Our food system, is it sustainable?

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed flaws in our global food system, demonstrating how vulnerable it is to unexpected shocks. While there is an emphasis on the production of food staples, including wheat, maize and rice, to meet basic food security needs, in many regions there is a lack of nutrient-rich foods, leading to malnutrition. Amy Ickowitz, team leader of the Sustainable Landscapes and Livelihood Program at the Center for International Forestry Research Amy Ickowitz and Anja Gassner, Senior Livelihoods Specialist and Head of Research Methods Group at World Agroforestry discuss the challenges surrounding our food system, the solutions offered by nature and the much needed support from researchers and policymakers in the development of a more sustainable food system that can feed billions of people around the globe.