Overcoming barriers to food systems transformation: insights from frontiers in sustainability special issue 

A new special issue published in Frontiers in Sustainability presents a roadmap for transforming global food systems to achieve planetary health. Although the path forward will be challenging, the collection of articles emphasizes the urgent need for a strategic approach to facilitate paradigm change. Researchers from the CGIAR Research Initiative on Sustainable Healthy Diets through Food Systems Transformation (SHiFT) played a key role in the development of the e-book, providing insights on transformative solutions. 

Co-edited by Chris Béné, Principal Scientist and Senior Policy Advisor at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT (the Alliance) and lead of SHiFT’s Work Package 3 on governance and inclusive food systems, the special issue makes a case for transitioning toward plant-based diets. The authors argue that shifting dietary patterns can reduce environmental impacts while also benefiting human health.  

Drawing on case studies and global perspectives, the collection identifies barriers and opportunities surrounding food systems transformation. Proposals for addressing challenges include:
 

• Moving beyond the polarized debate between plant-based and animal-source foods.  

• Leveling the playing field for alternative protein industries. 

• Supporting plant-based diets through strong policy coalitions. 

• Exploring alternative socioeconomic models to maintain food security and trade amidst dietary transitions. 

• Aligning food systems transformation with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

A key article in the collection authored by Béné and Mark Lundy, Research Director at the Alliance and SHiFT Deputy Lead, explores the political economy of the transition toward alternative meats. The analysis reveals that polarizing discourse between alternative protein supporters and red meat advocates serves as a barrier to progress. Béné and Lundy conclude that balanced transformation can be achieved by promoting plant-based diets in the global North while increasing meat access for vulnerable populations in the global South. 

Despite the obstacles facing global food systems, the articles in this issue demonstrate that change is both possible and necessary. The recommendations outlined in the collection offer practical steps forward. By addressing power dynamics, promoting equitable policies, and building strategic partnerships, food systems can be transformed to secure a healthy, sustainable future for people and the planet. 

 The International Food Policy Research Institute and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT lead SHiFT in close collaboration with Wageningen University and Research and with contributions from the International Potato Center. SHiFT combines high-quality nutritional and social science research capacity with development partnerships to generate innovative, robust solutions that contribute to healthier, more sustainable dietary choices and consumption of sustainable healthy diets. It builds on CGIAR’s unparalleled track record of agricultural research for development, including ten years of work on food systems and nutrition under the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health.