holistic approach

This report clarifies the concepts of multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs) and identifies the challenges. The primary benefit of MSPs is the mobilization and coordinated use of complementary resources. A major challenge is the tensions that can appear among partners in an MSP. »

This report by NewForesight and Commonland 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. »

In this article in Solutions it is argued that with limited global resources, and in the face of environmental changes, meeting future food security challenges will first require a shift in thinking from just ‘producing food’ (and other sectoral interests) to ‘food systems.’ Future solutions should aim to find synergies between climate mitigation and adaptation and between health and environmental goals, with inevitable trade-offs that will need careful management. »

This paper (PDF) by Aidenvironment, NewForesight and IIED presents the value proposition of voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) and the challenges they face in obtaining scale and impact in sectors dominated by unorganized smallholders. It explores their potential role in scaling sustainability within a more holistic sector transformation model. »

The Food & Business Knowledge Platform (F&BKP) presents its final report (PDF) on the consultation on Dutch food security policy. The report analyzes all contributions to the consultation and presents a number of recommendations. The consultation was originally opened by the Food & Business Knowledge Platform (F&BKP) on July 1, 2014 and closed on September »