New report highlights critical food system trends and challenges in countdown to 2030

The Food Systems Countdown Initiative report identifies governance and resilience as pivotal leverage points for food system transformation.
A groundbreaking new study, “Governance and resilience as entry points for transforming food systems in the countdown to 2030”, published today in Nature Food, presents the first comprehensive analysis of change since 2000 in key food system indicators.
Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director of GAIN, said, “This new report reveals a mix of encouraging advancements and concerning setbacks, underscoring the urgency of accelerating food systems transformation. As this report shows, tradeoffs are inevitable between food system goals such as jobs, climate, nutrition, food security and resilience. But with stronger governance and better data these tradeoffs can be mitigated and even flipped into synergies. This report helps us to understand how to do this and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
The peer-reviewed research was conducted by the Food Systems Countdown Initiative (FSCI), a collaboration of leading experts and organizations, coordinated by Columbia University, Cornell University, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), analyzed 50 global food systems indicators across five themes: diets and health, environment and production, livelihoods and equity, resilience, and governance. The research highlights critical insights into food systems worldwide.
The report highlights encouraging progress in resilience and nutrition, with 20 of 42 tracked metrics showing improvement. Notable gains include better access to safe water, increased vegetable availability, and enhanced conservation of plant and animal genetic resources, which strengthen food systems against climate shocks. However, concerns emerge as seven indicators, including food price volatility, government accountability, and civil society participation, show significant decline, reflecting the challenges of maintaining stability amid global crises.
The report underscores the interconnectedness of factors such as governance and diet quality, advocating for coordinated, cross-sectoral strategies to address these complexities. Case studies from Ethiopia, Mexico, and the Netherlands illustrate how local actions can influence global food security and sustainability.
Jessica Fanzo, Professor at Columbia Climate School, emphasizes the urgent need for systemic reform in global food systems to address rising diet-related diseases, persistent undernutrition, and climate change. Highlighting these interconnected challenges, she stresses the importance of swift action. Fanzo values the study for revealing the pace of progress, essential for guiding further efforts, as effective management relies on measurable data.
JosĂ© Rosero Moncayo, Chief Statistician and Director of the Statistics Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), concluded, “This report provides a clear roadmap for evidence-based policymaking. As we enter the final five years of the SDG process, we have to double down on areas of progress while addressing persistent gaps, keeping the interconnectedness of food systems at the forefront. At the same time efforts are needed to improve the pool of indicators we have at our disposal to describe and analyze different elements of the system. As the report points out, the Countdown Initiative has a strong commitment to filling the current data gaps.”