Sustainable and Resilient Agrifood Systems ( <scp>SARAS</scp> ). A Leibniz Position

Summary

This Leibniz position paper presents a comprehensive multidisciplinary synthesis on transitioning towards sustainable and resilient agrifood systems in response to interconnected crises of food insecurity, environmental degradation, climate change, biodiversity loss, and inequality. The authors propose a holistic systems approach integrating global and local dimensions, emphasising diversification of consumption and production patterns tailored to local conditions, whilst integrating international agreements to minimise unintended impacts. The paper identifies critical gaps including scalability challenges, policy instrument applicability, and adequate funding mechanisms for realising systemic transformation.

UK applicability

The framework's emphasis on balancing global and local solutions is directly relevant to UK policy, which must reconcile international trade commitments with domestic food security, environmental, and health objectives. The identified need for diversified production systems and value chains has particular application to UK agriculture's transition towards sustainable intensification and agroecological approaches within existing regulatory and market structures.

Key measures

Framework dimensions (ecological, economic, social, political); balance of global and local solutions; trade-offs and synergies; policy instrument effectiveness; funding requirements

Outcomes reported

The paper synthesizes multidisciplinary perspectives on sustainable and resilient agrifood systems (SARAS), incorporating consensus statements, research positions, and actionable measures across ecological, economic, social, and political dimensions. It identifies key strategies including diversification of consumption patterns, production systems, and value chains, whilst highlighting persistent challenges in scaling, policy implementation, and securing transformation funding.

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