The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have set forth an ambitious agenda to achieve zero hunger, food security, and improved nutrition by 2030. These goals emphasize the urgent need for major transformations in our food systems in the face of rapid population growth, urbanization, and growing inequality. In order to contribute to the global knowledge agenda and collective efforts to tackle these challenges, this Research Topic explores the environmental and social impacts, as well as climate risks, associated with our current food systems to ensure sufficient food and nutrition for human societies. The imperative for sustainable food systems stems from the recognition that we must consider the needs of future generations. There is a growing realization that food systems need to be economically and environmentally sustainable, socially inclusive, and resilient in the face of climate change. Achieving this transition requires a holistic and coordinated approach at local, national, and global levels.
One crucial aspect of adapting agricultural models to address climate change challenges is the need to develop resilient practices that can withstand more frequent drought incidents, such as those experienced in the Mekong region of China. The impacts of climate change on food production are evident, and it is essential to enhance agricultural practices that can withstand these challenges. Additionally, unsustainable consumption and production practices, e.g., high intakes of red and processed meat from intensive livestock industries, have detrimental effects on human health and contribute to environmental degradation. Therefore, promoting sustainable and healthy diets that reduce the environmental footprint of food production is imperative.
Providing healthy diets, however, requires healthy ecosystems that are functioning in providing a range of critical ecosystem services. One study conducted by Zhou et al. investigated the dietary selenium (Se) intake of the Tibetan adult population living along the Yalung Zangbo River in China. They utilized intact highland barley plants, cultivated topsoil samples, and quantitative dietary data from a cross-sectional survey and found that the insufficient dietary Se intake was primarily caused by the low Se content in highland barley grain, resulting from the low Se content in cultivated soil. Their study emphasizes the significance of addressing soil degradation accelerated by global warming, as it poses a threat to over 40% of land surfaces and affects food security. Maintaining healthy and productive soils can play a pivotal role in both food security and climate mitigation by sequestering greenhouse gases.
However, restoring healthy ecosystems, such as soils, is not an easy task, which can be demonstrated by the slow progress made after the launch of the “4 per 1,000” Initiative during the Paris COP21 in 2015 that aims to achieve an annual growth rate of 4‰ in soil organic carbon sequestration, which could help limit the increase in global temperatures to 1.5–2°C. Li et al. conducted a comprehensive policy review for the “4 per 1,000” Initiative and developed the concept of global soil governance, highlighting the aspect of New Common But Differentiated Responsibility. Their study revealed varying efforts among countries, with some nations showing more commitment compared to others. It also identified a new divide termed “soil carbon rich” and “soil carbon poor”, calling for a more practical and integrated framework within the global soil governance structure. This study underscores the importance of international collaboration and coordinated efforts in addressing soil degradation and climate change.
Collective actions are needed to address the challenges of 21st-century food systems balancing competing demands on sustainable agricultural production, nutrition, climate protection, wildlife conservation, soil and water quality, and equity. Jordan et al. and a consortium of university faculty present an action-research process for developing Collective Agency from 2019 to 2022 and report their progress in this Research Topic. This approach highlights the need for interdisciplinary education and capacity building to empower individuals and communities to drive sustainable food system transformations.
Some countries choose to implement protectionist food policies in order for food sufficiency. Using Nigeria as a case study, Gao et al. examine the dynamic interaction of narratives and trade policies in Nigeria's pursuit of rice self-sufficiency since the 1970s. They find that trade policy changes, whether protectionist or liberalizing, do not directly lead to increased rice production, highlighting the complexity of developing agricultural trade policies that balance imported food supplies and domestic agricultural development.
The Research Topic on Resilient, Inclusive, Sustainable, and Economic (RISE) Food Systems provides valuable insights into the urgent need for transformative change in our food systems. By analyzing the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of current food systems, with a particular focus on diets, this Research Topic offers potential solutions that transcend disciplinary boundaries. From addressing soil degradation and climate risks to promoting collective agency and exploring agricultural trade policies, this Research Topic contributes to the ongoing discourse on achieving sustainable and inclusive food systems that can meet the needs of present and future generations. The diverse research presented here highlights the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and economic dimensions in shaping our food systems. It is our belief that by embracing a multidisciplinary approach and fostering collaboration at all levels, we can strive toward achieving the SDGs and ensuring a future where everyone has access to safe, nutritious, and sustainable food.
Statements
Author contributions
XL and LC wrote the draft. LC and BL reviewed and edited the article. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.
Acknowledgments
The editors would like to thank the authors, reviewers, and the Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems development team, whose efforts have led to the success of this Research Topic.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Publisher’s note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Summary
Keywords
food systems, sustainable food systems, sustainability, sustainable development, nutrition, environmental sustainability
Citation
Chai L, Liao X and Liu B (2023) Editorial: Resilient, inclusive, sustainable and economic (RISE) food systems. Front. Sustain. Food Syst. 7:1238029. doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2023.1238029
Received
10 June 2023
Accepted
15 June 2023
Published
24 July 2023
Volume
7 - 2023
Edited and reviewed by
Barbara Burlingame, Massey University, New Zealand
Updates
Copyright
© 2023 Chai, Liao and Liu.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Li Chai chaili@cau.edu.cnXiawei Liao xiawei.liao@pku.edu.cn
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.