Transforming food systems can deliver on a multitude of commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). How we produce, process, trade and consume food products influences poverty (SDG 1), good health and well-being (SDG 3), greenhouse gas emissions and the ability to adapt to a changing climate (SDG 13), and biodiversity loss and deforestation (SDG 15)- to name just a few. However, the challenge of achieving healthy, sustainable and inclusive food systems lies in their complexity. Concerted and concurrent actions are required across both forestry and agriculture sectors. These challenges were explored during a World Forestry Week event, held alongside the Committee on Forestry (COFO).  

Forest protection has long been a primary strategy to reduce forest conversion, but it has traditionally operated within the silo of the forest sector and has been unable to single-handedly stop agricultural expansion.  Tim Searchinger, Research Scholar at Princeton and lead author of World Resources Report: Creating a Sustainable Food Future, explained that due to current and future food demands, forest protection will not be effective without addressing low agricultural productivity, particularly as demand increases. The reverse is also true- just increasing yields without protecting forests will not reduce agricultural expansion in forest land. Mr Searchinger highlighted that in order to halt deforestation, meet climate targets and future food demand, then 50% more food must be produced on existing land, with one-third of the emissions by 2050. Reducing pressures to expand agriculture into forest land is essential and requires concerted and coordinated action. 

The need to simultaneously intervene on different fronts was reinforced by Per Pharo, current co-director of NIFCI, in Growing Better: Ten Critical Transitions to Transform Food and Land Use. Within the 10 transitions, more sustainable dietary preferences are required, alongside the need for regenerative agriculture and halting deforestation. Mr Pharo stated that REDD+ is the most ready-to-go nature-based solution for climate change. The transitions do not just make ecological sense but also economic sense with a global economic prize of an estimated USD$ 5.7 trillion at the global level for bold action, he explained. The investment required to achieve such transitions is one-seventeenth the amount of economic damage caused by the COVID19 pandemic- not an inconceivable amount of money. Mr Pharo closed his remarks by highlighting that there are no macro level trade-offs between our climate, forest and food goals. 

However, trade-offs will exist at the country and local levels, and COVID19 has only brought this into greater focus. Agus Justianto, representing the Government of Indonesia, provided insight on country level responses to the COVID19 pandemic and actions taken to maintain food security and forest management in these challenging times. National governments in countries such as Indonesia are implementing actions, including the Social Forestry Programme, to balance food security with forest protection. Ensuring rural livelihoods support sustainable use and protection of forests was mentioned by Mr Justianto, as it is an important consideration for food systems transformation.  

Leslie Lipper, Visiting Fellow at Cornell University, agreed rural livelihoods must take centre stage in food systems transformation, as she reflected on the reports and presentation. Ms Lipper highlighted that any potential action needs to reflect the needs of around 800 million people who live in extreme poverty and rely on agriculture, usually of low productivity. New technology alone is not enough, and coherent and constant support may be required to affect a lasting change on land use. She remarked: 

“We must ensure that food systems transformation that integrates halting deforestation, does not place a disproportionate burden on those living in extreme poverty. We should avoid constraints and livelihood restrictions being put in place for people who have not contributed to the problem.” 

Rural producers, including smallholders, are one of many actors that need to adjust behaviour, as -private sector actors involved across the whole value chain need to take action.  Saswati Bora, Head of Food Systems Innovation at the World Economic Forum, highlighted that for the private sector to step up actions on food systems transformation to halt deforestation, clear incentives and roadmaps are required. Public-private collaboration platforms such as Tropical Forest Alliance 2020 can bring stakeholders together, but the public sector must take stock of and adjust incentives across food systems that are enabling deforestation to continue. 

In closing the event, Jamie Morrison, Director of Food Systems and Food Safety, provided a broader picture on the opportunities to improve efficiencies, promote sustainable diets and reduce food loss and waste. He explained that attention must turn to the sequencing of action across food systems to simultaneously achieve the SDGs. This sequencing, which will include evaluating trade-offs and prioritising actions, is essential to move from bold strategic statements to actions along food system chains.  

As momentum builds towards the UN Food systems summit in 2021, we must transform our food systems. We must ask ourselves, how we might move deforestation and land use change to the forefront of the global discourse on transforming food systems both within and outside of the forest sector. 

Watch the session’s recording below: