“Transforming Agrifood Systems Amidst the Climate Crisis: A Diversity of Solutions for People, Planet, and Prosperity”
Food Systems for the Future (FSF), The Food is Medicine Institute at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) launch their report “Transforming Agrifood Systems Amidst the Climate Crisis: A Diversity of Solutions for People, Planet, and Prosperity”.
The report launch and panel discussion took place on September 18th from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET at the Metropolitan Club of NY
Chicago IL – Food Systems for the Future (FSF), the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University, and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) hosted a panel discussion unveiling their new report which raises the urgency of the need for data-driven food systems transformation for People, Planet and Prosperity ahead of COP28.
The event was held at the Metropolitan Club of New York on September 18th.
Our food system is in crisis, impacting underserved communities and contributing significantly to climate change and environmental damage. Climate change, in turn, strains food systems and affects people's access to healthy food. With 3.1 billion people unable to afford a nutritious diet, this complex problem requires a diverse set of solutions to transform our food system for the better.
The panel discussion during Climate Week NYC addressed key questions raised in the report, focusing on principles for diverse food system solutions, real-time impact measurement, and the roles of policymakers, finance, and businesses. It marked the start of a movement to bring together leaders and stakeholders from various sectors, recognizing the need for aggressive partnerships and radical change to achieve equitable returns for both people and the planet.
About the Transforming Agrifood Systems Amidst the Climate Crisis: A Diversity of Solutions for People, Planet, and Prosperity Report
The report aims to inform, enable, and mobilize a broad spectrum of policymakers, private asset managers and owners, and corporate leaders towards a journey that leads to a profound transformation of agrifood systems, one that delivers significantly improved and more equitable outcomes in terms of health, climate, and financial benefits for all.
This report emphasizes the vital role of transforming agrifood systems in achieving nutrition, health, and well-being, addressing climate change, and ensuring livelihoods for all stakeholders. It advocates for tailored financing mechanisms and business models to match the diverse risk and return profiles of agrifood system solutions. The report acknowledges the complexity of the global food crisis and the need for multifaceted solutions that consider trade-offs between climate, health, and livelihood goals, while recognizing variations across stakeholders, regions, and timeframes. It introduces the Impact Fingerprint as a tool for evaluating these trade-offs in agrifood system solutions. Additionally, it underscores the urgency of establishing science-based, real-time impact measurement and data systems to enhance accountability and transparency in agrifood systems. The report champions innovative solutions that prioritize balance, connectivity, and equitable returns for People, Planet, and Prosperity. Finally, it calls for collaboration among policymakers, private finance, and businesses to drive agrifood systems transformation through ambitious yet feasible actions, creating a powerful coalition of advocates for this cause.
Transforming Agrifood Systems Amidst the Climate Crisis: A Diversity of Solutions for People, Planet, and Prosperity Report Launch and Panel Discussion at the Metropolitan Club of NY.
About Environmental Defense Fund
Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) mission is to build a vital Earth for everyone. By leveraging their deep expertise in science and economics, EDF delivers bold, game-changing solutions to address the biggest challenge of our time—climate change. EDF’s team of biological and social scientists, lawyers, economists, and other specialists works with communities to stabilize the climate, and to strengthen the ability of people and nature to thrive and support people’s health. From slashing pollution caused by transportation around the world, to slowing global warming by cutting methane pollution, to bolstering nature’s own capacity to stabilize the climate, EDF partners with other organizations—as well as with businesses, governments and communities—to get the world on a rapid path to climate stability. Learn more at www.edf.org
About Food Systems for the Future
Food Systems for the Future Institute catalyzes, enables, and scales innovative, market-driven agrifood businesses capable of improving nutrition outcomes, particularly in underserved and low-income communities. Through its core services—leveraging untapped finance, business acceleration, public policy & education, partnerships, community engagement, and nutrition expertise—and in conjunction with its U.S. and Africa impact investment funds, FSF deploys holistic, diverse solutions designed to create an equitable and sustainable food system and to increase the affordability and availability of healthy, nutrient dense foods. Learn more at www.fsfinstitute.net
About The Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University
The Food is Medicine Institute (FIMI), directed by Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, is a new cross-university effort at Tufts bringing together faculty and students from the Friedman School and Tufts University School of Medicine, and collaborating with Tufts Medicine to advance research, training, patient care, and community engagement around FIM. This first-of-its-kind Institute will lead the nation in collaborative, high impact efforts to transform healthcare by integrating high-value food-based nutritional interventions and related programs as therapeutic and preventive interventions. The Institute will serve as a catalyst to drive change, improve health, reduce health disparities, and create a more equitable and resilient healthcare system that recognizes the power of food as medicine. Learn more at www.tuftsfoodismedicine.org/