New horizons for the transitioning of our food system: connecting ecosystems, value chains and consumers
This report (PDF) by NewForesight and Commonland and with contributions from the Boston Consulting Group, presents the complex challenges we face in our current food system, and highlights opportunities to forge a path towards a more sustainable future. The authors sketch an initial outline of holistic approaches that offer long term solutions while capturing net positive business opportunities with multiple returns. The main aim of this paper is to trigger decision makers in business, government, and society to form coalitions, apply such holistic approaches and drive systemic change in our food systems at scale using an ecosystem approach. These coalitions are the key to convening representative stakeholders from all levels, unlocking collaborative learning within food systems, and identifying and pursuing the opportunities for growth and value creation offered by this transition. They argue that there is tremendous, as yet untapped value in fixing our food systems, from soils to plate. This offers significant opportunities for businesses, farmers, society and the planet. Front running organizations that appreciate the urgency; recognize these far-reaching opportunities; and get this transition right, will be rewarded with faster growth and value creation. A key message of the report is that there is a need to form coalitions of committed frontrunners on the path towards net positive food systems using an ecosystem approach. These coalitions need to focus on transforming specific combinations of interrelated agrilandscapes, value chains and consumer markets. It is crucial that these coalitions appreciate the importance of – and invest in – collaborative learning as a first step to identify and capture the opportunities for growth and value creation. A presentation presenting the key points of this report can be found here.