The State of Food Systems Worldwide: Counting Down to 2030

Transforming food systems is essential to bring about a healthier, more equitable, sustainable, and resilient future, including achieving global development, health, and sustainability goals. To date, no comprehensive indicator framework exists that can track food systems transformation and food systems’ contributions to broader global goals. This paper builds on a recently developed food systems framework and holistic monitoring architecture comprised of five themes: (1) diets, nutrition, and health; (2) environment, natural resources, and production; (3) livelihoods, poverty, and equity; (4) governance; and (5) resilience. Each theme is divided into three-to-five indicator domains. We present the results of an inclusive, consultative process to select a set of existing indicators that can comprehensively monitor these themes and domains. Harmonized data of the 50 indicators provides a baseline assessment of the world’s food systems. It shows that every country can claim positive outcomes in some parts of food systems, but none are among the highest ranked across all domains. The Food Systems Countdown Initiative will track food systems annually to 2030, amending the framework as new indicators or better data emerge. Such global analysis supports data-driven food systems governance and provides an accountability mechanism for urgently needed progress toward achieving global goals.

SCHNEIDER Kate;  FANZO Jessica;  HADDAD Lawrence;  HERRERO Mario;  ROSERO MONCAYO Jose;  HERFORTH Anna;  REMANS Roseline;  GUARIN Alejandro;  RESNICK Danielle;  COVIC Namukolo;  BÉNÉ Christophe;  CATTANEO Andrea;  ABURTO Nancy;  AMBIKAPATHI Ramya;  AYTEKIN Destan;  BARQUERA Simon;  BATTERSBY Jane;  BEAL Ty;  BIZZOTO MOLINA Paulina;  CAFIERO Carlo;  CAMPEAU Christine;  CARON Patric;  CONFORTI Piero;  DAMERAU Kerstin;  DI GIROLAMO Michael;  DECLERCK Fabrice;  DEWI Deviana;  ELOUAFI Ismahane;  FABI Carola;  FOLEY Pat;  FRAZIER Ty;  GEPHART Jessica;  GOLDEN Christopher;  GONZALEZ FISCHER Carlos;  HENDRIKS Sheryl;  HONORATI Maddalena;  HUANG Jikun;  KENNEDY Gina;  LAAR Amos;  LAL Rattan;  LIDDER Preetmininder;  LOKEN Brent;  MARSHALL Quinn;  MASUDA Yuta;  MCLAREN Rebecca;  MIACHON Lais;  MUÑOZ Hernán;  NORDHAGEN Stella;  QAYYUM Naina;  SAISANA Michaela;  SUHARDIMAN Diana;  SUMAILA U. Rashid;  TORRENO CULLEN Maximo;  TUBIELLO Francesco N.;  VIVERO-POL Jose-Luis;  WEBB Patrick;  WIEBE Keith; 

2024-01-29

NATURE PORTFOLIO

JRC135989

2662-1355 (online),   

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC135989,   

10.1038/s43016-023-00885-9 (online),