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Knowledge Centre for Global Food and Nutrition Security

We support the EU global commitment to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition through a dedicated, reinforced science-policy interface and a fostered inter-policy dialogue.

  • Page | Last updated: 03 Mar 2026
Brief me on "Sustainable Food Systems"
Global Food and Nutrition Security

The section provides a quick overview on the topic “Sustainable Food Systems” in the Knowledge Centre for Global Food and Nutrition Security. 

It is structured in the following themes: 

  • Sustainable and inclusive agri-food value chains that include better storage, logistics, processing, packaging, distribution and food service activities are important drivers for the economy, provide job opportunities and are an important component of food security.The Global Gateway Initiative of the European Union invests in these agri-food value chains.
  • It is essential to recognize the critical role that gender equality plays in ensuring the long-term viability and sustainability of food systems. The Global Gateway Initiative's investment in agri-food value chains presents an opportunity to promote gender equality and empower women, who are often the primary caregivers and food producers in many communities. However, the current state of the global food system is marked by significant challenges.
  • Agroecology is increasingly being promoted as a viable approach for the transitions towards sustainable food systems. It involves applying ecological principles to agriculture to ensure a regenerative use of natural resources, while addressing the need for socially and economically equitable food systems.
  • The expansion of the trade in commodities has led to undesired outcomes, such as deforestation and child labour. The EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) mandates that any operator or trader dealing with commodities such as cocoa must ensure their products are not sourced from recently deforested land or contribute to forest degradation. The Sustainable Cocoa Initiative, launched in 2020, supplements the EUDR by sharing its objective of tackling deforestation and by addressing technical issues for instance linked to traceability.