The Role of Human and Societal Transformation in Food System Transformation

Abstract

Transformation of food systems is essential to fulfil multiple sustainability and development challenges from local to global scales. Transformed food systems must minimise vulnerability to shocks while delivering environmental, social, and economic benefits. This need can only be met by embracing food systems transformation as a process of social and individual change. The scale of this societal and environmental challenge demands an equally grand vision – one that integrates climate, sustainability and systems thinking with human psychology, beliefs and values, and shared understandings. Such a vision, with community and individual transformation at its core, has the potential to deliver multiple benefits to society through transformative food systems change, livelihood resilience and climate change adaptation and mitigation. Fostering conditions that support both individual transformation, and the development of collective understandings, therefore need to be a core part of any strategies to transform food systems.

Keywords: Food systems transformation, Climate Change