Food and agriculture policy | TableDebates

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Journal articles

Analysis of food policymaking through a food systems lens: a review of analytical frameworks

This paper aims to summarise the frameworks currently used to analyse food policymaking processes and to critically assess whether those frameworks can be applied to the analysis of ‘systems’ approaches to policymaking. It found while the use of such tools are limited there are significant benefits to understand the ideas, knowledge, power and decision-making that lead to food policy development.

Tamales oaxaqueños. Foto por Alma Palacios-Reyes.

Transformaciones en las dietas tradicionales mexicanas durante las últimas décadas

A través de un corto recorrido en el tiempo, se presenta un breve análisis de los eventos socioeconómicos y políticos que han impulsado cambios en las dietas tradicionales mexicanas, así como sus principales impactos en la salud de la población. Esto pretende generar preguntas y reflexiones sobre la alimentación en México, sus tendencias actuales y futuras.

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Tomorrow on the table: The politics and economics of food system transformation

In October 2024, TABLE brought together a diverse range of stakeholders across the food system with the aim of exploring how they envisaged a better food future, and what system transformations would be needed to get there. The participants included non-governmental and civil society organisations, policymakers, philanthropists, community leaders, and academics from diverse disciplines. Over the course of the workshop, they together discussed, developed and refined different visions for the future of the food system based on three initially conceived visions: market-led, state-led, and bottom-up. This report synthesises the workshop methods and dialogue process, the discussions participants had and the areas of agreement that emerged. https://www.doi.org/10.56661/421fa6df

Sauces and toppings in small clay bowls at a restaurant in México. Photo by Edgar Cavazos via Unsplash.

El Derecho a la Alimentación en México: Análisis de la Nueva Ley General de Alimentación Adecuada y Sustentable (LEGAAS)

La reciente promulgación de la ley que regula el derecho humano a la alimentación en México, da la pauta para realizar un análisis de su contenido y conocer cómo se está planteando asegurar el acceso a una alimentación adecuada y sostenible, en un país que enfrenta múltiples problemáticas agroalimentarias y de salud pública. Por ejemplo, la actual pandemia de obesidad y diabetes asociada con el acceso e incremento del consumo de productos ultraprocesados; las mermas productivas vinculadas con los efectos del cambio climático, así como la crisis hídrica que está afectando importantes áreas del país.En este contexto el presente ensayo tiene como objetivo identificar los mecanismos previstos en la LEGAAS para garantizar el acceso universal a la alimentación en México; conocer las atribuciones del gobierno para avanzar hacia la producción sustentable de alimentos, así como analizar los elementos que regulan a la agroindustria alimentaria, como un actor preponderante en la producción, distribución y oferta de alimentos.

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Exploring food system debates in Colombia and Mexico

In a new series, we’ll be exploring different food system debates across the globe. Next up is West Africa, where I'm based. Latin America feels especially apt to explore this week. The region is deeply intertwined with the U.S., and is likely to be affected by Trump’s deluge of executive orders. It’s also home to two of TABLE’s partner institutions, in Colombia and Mexico.

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Main initiatives: Strategic Dialogue on the future of EU agriculture

The 2024 EU Strategic Dialogue on Agriculture proposes a vision for sustainable, resilient, and competitive European agri-food systems, including a benchmark system for sustainability measuring, adapting the CAP to address climate and economic challenges, and mobilising private and public finance for a just transition fund.

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Regenerative Farming and Sustainable Diets

This book makes the case for an urgent move away from industrial agriculture towards regenerative farming and the promotion of plant-based diets. It features renowned experts such as Vandana Shiva, Jennifer Clapp, Olivier De Schutter and Henry Dimbleby as they discuss the routes in policy and practice to transform the food system.

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Journal articles

A qualitative analysis of policy narratives in the public consultation on the European Commission’s Farm to Fork Strategy

The paper performs a content analysis of 164 public responses to the consultation of the European Commission’s Farm-to-Fork Strategy and finds 12 distinct narratives, mostly focusing on agricultural production. Ten of them showed clear connections to three established agricultural policy discourses linking them to key stakeholders; farmer’s associations, NGO’s and industry representatives.

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Journal articles

Bridging food systems and One Health

This review explores the potential of combining two significant conceptual frameworks, the food systems approach (FSA) and the One Health approach (OHA), in aiding the management of zoonotic diseases such as COVID-19. Both FSA and OHA take holistic approaches to complex problems, but the authors note they also have blind spots. The researchers seek evidence as to whether the combination of these two approaches could better manage zoonotic disease outbreaks in the future. They conclude noting that the integration of One Health and food system approaches may help overcome challenges of operationalizing One Health and lack of inclusion of health issues and zoonotic diseases in food systems.