The challenge
The interconnected systems that feed the world are under pressure
The food we eat each day connects us to a complex network of producers, processors, transporters, traders, landscapes, seascapes, markets, regulators and other consumers.
The pressures on our food systems to meet the demands of a growing global population are increasing.
At the same time, challenges such as climate change, pandemics, conflicts, humanitarian emergencies, inequality and contested resources reduce the capacity of those food systems to feed the world.
Innovation is key to sustainably supporting and transforming our agrifood systems.
Our response
System wide innovation
We recognise that transformation of our agrifood systems won’t happen through individual actions; collective challenges need collaboration.
This may require re-organising the dynamics and relationships in our food systems, developing adaptive and enabling policy, and introducing technology that responds to changing trends and needs, including transitional and transformation change.
Our work builds the capacity of the whole system to identify and accelerate innovation to solve food systems challenges. We work at multiple scales, from commodity, cooperative and value chain targets to global market and sustainable development goals, and from production to consumption, diets, emissions, trade and livelihoods.
We explore the opportunities that innovation can unlock. We analyse, understand and guide responses to immediate, short-term shocks to food systems, as well as longer-term disruptions that could otherwise affect the sustainability of food systems for future generations.
Our approaches include:
- knowledge and partnership brokering
- predictive modelling to support planning and investment
- market systems approaches to support value chains for inclusive development outcomes
- co-design and delivery of context-relevant technology solutions
- innovation systems approaches to creating greater cohesion and directionality
- building capability to catalyse and absorb innovation.