[Brussels, 18th June 2024] – FOODPathS and its partners urge policy makers and all food system stakeholders to prioritise working towards future sustainable food systems amidst uncertainty in the composition of the new European Commission. The declaration sets out the necessary steps for the EU to honour its flagship Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy as a central pillar of the Green Deal. To ensure food and nutrition security for future generations, the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability should be integrally addressed from today onwards.

Food systems (FS) in Europe and across the world are currently unsustainable. Simultaneously, global challenges are threatening our food systems’ capacity to provide food security and freedom of choice for future generations within the limits of our planet.

FOODPathS and its advisory board members, representing the diverse food systems actors, recognise these obstacles and call for urgent and collective action to policy makers and all FS actors to include these key elements in their future policies and action:

• Inclusive governance on local, national, European, and global levels is a prerequisite because food systems are highly complex with strong interdependencies with its societies, economies, cultures and landscapes

• A Food system approach aids in sustainability transition

• Food system progress monitoring and sustainability indicators will show food system performance. This is crucial because of the efficient use of resources and the trust in institutions

Only in such a coherent way, all food system (FS) actors can contribute to the highly needed transition and reach the goals of the European Partnership for Sustainable Food Systems for People, Planet & Climate. Waiting is no option anymore, actions are needed today.

“An orchestra may play a symphony if all musicians play harmonically; similarly, a food systems’ partnership reach sustainability if all its actors (inter-)act sustainably.” Said Hugo De-Vries, a Research Director at INRAE and project coordinator of FOODPathS.This Declaration is signed by the Advisory Board Members and the FOODPathS coordinator on behalf of the Consortium Partners, representing diverse networks of FS actors, during the second annual FOODPathS meeting in Finland.