Ensuring societal considerations are met when translating science into policy for sustainable food system transformation

Brajesh K. Singh; Evan D.G. Fraser; Tom Arnold; Patricia Biermayr-Jenzano; Jacqueline E.W. Broerse; Gianluca Brunori; Patrick Caron; Olivier De Schutter; Karen Fabbri; Shenggen Fan; Jessica Fanzo; Magdalena Gajdzinska; Mirjana Gurinovic; Marta Hugas; Jacqueline McGlade; Christine Nellemann; Jemimah Njuki; Hanna L. Tuomisto; Seta Tutundjian; Justus Wesseler; Roberta Sonnino; Patrick Webb

doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2023.04.021

Ensuring societal considerations are met when translating science into policy for sustainable food system transformation

Brajesh K. Singh, Evan D.G. Fraser^*, Tom Arnold, Patricia Biermayr-Jenzano, Jacqueline E.W. Broerse, Gianluca Brunori, Patrick Caron, Olivier De Schutter, Karen Fabbri, Shenggen Fan, Jessica Fanzo, Magdalena Gajdzinska, Mirjana Gurinovic, Marta Hugas, Jacqueline McGlade, Christine Nellemann, Jemimah Njuki, Hanna L. Tuomisto, Seta Tutundjian, Justus WesselerRoberta Sonnino, Patrick Webb

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Comment / Letter to the editor › Academic

Abstract

Background: A food system transformation is needed to address food and nutrition security, minimise impacts on planetary health, reduce climate change emissions, and contribute to equity, diversity, and the Sustainable Development Goals. Scope and approach: This paper summarizes findings of the European Commission's High Level Expert Group on Food Systems Science, which reviewed obstacles that prevent food systems policy from achieving society-wide impacts. These barriers include knowledge and translation gaps in food-related science-policy-interfaces (SPIs), insufficient attention to the priorities of diverse stakeholders, and a failure to adequately consider equity, diversity, political economy, and societal engagements. Key findings & conclusions: Three potential pathways can ensure science and policy support food systems transformation: (1) Adapt the current SPI landscape with extra resources and a wider mandate to ensure coordinated action across the full food system, (2) Enhance the current policy landscape with a range of multisectoral taskforces designed to fulfill specific functions such as creating an enhanced food systems data portal, and (3) Establish a “network of networks” to provide both global coordination as well as organize defined agendas at global through to regional scales. In embarking on these pathways, a revised science-policy-society landscape (SPSIs) should deliver the following core functions: (1) Engage and empower multi-stakeholder dialogue; (2) Build capacity at multiple scales to translate evidence into tangible real-world outcomes; (3) Ensure access to openly accessible data for the entire food system; (4) Use models, forecasts, and scenario building exercises to explore the potential future of food systems; (5) Produce assessment reports and policy publications; and (6) Establish fora for diplomacy that will be empowered to create standards set targets and establish policy.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	104-108
Number of pages	5
Journal	Trends in Food Science and Technology
Volume	137
Early online date	18 May 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2023.04.021
Publication status	Published - Jul 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors acknowledge that this article is a shortened summary of the work and report prepared by the European Commission High Level Expert Group (HLEG) on International Platform for Food Systems Science, along with the discussion with key stakeholders (e.g. FAO, CGIAR, UNFSS scientific committee, industries and general public). The HLEG is an independent panel constituted by the European Commission's (EC) Directorate-General for Research and Innovation to advise on the need, potential, feasibility, options and appropriate approaches for SPIs to support food systems transformation. The views expressed in this article represent those of authors. This manuscript is an independent exercise which addresses the implication of the HLEG-report considering ongoing debates around these issues.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023

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Singh, B. K., Fraser, E. D. G., Arnold, T., Biermayr-Jenzano, P., Broerse, J. E. W., Brunori, G., Caron, P., De Schutter, O., Fabbri, K., Fan, S., Fanzo, J., Gajdzinska, M., Gurinovic, M., Hugas, M., McGlade, J., Nellemann, C., Njuki, J., Tuomisto, H. L., Tutundjian, S., ... Webb, P. (2023). Ensuring societal considerations are met when translating science into policy for sustainable food system transformation. Trends in Food Science and Technology, 137, 104-108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2023.04.021

