This report from WWF argues that imports of commodities (including soy, beef, shrimp, rubber, palm oil and wheat) to the European Union are driving the destruction of many types of ecosystems. It stresses the importance of considering not just deforestation, but also the conversion of grasslands, savannahs, peatlands, shrublands and wetlands, and sets out policy recommendations.

This paper assesses the extent to which the recommendations of 41 food reports could transform the food system. It argues that few reports are targeting “leverage points” that could result in the most change, and that reports often neglect the implications of power differences between actors.

The International Journal of Health Policy and Management has released a special issue on the political economy of food systems, including an editorial, eight review articles and 11 original articles. 

This paper analyses the concept of “trust” in relation to engaging “Big Food” in food systems transformations. Drawing on case studies on plastic packaging and the United Nations Food Systems Summit, the authors argue that the role of large multinational corporations should be limited to responding to requests for information and adhering to regulation. “Big Food” should not be involved in setting research or policy agendas, says the paper.

This article examines different visions about how global food systems should be governed, focusing on two main areas of contestation: authority and legitimacy. The authors use the United Nations Food Systems Summit (and its historical context) as a starting point for discussion; the 2021 UNFSS was heavily criticised by the food sovereignty movement for its perceived links to large corporations, philanthropic organisations and powerful states.

Tim Lang of the Centre for Food Policy reflects on the UN Food Systems Summit, which took place on 23 September 2021, in this blog post published by the Food Research Collaboration. Lang suggests that the most significant outcome of the Summit might be an “omni-framework” approach, i.e. assessing and measuring food systems on multiple fronts including diets, environment and climate, livelihoods, resilience, governance and so on. 

This report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) finds that 87% of current global government support for farming includes measures that are harmful to nature or health. It argues that redirecting - rather than eliminating - agricultural subsidies is key to making the global food system more healthy, sustainable and equitable.

This paper, co-authored by Jeroen Candel of TABLE, reflects on how to improve the interface between science and policy in the global food system. It discusses the recent finding of a European Commission report that there is a gap in the global food systems landscape for a platform that integrates and coordinates food systems knowledge, and questions how such a platform might operate effectively.