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Sustainable Food System Transition

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Food".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (26 March 2023) | Viewed by 36641

Special Issue Editor

Climate and Food Security Group, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2630 Taastrup, Denmark
Interests: sustainable food systems; agriculture; climate change; innovation; environmental assessment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Our current food system is unsustainable and not successful in providing adequate food security and food sovereignty for an increasing human population, thereby impeding the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The rapid expansion of agricultural land has caused severe damage to ecosystems by reducing biodiversity, increasing water stress, and elevating global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, already exceeding several planetary boundaries. Between 21% and 37% of global GHG emissions can be attributed to the food system, and livestock alone accounts for about 15% of global GHG emissions when including emissions from ruminants, feed production, and land use change. While middle- and especially low-income countries are facing severe problems with access to food and undernutrition, high-income countries are challenged by unhealthy diets and malnutrition that are contributing to non-communicable diseases, resulting in increased mortality rates across the world. At the same time, structural changes in agriculture are causing population and employment to become increasingly concentrated in urban areas, resulting in a shrinking of the population in rural areas and a widening urban–rural gap that threatens both territorial and social cohesion within countries. Recent research has shown that healthy food is primarily plant-based, that plant-based food has significantly lower GHG emissions, and that more localized food systems may increase resilience and strengthen urban–rural cohesion, especially in light of COVID-19. In order to better meet the needs of the people and the planet, we urgently need a global shift toward more plant-based, resilient, and localized food systems.

This Special Issue welcomes submissions that shed light on the opportunities and barriers for a sustainable food system transition in a COVID-19 and post COVID-19 world, and contribute to the development and assessment of sustainable, innovative, and inclusive food system solutions across the entire food value chain, covering production, distribution, consumption, and recycling/upcycling. Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary contributions are encouraged.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Christian Bugge Henriksen
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable food systems
  • agriculture
  • transition
  • climate change
  • food security
  • food sovereignty
  • sustainable development goals
  • planetary boundaries
  • COVID-19
  • diet
  • health
  • plant-based
  • resilience
  • cohesion
  • innovation
  • inclusion
  • empowerment

Published Papers (10 papers)

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9 pages, 226 KiB  
Communication
Food Systems Transformation in Scotland—The Journey to, Vision of, and Challenges Facing the New Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act
by Mary Brennan
Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14579; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914579 - 08 Oct 2023
Viewed by 687
Abstract
Building on growing global and local calls for food systems transformation, and years of policy and legislative consultation (2009–2022), the Scottish Parliament unanimously passed transformational food systems legislation in June 2022. Built on a clear vision, clarity of purpose, a common set of [...] Read more.
Building on growing global and local calls for food systems transformation, and years of policy and legislative consultation (2009–2022), the Scottish Parliament unanimously passed transformational food systems legislation in June 2022. Built on a clear vision, clarity of purpose, a common set of outcomes, an agreed direction of travel, strong partnership working, sufficient time, and independent oversight, the Good Food Nation (GFN) (Scotland) Act is an innovative legislative framework designed to foster a healthier, fairer, and more sustainable Scottish food system for all. It places, for the first time, statutory responsibilities on the Scottish Government and relevant authorities (all Scottish local authorities and public health boards) to develop and implement national and local GFN plans, and importantly, makes provision for the establishment of a new independent, statutory Scottish Food Commission to oversee the implementation, with significant powers of oversight and scrutiny and a formal remit to make recommendations to any Scottish ministers and relevant authorities regarding issues/actions relevant to the Good Food Nation Plans. This paper outlines Scotland’s agriculture, food, and drink sector, reviews its food policy and GFN journey since the establishment of the Scottish parliament in 1999, critiques the core principles, stated outcomes, key provisions, and planned timescales of the GFN (Scotland) Act, reflects on its transformational potential, and considers unresolved concerns and remaining tensions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food System Transition)
19 pages, 2029 KiB  
Article
Scenarios for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Food Procurement for Public School Kitchens in Copenhagen
by Adam Addis Prag, Julie Bangsgaard Abrahams, Filippo Daniele, Maya S. Dodhia, Chujie Feng, Kevin Hahn, Steffen Kristiansen, Anna Maria Leitner, Jordi Pedra Mendez, Marcel Mohr, Sofie Fønsskov Møller, Simon Yde Svensson, Kea-Lena Permin Talbot, Ilie Tomulescu, Barbora Valachova, Fatimah Zahra, Marin Lysák and Christian Bugge Henriksen
Sustainability 2023, 15(17), 13002; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151713002 - 29 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 896
Abstract
The food system is responsible for a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, with the majority originating from livestock. Reducing our meat consumption is thus an important part of achieving necessary reductions in emissions, and reaching children is especially important to facilitate long-lasting [...] Read more.
