Discriminatory practices are well documented and deeply rooted in food systems. Systems science methods such as social network analysis, system dynamics modelling and agent-based modelling can help to determine how discriminatory processes arise, interact and accumulate to contribute to diet-related health disparities. Such methodological approaches can reveal leverage points for advancing equity-driven solutions.

Upcycling of food waste and food processing by-products into animal feed presents a circular strategy to recycle nutrients for livestock production that would otherwise be lost. Scenario analyses based on an integrated environmental–economic modelling approach demonstrate that this upcycling has asymmetric effects on food security and environmental sustainability.

Global development financing is transforming alongside trade and political disruptions. We should focus on creating a more diverse and efficient food finance system, including repurposing public support and leveraging private investments, says Johan Swinnen.

Increasing the consumption of specific food groups will be key for human health but might also lead to environmental impact. This study compares the biodiversity pressures associated with fruits and vegetables consumed in the United Kingdom, India and South Africa.

Most studies assessing food self-sufficiency look at calories and neglect nutrient gaps. Comparing food demand and potential food production under land and water constraints, this study quantifies 9 key nutrient gaps for each of African’s 54 countries.

Brazil is known to supply an important share of China’s increasing demand for proteins, but the exact pressure on land and water that results from this is unclear. This study addresses this gap, focusing on soybean trade, showing the persistence of indirect deforestation associated with soy cultivation expansion.

Data from the Illuminating Hidden Harvests initiative challenge the small- versus large-scale fisheries dichotomy, identifying five global archetypes to guide targeted policy and food systems transformation.

Drought stress threatens global food security. This study shows that drought-induced changes in wheat metabolites selectively enrich drought-tolerant bacteria in the rhizosphere, which enhance plant growth through key functional traits, offering promising avenues to strengthen crop resilience and sustain food production under climate change.

Renewable-fuelled plant factories (RFPFs) offer great promise for resilient food production. This study presents a multidimensional geospatial analysis to devise RFPF deployment schemes that aim to meet the population’s dietary vegetable demand in China’s 369 city-level regions.

Food is increasingly framed as a security issue — not just as an allusion to external shocks that may put it at risk, but also as a reflection of a political agenda that prioritizes increased agricultural output rather than the systemic changes needed to create more just and sustainable food futures. European food policy must align with scientific evidence, sustainability commitments and democratic principles to create true food security.

Agriculture faces pressures from both growing demands for food production under a changing climate and the need to mitigate climate change. Deep soil management is key to achieving a solution.

Discriminatory practices are well documented and deeply rooted in food systems. Systems science methods such as social network analysis, system dynamics modelling and agent-based modelling can help to determine how discriminatory processes arise, interact and accumulate to contribute to diet-related health disparities. Such methodological approaches can reveal leverage points for advancing equity-driven solutions.

Global development financing is transforming alongside trade and political disruptions. We should focus on creating a more diverse and efficient food finance system, including repurposing public support and leveraging private investments, says Johan Swinnen.