Food systems are the interconnected networks, processes and people involved in feeding populations, from the moment food is grown or raised, through processing, distribution, preparation and consumption, to waste and disposal. These systems encompass everything that influences what we eat and how food gets to our plates: farmers and fishers, supply chains and markets, cultural food practices, policies and institutions, as well as the natural resources such as soil, water and biodiversity, that underpin all food production.

Unlike a simple farm-to-fork description, food systems include the economic, social, environmental and political forces that shape how food is produced, traded, consumed and valued. They determine food availability, choice, affordability and quality, and they influence people’s livelihoods, health outcomes and the sustainability of landscapes and ecosystems.

At the Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems, this broad understanding of food systems guides our research and innovation. We see food systems as dynamic and complex shaped by technology, culture, policy, markets and climate and central to addressing some of society’s greatest challenges, from healthy diets and social equity to climate change and environmental integrity. Our work recognises that transforming food systems requires collaboration across disciplines and sectors to ensure they are resilient, equitable, environmentally sustainable, and able to deliver nutritious food for all now and into the future.