The food system is responsible for a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, with the majority originating from livestock. Reducing our meat consumption is thus an important part of achieving necessary reductions in emissions, and reaching children is especially important to facilitate long-lasting changes in dietary habits now and into the future. This study developed dietary scenarios for three public schools in Copenhagen, which were used as cases to demonstrate reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from public kitchens. The scenarios included (i) replacement of all beef with poultry, (ii) replacement of all meat and fish with legumes, and (iii) alignment of food procurement to the Danish Food Based Dietary Guidelines based on the Planetary Health Diet. The effects on emissions were calculated using three different LCA databases. The results showed reductions ranging from 32 to 64% depending on the scenario, the current meal plan at the case school, and the emission factors used. Not surprisingly, the vegetarian scenario resulted in the highest reductions and replacing beef resulted in the lowest. Adhering to the national guidelines will result in reductions in emissions of 39–48%. Significant variability in the results existed between the three databases, highlighting the importance of basic understanding of LCA for kitchens interested in estimating and reducing their carbon footprint while at the same time providing justification for applying multiple LCA databases for increasing robustness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food System Transition)
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18 pages, 1244 KiB  
Article
A Qualitative Investigation of European Grain Legume Supply Markets through the Lens of Agroecology in Four Companies
by Rikke Lybæk and Henrik Hauggaard-Nielsen
Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 6103; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15076103 - 31 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1094
Abstract
Four companies in Europe were chosen as case studies using an information-oriented selection procedure on the basis of their location, processing equipment and size, and through the adoption of a “maximum variation” approach. The purpose was to investigate how legume processors of various [...] Read more.
Four companies in Europe were chosen as case studies using an information-oriented selection procedure on the basis of their location, processing equipment and size, and through the adoption of a “maximum variation” approach. The purpose was to investigate how legume processors of various sizes and in different locations in the European protein legume market are working to increase their market share within the paradigm of efficiency gains from agricultural specialisation and trade in order to improve both food availability and security. After identifying company typologies and characteristics, the company case studies along the legume value chain were investigated. The analysis revealed that the supply market for grain legumes is expected to grow rapidly, and the various processors are increasing their market shares in terms of product type and geography. Based on the principles of agroecology and levels of food system change, the companies were found to be adopting promising business strategies, but are not disrupting the competitive patterns among existing European legume supply companies and food consumers that dominate the current regime. System change is far from taking place. However, conventional perspectives are being challenged and new ways of operating are being developed, indicating that a significant transition can be initiated that would move legumes away from being a niche sector, demonstrating to legume processors and consumers in the regime that there is an alternative and more sustainable pathway for the future, possibly stimulating larger-scale initiatives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food System Transition)
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19 pages, 1082 KiB  
Article
How Does Context Contribute to and Constrain the Emergence of Responsible Innovation in Food Systems? Results from a Multiple Case Study
by Renata Pozelli Sabio and Pascale Lehoux
Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7776; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137776 - 25 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2883
Abstract
Organizations and practices that contribute to the resolution of major societal challenges are key to achieving a transition towards sustainable and resilient food systems. Previous research identified contextual elements that affect the emergence of organizations and practices with responsibility characteristics, but how this [...] Read more.
