Do we need a new science-policy interface for food systems?
Credibility, legitimacy, and diversity of knowledge are critical
Abstract
Food systems require urgent transformations to meet multiple demands of food and nutrition security, justice, livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. These transformations require knowledge on the multiple dimensions of food systems (e.g., production, trade, consumption, culture, human and animal health, livelihoods and employment, food waste, and environmental sustainability), as well as a mechanism to translate these insights and analyses into governance processes. Drawing on the role of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in global climate policy, an equivalent platform has been proposed to support food system transformations (1). These calls have gained momentum in the context of the upcoming United Nations Food Systems Summit (FSS) (2). We reflect on the science-policy landscape for food systems and discuss requirements for and challenges of a science-policy platform, focused on addressing social, cultural, and political dimensions of food and challenges in food systems governance.
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References and Notes
1
J. Von Braun, M. Kalkuhl, “International science and policy interaction for improved food and nutrition security: Toward an International Panel on Food and Nutrition (IPFN),” ZEF working paper series nr 142, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF), Bonn (2015). www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/142725/1/837872839.pdf.
2
L. Fresco, “To feed a growing world, we need to change our food systems now,” World Economic Forum (2020). www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/11/how-to-create-sustainable-food-systems/.
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B. Burlingame et al.Open Letter: Food systems science-policy interface: don’t reinvent the wheel, strengthen it! HLPE, Rome (2021). http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/cfs/Docs2021/Documents/SPI_for_Food_Systems_-_No_need_to_reinvent_the_wheel__HLPE_Open_Letter_20_May_2021.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2el_qnbcxHsutjS0cRsV4UrhCArlpvdxi7qttmAAWpSzVJaKgJGDYIhrQ.
5
European Commission, “Recommendations to the United Nations’ Food Systems Summit Scientific Group from the European Commission’s High-Level Expert Group to assess needs and options to strengthen the international Science Policy Interface for Food Systems Governance” (2021). https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/research_and_innovation/research_by_area/documents/hleg_recommendation_to_the_unfss_scientific_group_web.pdf.
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HLPE, “Food security and nutrition: Building a global narrative towards 2030,” a report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security, Rome (2020). http://www.fao.org/3/ca9731en/ca9731en.pdf.
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Published In
Science
Volume 373 | Issue 6559
3 September 2021
3 September 2021
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Copyright © 2021 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.
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Published in print: 3 September 2021
Acknowledgments
The authors declare ongoing and past engagements with several of the science-policy platforms mentioned. These include the study and analysis of CFS and HLPE (J.D.) and IPBES (E.T.), and expert and other roles in EAT-Lancet (F.D.C.), IAASTD (R.T.W.), IPCC (R.T.W.), IPBES (F.D.C., R.T.W., E.T.), CFS (J.D., F.D.C.), and the UNFSS (F.D.C.).
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Establishing a sustainable science-community collaborative to protect food systems
<p>While the intersection between policy and science paves the way for systematic change, it invites the crucial demand of assessing its actionable impact. Perhaps there is no better way to establish this than engaging with the microcosm of local communities where these policies intend to have an effect.</p> <p>We have previously proposed the need for community-academic partnerships to address water scarcity (1). These collaboratives enabled rapid assessment and evaluation of systems, the ready input from multiple stakeholders, and shared solutions and decision-making derived from analysis of evidence specific to communities.</p> <div>Examples, like the water crisis in Flint (2), offer a proof-of-concept for both the challenges and success of a joint community-academic joint venture in addressing a critical sustainability crisis. However, the translation to action, involvement of policymakers, and geographical barriers are challenges which will be encountered. Nonetheless, we believe the implementation of a collaborative model is feasible and may significantly enhance current science-policy recommendations particularly in the context of vulnerable communities such as low socioeconomic, rural, minority ethnic/racial, and underprivileged communities.</div> <div> </div> <div>Notes/References:</div> <div>1. Johnson, P. A. A proof-of-concept for systemic change in water crises management. CMAJ (2021). https://www.cmaj.ca/content/re-proof-concept-systemic-change-water-crises-management</div> <div>2.<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> Lewis, E. Y. & Sadler, R. C. Community–academic partnerships helped Flint through its water crisis. Nature 594 (2021), 326-329. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-01586-8</span> <div class="panel-separator"> </div> <div class="panel-pane pane-cmaj-comments-node-article-link"> </div> </div> <div> </div>