The purpose of this report is to clarify what a systems approach involves in practice across agrifood systems. It explains what a systems approach means in the context of agrifood systems, why it matters and how to adopt it. It advances the operationalization of a systems approach by outlining the key shifts needed to embed systems thinking into policies, programmes, projects, and interventions and illustrating how countries, regions and municipalities are putting these shifts into practice.
Shifting to a systems approach involves six core elements:
- applying systems thinking,
- building systems knowledge,
- enabling systems governance,
- integrating actions through systems doing,
- securing systems investment and fostering
- systems learning.
These elements form the concrete framework for joined-up action that is detailed in this report.
The benefits of considering interconnection can be illustrated through the design of school food programmes. A programme that delivers nutritious meals has the potential to contribute to health goals. However, if children’s food preferences are ignored, food waste may increase. If food safety is not guaranteed, the programme cannot meet its core objective. And if the food is sourced from farms using unsustainable practices or exploitative labour, the programme may undermine environmental sustainability and equity goals.
In contrast, a school food programme that creates stable demand for local family farmers, supports investment in supply infrastructure, and incorporates considerations of cost, nutrition, environmental sustainability and gender, becomes a lever for broader, long-term change. It has the potential not only to improve children’s diets but also to strengthen the agrifood systems on which future generations depend.
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