Organizations and practices that contribute to the resolution of major societal challenges are key to achieving a transition towards sustainable and resilient food systems. Previous research identified contextual elements that affect the emergence of organizations and practices with responsibility characteristics, but how this process unfolds remains poorly articulated. Our study thus focuses on how contextual dimensions may contribute to or constrain the emergence of responsibility in food systems. We applied a multiple case study design and conducted 34 semi-structured interviews with 30 organizations in the province of Québec (Canada) and in the state of São Paulo (Brazil). Our across-case analyses clarify how multiple contextual dimensions both contribute to and constrain the emergence of responsibility. More specifically, our findings show that while contextual dimensions shaped by the dominant food system constrain the emergence of responsibility, the same dimensions also contribute to it when they embed responsibility principles. One key contribution of our study is to show that interpersonal relations are an important mediation mechanism that helps to modify contextual elements, so they can contribute to the emergence of responsibility. This study’s findings can inform research and policy aiming to design institutional environments that promote a transition towards more responsible food systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food System Transition)
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19 pages, 1018 KiB  
Article
Food Waste Diversion from Landfills: A Cost–Benefit Analysis of Existing Technological Solutions Based on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
by Peter Sanciolo, Eduardo Rivera, Dimuth Navaratna and Mikel C. Duke
Sustainability 2022, 14(11), 6753; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116753 - 31 May 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2671
Abstract
Landfill disposals of food result in fugitive emissions of methane—a powerful greenhouse gas (GHG). This desktop study focuses on the cost and GHG emissions associated with food waste diversion from landfills using aerobic digesters with liquid outputs (ADLO). Despite the emerging popularity of [...] Read more.
Landfill disposals of food result in fugitive emissions of methane—a powerful greenhouse gas (GHG). This desktop study focuses on the cost and GHG emissions associated with food waste diversion from landfills using aerobic digesters with liquid outputs (ADLO). Despite the emerging popularity of ADLO units for food waste disposal, their cost and the GHG emissions associated with their use have not been independently quantified and compared to those of other food waste management options. This study compared landfill disposals, the currently available composting services, electric food dehydrators, and in-sink waste disposal units (garbage grinders). For a food waste production rate of 30 kg d−1, the landfill base case showed the lowest cost at USD 23 week−1. The modeled ADLO cost ranged from USD 20–42 week−1, depending on performance. Dehydrator costs were high at USD 29 week−1, largely due to the high energy intensity of the process. The cost of the current centralized composting was USD 51 week−1. The ADLO option with good performance was estimated to produce 5% of the GHG emissions of a landfill. This study showed that well-performing ADLO technology can be economically competitive with landfills and centralized composting and can markedly reduce GHG emissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food System Transition)
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14 pages, 456 KiB  
Article
Potential for Food Self-Sufficiency Improvements through Indoor and Vertical Farming in the Gulf Cooperation Council: Challenges and Opportunities from the Case of Kuwait
by Meshal J. Abdullah, Zhengyang Zhang and Kazuyo Matsubae
Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12553; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212553 - 13 Nov 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 6082
Abstract
The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are considered food secure due to their ability to import sufficient food to meet their populations’ demand, despite considerable environmental limitations to conventional agriculture. However, over-reliance on externally produced food leaves these countries vulnerable to [...] Read more.
The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are considered food secure due to their ability to import sufficient food to meet their populations’ demand, despite considerable environmental limitations to conventional agriculture. However, over-reliance on externally produced food leaves these countries vulnerable to food shortages during crises that disrupt international production and shipping. Advanced Controlled Environment Agriculture technology has the potential to improve food self-sufficiency by multiplying vegetable crop yields while optimizing efficiency of agricultural inputs and minimizing land requirements. This paper demonstrates how approximately 15 km2 of indoor farms or less than 0.1 km2 of vertical farms could reduce or eliminate the need to import six important vegetable crops in the State of Kuwait. If properly contextualized and supported by clear legislation and well-managed regulatory bodies, indoor agriculture initiatives may provide a pathway for GCC countries to reduce their dependence on imported foods and increase resilience to food supply disruption during disasters or conflict. This case study contextualizes the need for improved food self-sufficiency in light of vulnerabilities from regional and global threats, illuminates unique challenges faced by GCC countries considering adoption of the proposed technologies, and summarizes opportunities inherent in the current legal and policy framework. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food System Transition)
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20 pages, 42721 KiB  
Article
Food Sovereignty and Food Security: Livelihood Strategies Pursued by Farmers during the Maize Monoculture Boom in Northern Thailand
by Sayamol Charoenratana, Cholnapa Anukul and Peter M. Rosset
Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9821; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179821 - 01 Sep 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5979
Abstract
Northern Thailand is the center of a number of controversies surrounding changing cropping patterns, in particular related to deforestation driven by the expansion of maize monocropping by peasant farmers. Growing demand for maize by the global livestock industry has driven the conversion of [...] Read more.
