This research argues that yields need to nearly triple in sub-Sahara Africa to become cereal self-sufficient accounting for population growth, and will require at least 3 times the amount of nitrogen fertilizer application. 

This research provides insights into whole-of-food system governance to resolve competing interests, policy incoherence and power asymmetries with systems thinking and considering who should govern food systems. 

This research review argues that serious interactive games showed potential in transforming mindsets of a niche group of food system actors. 

This study investigated the relational values – relationships between human and nature – in regenerative agriculture and how cultivating these can inspire mindset shifts that support agricultural transformations. 

Gaia Explorers is a collaborative serious board game for 4 to 8 players, designed for a 30-minute session by Federico Andreotti and illustrated by Iván McGill. Players explore future scenarios while navigating the challenges of living within planetary boundaries. Inspired by Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis and Post- Growth principles, the game challenges players to balance food production, biodiversity conservation, and emissions reduction on a newly discovered planet. The game’s mechanics draw on the EAT-Lancet guidelines and Planetary Boundaries framework to model sustainability dynamics (Richardson et al. 2023). Through individual and collective strategies, participants tackle key issues such as sustainable food production and consumption, greenhouse gas reduction, land use, and biodiversity conservation.

The game is about three farmers that produce all the same crop (olives) for the market. The setting of the game is in southern Spain where water becomes a scarcer resource over time. In the game there is not a set time frame, but the period is roughly from the time that water was not an issue in southern Spain until the future where water will be a huge problem. During the game every farmer has their own specific aim. The aim of the farmers is to continue producing their crops the best they can, each with a different irrigation method loosely representing their general perspective on the importance of a dwindling water reservoir. One farmer will keep the same irrigation system with a higher water use, one farmer will slightly improve to an irrigation system with a lower water use and one will improve to an irrigation system with the most efficient water use. In essence, the objective of this game is to raise awareness of the impact and importance of different farming practices on a landscape facing more frequent and severe droughts.

This serious game asks players to role-play and it includes an asymmetric component as different countries have different resources and requirements to feed their population. The players can decide to cooperate to help the more vulnerable players and to solve potential global challenges.The schedule for a game session is as follows:Preparing the game: 5 minutesIntroduction and instructions: 5 minutes - Playing the game: 30 minutesDebriefing and Reflection: 10 minutesFor optimal gameplay, 3 to 6 players are required, accompanied by 1 facilitator and 3 observers. The observers will make pictures, collect quotes and data regarding the steps each player makes.While the game was initially developed with policymakers in mind, it also offers valuable insights for other stakeholders within the food system. Larger food companies, for instance, stand to benefit from understanding the potential ramifications of external conflicts on their supply chains. By contemplating strategies for scenarios where ingredient sourcing becomes compromised, companies can proactively mitigate risks and ensure continuity in their food production processes.

This event was hosted by TABLE with support from the Food Standards Agency and the United Nations Foundation on 30 June 2025 and took the form of a panel discussion moderated by Tara Garnett (Director, TABLE) with:Rob Percival (Soil Association);Dr. Sarah Nájera Espinosa, Research Fellow (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine);Amy Williams, Senior Digital Communications Manager & Nutrition Lead (Good Food Institute).This webinar is the second in a three-part series. Watch Webinar 1 (Drivers, Investments, Trends & Regulations) or Webinar 3 (Environmental Dimensions of Alternative Proteins).

This event was hosted by TABLE with support from the Food Standards Agency and the United Nations Foundation on 24 June 2025 and took the form of a panel discussion moderated by Tara Garnett (Director, TABLE) with:Helen Breewood (Good Food Institute);Dr. Yadira Tejeda-Saldana, Director of Responsible Research & Innovation (New Harvest);Dr Thomas Vincent, Deputy Director, Innovation Policy (Food Standards Agency).This webinar is the first of a three-part series. Watch Webinar 2 (Health Dimensions of Alternative Proteins) or register for Webinar 3 (Environmental Dimensions of Alternative Proteins).