Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 4 — Narrative / commentaryPeer-reviewed

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

Claudia Hunecke, Ferike Thom, Julia Vogt, Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath‐Kimura, Tilman Brück, Franziska Gaupp, Frauke Geppert, Tilman Grune, Thomas Herzfeld, Sabine E. Kulling, Shikha Ojha, Annette Piorr, Babette Regierer, Britta Renner, Oliver Schlüter, Monika Schreiner, Marco Springmann, Thomas Weith, Petra Wiedmer

Sustainable Development · 2025

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Summary

This Leibniz Position paper presents a multidisciplinary synthesis on the transition towards sustainable and resilient agrifood systems (SARAS), addressing the failure of current systems to deliver healthy, affordable food whilst minimising environmental damage, climate impact, and inequality. The authors advocate for holistic system approaches that balance global and local dimensions, diversify production and consumption patterns, and integrate international agreements to minimise unintended consequences. The paper identifies persistent challenges in scaling effective interventions, implementing appropriate policy instruments, and securing adequate funding for system transformation.

UK applicability

The framework and principles presented are applicable to UK policy and practice, particularly for integrating ecological resilience and social equity into agrifood system design. However, the abstract does not address UK-specific conditions, baseline systems, or policy context, requiring additional review of the full paper to assess applicability to UK agriculture and food security goals.

Key measures

Synthesis of ecological, economic, social, and political dimensions of agrifood system sustainability; identification of trade-offs and synergies in system-level approaches

Outcomes reported

The paper synthesises multi-disciplinary perspectives on sustainable and resilient agrifood systems (SARAS), identifying consensus statements, current research positions, and actionable measures across ecological, economic, social, and political dimensions. It emphasises the need to balance global and local solutions through diversified consumption patterns, production systems, and value chains.

Theme
Policy, governance & rights
Subject
Food & agricultural policy
Study type
Narrative Review
Study design
Narrative review
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
Global
System type
Food supply chain
DOI
10.1002/sd.3468
Catalogue ID
BFmovi2bj3-xilrcg

Topic tags

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