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Transforming agrifood systems requires a united effort from all stakeholders: government, civil society, producers, consumers, the private sector, and academia. Each group brings unique perspectives and power dynamics, influencing decision-making processes.The case of Guatemala presented in this issue brief illustrates the vital role governance has played in shaping strategies to address complex challenges in food security and nutrition. Drawing from the experience of the Food and Nutrition Security, Impact, Resilience, Sustainability and Transformation (FIRST) Programme, a partnership between the European Union and FAO that operated in about 30 countries, including Guatemala, the brief indicates how policies that are aligned with, [...]

Over the past few years, Guatemala has adopted more inclusive food security policies, focusing on long-term solutions and placing family farmers at the centre. With support from the EU-FAO FIRST partnership, Guatemala has updated its policies to promote more sustainable agrifood systems and increased civil society participation, moving away from short-term aid to addressing structural poverty. This shift marks a long-term commitment to agrifood systems transformation, backed by increased multisectoral collaboration. This case study illustrates the vital role governance has played in shaping effective food and nutrition security strategies in Guatemala. It emphasizes the need for ongoing multistakeholder engagement to [...]

This policy brief summarizes the background, evidence and insights from the innovative governance modelling and analysis work developed in Indonesia under the "Governance Innovation for Sustainable Development of Food Systems” subprogramme. In addition, the brief offers guiding points and recommendations to support Indonesia's agrifood systems transformation efforts.The FVC subprogramme was carried out between 2020 and 2023 with funds from FAO's Flexible Voluntary Contribution (FVC). Together with Indonesia's national agency for planning and the Ministry of Agriculture as co-convener, the subprogramme supported the Directorate for Food and Agriculture in the Ministry of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS) leading the consolidation and implementation [...]

The Government of Indonesia and FAO have recognized the need for thorough analysis and modelling of Indonesia’s agrifood systems to support agrifood systems transformation efforts in the country. This is needed to provide a better understanding of the governance context in agrifood systems, including the political economy dynamics influencing performance, as well as to identify synergies and trade-offs across different policy goals and optimal policy mixes for achieving multiple policy objectives.In this regard, FAO facilitated a project to pilot an innovative approach to modelling for food systems transformation. This modelling approach was developed and implemented by a team of researchers [...]

This policy brief emphasizes the critical importance of leveraging domestic resources and effectively reallocating subsidies to amplify their efficacy in addressing food crises and fostering the transformation of agricultural food systems. By strategically directing resources within national economies and optimizing existing subsidy frameworks, governments can significantly enhance their capacity to prevent and mitigate food crises while simultaneously advancing sustainable agricultural practices. This approach not only ensures the efficient utilization of available funds but also promotes greater resilience and long-term viability within the agricultural sector.

This brief provides a snapshot of agrifood policymaking in Costa Rica. It summarizes the government's efforts in achieving sustainable agrifood systems in recent years, highlighting economic, environmental and social aspects. Against the backdrop of the country's participation in the UN Food Systems Summit, and follow-up processes, it discusses the nation's agrifood policy coordination, multistakeholder engagement, and the importance of investments for sustainable agrifood systems.

This brief provides a snapshot of agrifood policymaking in Zambia. It summarizes the government's efforts in achieving sustainable agrifood systems in recent years, highlighting economic, environmental and social aspects. Against the backdrop of the country's participation in the UN Food Systems Summit, and follow-up processes, it discusses the nation's agrifood policy coordination, multistakeholder engagement, and the importance of investments for sustainable agrifood systems.

This background paper to the guidance that FAO is developing on strengthening science–policy interfaces (SPIs) for agrifood systems at the national level sets provides information about the structures and patterns common to global SPIs. It aims to: 1) provide a broad overview and comparison of how international SPIs work, 2) identify a set of categories that are relevant to the work of SPIs, 3) present a systematic, comparative analysis based on publicly available data, 4) draw preliminary conclusions based on findings, and 5) suggest further avenues for study. The conceptual framework identifies three key components of SPIs that, operating together, [...]

La plaine de Berrechid – connue comme le « grenier » du Maroc – a connu une intensification désordonnée de l’irrigation au cours des deux dernières décennies. Malgré les gains économiques immédiats, ce processus a provoqué la surexploitation de la nappe aquifère de Berrechid, dont plus de 95% de l’eau pompée est destinée à l’agriculture. En 2011, l’Agence du Bassin Hydraulique du Bouregreg et de la Chaouia (ABH-BC) – une division gouvernementale supervisant l’utilisation de l’eau dans les régions du Bouregreg et de la Chaouia, qui comprend l’aquifère de Berrechid – a commencé à négocier un accord de gouvernance de l’eau [...]

Transforming agrifood systems depends crucially on how people can promote and benefit from innovation in governance. Fresh ways to look at policy dialogues and decision-making processes can help societies rapidly face interconnected challenges such as food insecurity and malnutrition, conflicts and the climate crisis. FAO promotes governance innovation to support countries in adopting the best-tailored strategies to pursue a sustainable, efficient, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems transformation. - In Indonesia, FAO has helped the government rethink its national strategic planning by using innovative analysis and modelling and supporting continuous consultation of actors at national and decentralized levels. - In Uganda, FAO has helped [...]