@article{7f001d7e8ccf4f24a5597d502240d6ec,

title = "Ensuring societal considerations are met when translating science into policy for sustainable food system transformation",

abstract = "Background: A food system transformation is needed to address food and nutrition security, minimise impacts on planetary health, reduce climate change emissions, and contribute to equity, diversity, and the Sustainable Development Goals. Scope and approach: This paper summarizes findings of the European Commission's High Level Expert Group on Food Systems Science, which reviewed obstacles that prevent food systems policy from achieving society-wide impacts. These barriers include knowledge and translation gaps in food-related science-policy-interfaces (SPIs), insufficient attention to the priorities of diverse stakeholders, and a failure to adequately consider equity, diversity, political economy, and societal engagements. Key findings & conclusions: Three potential pathways can ensure science and policy support food systems transformation: (1) Adapt the current SPI landscape with extra resources and a wider mandate to ensure coordinated action across the full food system, (2) Enhance the current policy landscape with a range of multisectoral taskforces designed to fulfill specific functions such as creating an enhanced food systems data portal, and (3) Establish a “network of networks” to provide both global coordination as well as organize defined agendas at global through to regional scales. In embarking on these pathways, a revised science-policy-society landscape (SPSIs) should deliver the following core functions: (1) Engage and empower multi-stakeholder dialogue; (2) Build capacity at multiple scales to translate evidence into tangible real-world outcomes; (3) Ensure access to openly accessible data for the entire food system; (4) Use models, forecasts, and scenario building exercises to explore the potential future of food systems; (5) Produce assessment reports and policy publications; and (6) Establish fora for diplomacy that will be empowered to create standards set targets and establish policy.",

author = "Singh, {Brajesh K.} and Fraser, {Evan D.G.} and Tom Arnold and Patricia Biermayr-Jenzano and Broerse, {Jacqueline E.W.} and Gianluca Brunori and Patrick Caron and {De Schutter}, Olivier and Karen Fabbri and Shenggen Fan and Jessica Fanzo and Magdalena Gajdzinska and Mirjana Gurinovic and Marta Hugas and Jacqueline McGlade and Christine Nellemann and Jemimah Njuki and Tuomisto, {Hanna L.} and Seta Tutundjian and Justus Wesseler and Roberta Sonnino and Patrick Webb",

note = "Funding Information: The authors acknowledge that this article is a shortened summary of the work and report prepared by the European Commission High Level Expert Group (HLEG) on International Platform for Food Systems Science, along with the discussion with key stakeholders (e.g. FAO, CGIAR, UNFSS scientific committee, industries and general public). The HLEG is an independent panel constituted by the European Commission's (EC) Directorate-General for Research and Innovation to advise on the need, potential, feasibility, options and appropriate approaches for SPIs to support food systems transformation. The views expressed in this article represent those of authors. This manuscript is an independent exercise which addresses the implication of the HLEG-report considering ongoing debates around these issues. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023",

year = "2023",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1016/j.tifs.2023.04.021",

language = "English",

volume = "137",

pages = "104--108",

journal = "Trends in Food Science and Technology",

issn = "0924-2244",

publisher = "Elsevier Limited",

}

Singh, BK, Fraser, EDG, Arnold, T, Biermayr-Jenzano, P, Broerse, JEW, Brunori, G, Caron, P, De Schutter, O, Fabbri, K, Fan, S, Fanzo, J, Gajdzinska, M, Gurinovic, M, Hugas, M, McGlade, J, Nellemann, C, Njuki, J, Tuomisto, HL, Tutundjian, S, Wesseler, J, Sonnino, R & Webb, P 2023, 'Ensuring societal considerations are met when translating science into policy for sustainable food system transformation', Trends in Food Science and Technology, vol. 137, pp. 104-108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2023.04.021

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ensuring societal considerations are met when translating science into policy for sustainable food system transformation

AU - Singh, Brajesh K.

AU - Fraser, Evan D.G.

AU - Arnold, Tom

AU - Biermayr-Jenzano, Patricia

AU - Broerse, Jacqueline E.W.

AU - Brunori, Gianluca

AU - Caron, Patrick

AU - De Schutter, Olivier

AU - Fabbri, Karen

AU - Fan, Shenggen

AU - Fanzo, Jessica

AU - Gajdzinska, Magdalena

AU - Gurinovic, Mirjana

AU - Hugas, Marta

AU - McGlade, Jacqueline

AU - Nellemann, Christine

AU - Njuki, Jemimah

AU - Tuomisto, Hanna L.

