SASi-SPi showcased its work at the Agri4D conference in Uppsala

Agri4D brought together around 250 participants from across the globe, creating a vibrant platform for dialogue on sustainable agrifood systems. The SASi-SPi session was opened by project manager Fatima Laanouni, who situated the initiative within the EU-funded SASI initiative, highlighting the collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The first of two panels began with an intervention by Professor Kostas Karantininis, Director of SASi-SPi at SLU, who offered a global perspective on agrifood systems. He underlined that food systems have been historically successful in feeding a growing population, combating poverty and malnutrition, and providing income for more than 1,23 billion who are employed in food system activities. At the same time, food systems place significant strain on ecosystems - contributing to one third of global greenhouse gas emissions, driving biodiversity loss, and generating significant food waste. Despite their scale, food systems still leave one out of eight people (700 m) hungry and 2,6 billion people unable to afford a healthy diet.

- As researchers, we try to understand what is going on in a systematic way. Our role is to be the honest brokers providing decision makers in the food system with policy options and investment choices evaluating their impacts and trade-offs, said Kostas Karantininis.

He went on to explain the agrifood systems approach and the aim of the SASi-SPi: to deliver research based, relevant and legitimate agrifood System intelligence to support EU decision-making.

Science Policy Interface

Tristan Le Cotty, agricultural economist researcher at the French international development research institute Cirad explained the role and value of Science-Policy interface (SPI). 

Science policy dialogues are spaces where scientists and policy decision makers engage in mutual learning: scientists recognize the need to develop “second-best options” that are politically feasible while policymakers gain insight into the long-term needs of diverse stakeholders and a broader understanding of the systemic challenges at hand. 

- As scientists, we may wonder why policymakers do not apply our solutions. But we also need to recognize how politically painful some of the measures can be, like, for example, taxing oil or subsidizing agroecology, noted Tristan Le Cotty.

He further emphasized that resistance to transformation is often rooted in false preconceptions. The science policy interface, he explained, is particularly valuable when the best solutions are not immediately clear.

- Sometimes policymakers tend to focus on the symptoms rather than the root causes of problems. Take food insecurity: policy makers may prefer quick fix like food aid than tackling underlying issues. Even when addressing the low agricultural production in Africa, policy makers tend to support the use of fertilizer, which is often a symptom of a low profitability of agriculture, more than the root cause of the low productivity, which the lack of connection between farmers and dynamic food demand spots, said Tristan Le Cotty. 

Rapid responses

Dr Gabriela Albuquerque, from School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, explained the rapid response process: a short report that analyses existing research on a subject.

- Food systems and food insecurity are at the core of our work, and we have conducted rapid responses on different topics across different regions of the world, noted Gabriela Albuquerque.

Following this, an assessment of the policy options and a trade-off analysis considering both the sustainability impacts and the stakeholders impacted by the different options is performed. The final report shared with the EU includes different policy options.

Thematic studies

Professor Kostas Karantininis went on to explain the work on thematic studies carried out within the SASi-SPi program focusing on Aquatic Food Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa and Agro-Silvo Pastoralism in the Sahel and Horn of Africa.

- In the thematic studies we provide policy options, investments and trade-offs. Positive and negative aspects for different stakeholders are shown in a matrix, said Kostas Karantininis

This process begins with a framing study that identifies key questions. This exercise is followed by deep dive reports in selected areas; gender is always one of them. The work then advances through Science Policy Labs (SPoLs) - dynamic platforms fostering dialogue between researchers, policymakers, and key food system stakeholders. The SPoLs aim to be used as tools to promote collaborative problem-solving for informed and impactful policy options.

Transition pathways

At the country level, SASi-SPi aims to develop processes and tools to support the transition towards sustainable, inclusive and equitable food systems transition in three countries: Colombia, Sierra Leone and Bhutan. This work is carried out in collaboration with the governments, the EUD Delegations, local research partners, and FAO. Progress was presented by Dr Isabelle Vagneron, economist at Cirad who is leading this work.

- We want to focus on what we call a transition challenge, an obstacle that must be overcome to achieve sustainable food systems, and we like to focus on regions and local food systems. Our starting point is to identify a transition challenge, often at the regional level. We then bring together different types of knowledge through a participatory process that involves various stakeholders — such as farmers, producer organizations, small enterprises, and local authorities. Together, we first seek to understand the challenge from a food system perspective, and then to imagine what a desirable future could look like and how stakeholders can work collectively to achieve it. The output is a collective process that can lead to the identification of tailor-made interventions, which can then be further assessed, compared and prioritized, said Isabelle Vagneron.

Some of the lessons learned from the work in the three regions in Colombia are 

· Starting with the Region/Territory & Transition challenge was a good idea!

· Participation matters: Who should be involved? What is the best format of participation? How to provide a safe space where people “agree to disagree”? are important questions in the multistakeholder processes.

- We focus on the process: What can a transition look like? Where does it start? Who can initiate it? What are the leverage points and trade-offs, concludes Isabelle Vagneron.

Participatory process

Myriam Perez, from ICRA delved into the participatory multistakeholder process in Colombia where grassroot innovations trigger food system transformation. She explained how the multistakeholder process addresses food system challenges by building on existing strengths and let local initiatives inspire broader transformation.

- Our work is to support a series of encounters to support the work with the research processes and in that way build capacity among the stakeholders, said Myriam Perez.

She highlighted the value of local knowledge and the importance of understanding that strategies developed by those closest to the context is key to effective change. She also underlined how capacity is strengthened through participants rotating across the four regions sharing experiences and insights – a process that foster cross-pollination of ideas and collective problem-solving.

- We also worked with a group of what we call “champion organizations” acting as ambassadors to spread innovation and knowledge in their regions, said Myriam Perez.

Finally, Béatrice Ngirabacu from FAO Investment Centre, explained the role of SASI project in translating national objectives into operational programs policies and investments that can enhance agri-food systems. At country level, FAO supports governments in tackling systemic challenges, providing technical expertise and mobilizing financing to enable transitions towards sustainable agri-food systems.