Sustainable and Resilient Agrifood Systems (SARAS) : a Leibniz position

Abstract

Current agrifood systems fail to provide healthy, affordable food for all while also damaging the environment, contributing to climate change, reducing biodiversity, and increasing inequality. Given these compounding crises, it is crucial to transition towards sustainable and resilient agrifood systems (SARAS). This paper synthesizes perspectives from multiple disciplines on SARAS, incorporating consensus statements, current research positions, and actionable measures comprising ecological, economic, social, and political dimensions. Achieving a balance between global and local solutions is paramount to address the complexities inherent in agrifood systems. Moving forward, diversifying consumption patterns, production systems, and value chains depending on local conditions can support the realization of SARAS. Adopting a holistic system approach that covers both global and local dimensions of agrifood systems minimizes trade-offs, leverages synergies, integrates international agreements, and mitigates unintended impacts on other countries and vulnerable groups. Nevertheless, several unsolved issues persist, including matters of scaling, applicability of effective policy instruments, and securing funding for this transformation.