AU - Tutundjian, Seta

AU - Wesseler, Justus

AU - Sonnino, Roberta

AU - Webb, Patrick

N1 - Funding Information: The authors acknowledge that this article is a shortened summary of the work and report prepared by the European Commission High Level Expert Group (HLEG) on International Platform for Food Systems Science, along with the discussion with key stakeholders (e.g. FAO, CGIAR, UNFSS scientific committee, industries and general public). The HLEG is an independent panel constituted by the European Commission's (EC) Directorate-General for Research and Innovation to advise on the need, potential, feasibility, options and appropriate approaches for SPIs to support food systems transformation. The views expressed in this article represent those of authors. This manuscript is an independent exercise which addresses the implication of the HLEG-report considering ongoing debates around these issues. Publisher Copyright: © 2023

PY - 2023/7

Y1 - 2023/7

N2 - Background: A food system transformation is needed to address food and nutrition security, minimise impacts on planetary health, reduce climate change emissions, and contribute to equity, diversity, and the Sustainable Development Goals. Scope and approach: This paper summarizes findings of the European Commission's High Level Expert Group on Food Systems Science, which reviewed obstacles that prevent food systems policy from achieving society-wide impacts. These barriers include knowledge and translation gaps in food-related science-policy-interfaces (SPIs), insufficient attention to the priorities of diverse stakeholders, and a failure to adequately consider equity, diversity, political economy, and societal engagements. Key findings & conclusions: Three potential pathways can ensure science and policy support food systems transformation: (1) Adapt the current SPI landscape with extra resources and a wider mandate to ensure coordinated action across the full food system, (2) Enhance the current policy landscape with a range of multisectoral taskforces designed to fulfill specific functions such as creating an enhanced food systems data portal, and (3) Establish a “network of networks” to provide both global coordination as well as organize defined agendas at global through to regional scales. In embarking on these pathways, a revised science-policy-society landscape (SPSIs) should deliver the following core functions: (1) Engage and empower multi-stakeholder dialogue; (2) Build capacity at multiple scales to translate evidence into tangible real-world outcomes; (3) Ensure access to openly accessible data for the entire food system; (4) Use models, forecasts, and scenario building exercises to explore the potential future of food systems; (5) Produce assessment reports and policy publications; and (6) Establish fora for diplomacy that will be empowered to create standards set targets and establish policy.

AB - Background: A food system transformation is needed to address food and nutrition security, minimise impacts on planetary health, reduce climate change emissions, and contribute to equity, diversity, and the Sustainable Development Goals. Scope and approach: This paper summarizes findings of the European Commission's High Level Expert Group on Food Systems Science, which reviewed obstacles that prevent food systems policy from achieving society-wide impacts. These barriers include knowledge and translation gaps in food-related science-policy-interfaces (SPIs), insufficient attention to the priorities of diverse stakeholders, and a failure to adequately consider equity, diversity, political economy, and societal engagements. Key findings & conclusions: Three potential pathways can ensure science and policy support food systems transformation: (1) Adapt the current SPI landscape with extra resources and a wider mandate to ensure coordinated action across the full food system, (2) Enhance the current policy landscape with a range of multisectoral taskforces designed to fulfill specific functions such as creating an enhanced food systems data portal, and (3) Establish a “network of networks” to provide both global coordination as well as organize defined agendas at global through to regional scales. In embarking on these pathways, a revised science-policy-society landscape (SPSIs) should deliver the following core functions: (1) Engage and empower multi-stakeholder dialogue; (2) Build capacity at multiple scales to translate evidence into tangible real-world outcomes; (3) Ensure access to openly accessible data for the entire food system; (4) Use models, forecasts, and scenario building exercises to explore the potential future of food systems; (5) Produce assessment reports and policy publications; and (6) Establish fora for diplomacy that will be empowered to create standards set targets and establish policy.

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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85162778018&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.tifs.2023.04.021

DO - 10.1016/j.tifs.2023.04.021

M3 - Comment / Letter to the editor

AN - SCOPUS:85162778018

SN - 0924-2244

VL - 137

SP - 104

EP - 108

JO - Trends in Food Science and Technology

JF - Trends in Food Science and Technology

ER -

Ensuring societal considerations are met when translating science into policy for sustainable food system transformation

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