„Here’s how the United Nations should harness science and technology to improve nutrition and safeguard the environment“, write Joachim von Braun, Chair of the Scientific Group, and his co-authors and Vice Chairs Kaosar Afsana, Louise O. Fresco and Mohamed Hassan in their commentary, providing scientific basis for the Food Systems Summit convened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in September 2021.
The group has formulated seven science-based priorities for achieving science-driven advances:
1. End hunger and improve diets
2. De-risk food systems
3. Protect equality and rights
4. Boost bioscience
5. Protect resources
6. Sustain aquatic foods
7. Harness digital technology
In addition, the authors suggest how to move to implementation after the UN Foods Systems Summit will have agreed on the plans:
1. Boost finance, e.g. by establishing a special fund
2. Increase scientific capacity, e.g. by sharing research infrastructure and data between the global south and global north
3. Strengthen science-policy interfaces, e.g. by exploring an intergovernmental treaty or framework convention on food systems, analogous to the conventions on climate, biodiversity and desertification as agreed on in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
„Bringing the tools of science to the table will help to transform the global foods system to end hunger and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030“, conclude the authors.