Never before has the world produced more food—yet our food systems are failing both people and the planet.
Why the future of our food systems is being decided now
At the UN Food Systems Summit+4 in Addis Ababa, Welthungerhilfe and global stakeholders are calling for a radical rethink of how we produce, distribute, and consume food. From drought-resistant farming in Burkina Faso to inclusive governance in Kenya, local solutions show that change is possible. But to make fair food systems a global reality, national commitment, inclusive participation, and targeted investment are essential.
When smallholder farmers in Burkina Faso increase their yields using drought-resistant farming methods and thus defy climate change, it is a step forward. When people in a region in Kenya transform their local governance structures to distribute food more fairly and ensure government aid reaches those in need, it is a success. And when community initiatives in Ethiopia enable thousands of farmers in the desert to achieve reliable harvests, it shows that change is possible. Participation, commitment, and sustainable, local solutions are the pillars for more equitable and sustainable global food systems.
Creating space for multi-stakeholder participation
These approaches will take the center stage when Welthungerhilfe, together with numerous partners, participates in this year’s UN Food Systems Summit Stocktaking Moment, UNFSS+4, in Addis Ababa. From July 27 to 29, government representatives, civil society, smallholder farmers, Indigenous communities, scientists, and the private sector will come together to discuss how food systems around the world can finally be transformed, ensuring that all stakeholders have a seat and a say at the negotiating table. The timing could not be more crucial for such a multi-stakeholder approach.
It is about enabling governments to find their own context-specific and locally adapted solutions. So-called National Pathways must be closely tailored to each country’s unique conditions and challenges. After all, the climate crisis, the loss of ecosystems, and the decline of biodiversity are leaving deep marks globally, especially on food security for millions of people.
Our food systems are full of contradictions
The world has never produced as much food as it does today, and yet food has never been distributed so unequally. While many people struggle with obesity and the adverse health impacts of a poor diet, millions in countries, particularly in the Global South, suffer from malnutrition or hunger. This imbalance, in our view, can only be addressed collectively and with nationally developed strategies and solutions.
Tracking progress and securing funding
In Addis Ababa, Welthungerhilfe will not only share experiences but also make clear demands. Declarations of intent must be followed by action at the governmental level. We must adopt a holistic perspective, recognizing that food systems, climate change, and the loss of biodiversity are tightly connected. Our actions must reflect this interdependence: policies and programmes need to be more impact-driven, and we must use - and better yet, create - synergies between sustainable nutrition, environmental protection, climate resilience, and biodiversity.
Political leadership is key
That is why UNFSS+4 explicitly invites governments to present new laws and incentives to make sustainable nutrition the norm. This includes stronger support for smallholder farming structures and an end to subsidies that favour unsustainable agricultural practices and food production. It also means ensuring that all actors have a voice: from producers and traders to consumers.
Welthungerhilfe is committed to ensuring that marginalized groups have a say at this conference. They are the ones who must and can implement change on the ground. People who cultivate their land with traditional knowledge hold valuable solutions that deserve a place in the political debate.
It would be clearly a historic milestone if new alliances were to emerge from Addis Ababa. If countries were willing to strengthen the recognition of food as a human right, not just a commodity. If sustainable nutrition were no longer a privilege, but a reality accessible to all. That is precisely what we aim to advance together at UNFSS+4.
Stay tuned. We will be reporting live from the ground at UNFSS+4, sharing voices from our projects.
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