Cultivating sustainability: the role of EU Food Systems in advancing the SDGs

EU food systems resemble complex webs of relationships spanning supply chains, consumption patterns, ecosystems, human health, and planetary boundaries and demanding systemic approaches for fostering a transition towards more sustainable outcomes. The Farm to Fork Strategy outlines a vision for such a transition to align healthy societies with a healthy planet, presenting an integrated pathway for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the complexity emerging from the interactions inside those systems hamper a clear understanding of what should constitute sustainable EU food systems and which SDGs are addressed by them. This report identifies key sustainability elements in food system conceptualizations, including environmental, economic, social, and governance aspects. These elements are then linked to the SDGs to demonstrate how sustainable food systems can advance them in an integrated manner. The current state of progress on food system-related SDGs is discussed, highlighting challenges and opportunities. The report further contextualises relevant SDG interlinkages to shed light on the dynamic interactions that drive system behaviour. Findings highlight food systems' potential to address multiple SDGs directly (notably SDG 2, 3, 6, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 17) and the entire 2030 Agenda through SDG interlinkages. This report details the complexities, challenges, and pathways towards achieving a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food system aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.