a glance

• FAO, the European Union and the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) launched the Sustainable Agrifood Systems Transformation Initiative (SASTI) in 2020 to conduct large-scale agrifood system assessments and consultations in nearly 50 countries. This effort gathered evidence and knowledge around four core goals: food security, nutrition and health; inclusive economic growth; territorial development and equity; and the environment.
• They published 41 country profiles stemming from these assessments, which help to identify entry points for innovative policy and investment solutions. 
• FAO, the European Union and Agrinatura – a consortium of European research institutions – initiated a new phase known as Sustainable Agrifood Systems Intelligence (SASI). The goal is to improve the availability of knowledge and guidance on the institutions, policies and investments needed to accelerate the transition to sustainable agrifood systems.
• Building on these assessments, the FAO Investment Centre is working with countries to support institutional platforms to address the diverse challenges and opportunities in transitioning to sustainable agrifood systems, with an emphasis on evidence-based data, collective problem solving, strengthened capacities and strategic communication. This work is now under way in Bhutan, Colombia and Sierra Leone.

Related links

• The European Union
• CIRAD
• Agrinatura
• Sustainable Agrifood Systems Intelligence – Science-Policy Interface