Northern Thailand is the center of a number of controversies surrounding changing cropping patterns, in particular related to deforestation driven by the expansion of maize monocropping by peasant farmers. Growing demand for maize by the global livestock industry has driven the conversion of land from forest and/or shifting cultivation to chemical-intensive maize, with associated environmental (i.e., forest encroachment and annual burning of fields) and social (i.e., farmer indebtedness) problems. Over the years, some of the same farmers have been exposed to ‘alternative development’ programs and projects, initially motivated by pressure to substitute for illegal crops and more recently by concerns over deforestation and particulate matter air pollution from the burning of crop residues. This scenario is made more heterogeneous by a variety of land tenure situations and greater or lesser degrees of community control over land and forest. Faced with varied situations, peasant families can pursue different livelihood strategies, particularly in reference to the degree to which their production is market oriented. Based on surveys and interviews with farmers in Nan and Chiang Mai provinces, over a range of the aforementioned circumstances, we contrast families who pursue what we define as food security (cash cropping to earn money to buy food), food sovereignty (primarily production for self-provisioning) or mixed (a combination of both) strategies. In terms of indicators such as indebtedness, we find greater benefits from the food sovereignty and mixed strategies, though we also find that these are limited by security of land tenure issues, as well as by the degree to which community management of resources is or is not present. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food System Transition)
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12 pages, 403 KiB  
Article
Scaling up Action on Urban Sustainable Food Systems in the United Kingdom: Agenda Setting, Networking, and Influence
by Mat Jones and Sarah Hills
Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 2156; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042156 - 17 Feb 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1897
Abstract
There has been an increasing focus on the potential of city-based initiatives to address the negative impacts of the global food system. Adopting a meso-level policy perspective, this study aimed to explore whether, how, and why the UK non-government organisation led Sustainable Food [...] Read more.
There has been an increasing focus on the potential of city-based initiatives to address the negative impacts of the global food system. Adopting a meso-level policy perspective, this study aimed to explore whether, how, and why the UK non-government organisation led Sustainable Food Cities (SFC) programme has influenced this food agenda at the level of city governance. The research fills a gap in our understanding of the detailed processes through which trans-local food networks influence the capacity of local food partnerships to effect change, sustain themselves, and through a collective effort, to shape the attention of national and international decision-makers. Based on documentary evidence from 29 of the most active member cities and interviews with a purposive selection of stakeholders, the analysis suggests that SFC provided a point of origin for solutions and inspiration on a major and complex issue. However, the absence of a national sustainable food policy framework and little formal national-government recognition of local food governance together with the paucity of funding opportunities threatens the long-term viability of local food partnerships and ultimately places significant constraints on the ability of the programme to effect long-lasting, systemic change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food System Transition)
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20 pages, 3156 KiB  
Article
Transition from Animal-Based to Plant-Based Food Production to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Agriculture—The Case of Denmark
by Adam A. Prag and Christian B. Henriksen
Sustainability 2020, 12(19), 8228; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12198228 - 06 Oct 2020
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 10681 | Correction
Abstract
Curbing emissions from agriculture, and especially from livestock production, is essential in order to fulfil the Paris Agreement. Shifting to a diet lower in meat consumption has been emphasized in several studies. Based on the Planetary Health Diet developed by the EAT-Lancet Commission, [...] Read more.
Curbing emissions from agriculture, and especially from livestock production, is essential in order to fulfil the Paris Agreement. Shifting to a diet lower in meat consumption has been emphasized in several studies. Based on the Planetary Health Diet developed by the EAT-Lancet Commission, this study investigates the effect on agricultural greenhouse gas emissions of transitioning the Danish agricultural system, which currently relies mainly on meat and dairy production, towards increased focus on plant-based foods, combined with replacement or reduction of imported feed and carbon sequestration on previous agricultural land. The study finds a large potential for reducing emissions from Danish agriculture through implementation of the Planetary Health Diet, with reductions of up to 20.2 Mt CO2e (CO2 equivalents) (86.5%) under the most ambitious conditions. This demonstrates the potentially large benefits from transitioning towards a more plant-based European agricultural sector and underscores the need for European and national policies incentivizing this transition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food System Transition)
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4 pages, 852 KiB  
Correction
Correction: Prag, A.A.; Henriksen, C.B. Transition from Animal-Based to Plant-Based Food Production to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Agriculture—The Case of Denmark. Sustainability 2020, 12, 8228
by Adam A. Prag and Christian B. Henriksen
Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 944; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020944 - 18 Jan 2021
Viewed by 1586
Abstract
The authors have made the following corrections about the published paper [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food System Transition)
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