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Towards food systems transformation—five paradigm shifts for healthy, inclusive and sustainable food systems

Author

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  • Ruerd Ruben

    (Wageningen University and Research)

  • Romina Cavatassi

    (Senior Economist. International Fund for Agricultural Development)

  • Leslie Lipper

    (Senior Consultant Rural Development Report)

  • Eric Smaling

    (Senior Researcher. Wageningen Environmental Research)

  • Paul Winters

    (University of Notre Dame)

Abstract

Food systems must serve different societal, public health and individual nutrition, and environmental objectives and therefore face numerous challenges. Considering the integrated performances of food systems, this paper highlights five fundamental paradigm shifts that are required to overcome trade-offs and build synergies between health and nutrition, inclusive livelihoods, environmental sustainability and food system resilience. We focus on the challenges to raise policy ambitions, to harmonize production and consumption goals, to improve connectivity between them, to strengthen food system performance and to anchor the governance of food systems in inclusive policies and participatory institutions. Taken together, these shifts in paradigms shape a new discourse for food system transformation that will be capable to respond to current and future policy challenges.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruerd Ruben & Romina Cavatassi & Leslie Lipper & Eric Smaling & Paul Winters, 2021. "Towards food systems transformation—five paradigm shifts for healthy, inclusive and sustainable food systems," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(6), pages 1423-1430, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:13:y:2021:i:6:d:10.1007_s12571-021-01221-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s12571-021-01221-4
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