GAIN Working Paper n°47-Food systems governance and the public sector

The public sector plays a crucial role in transforming food systems through leadership, structures, and processes like policies and budgets as well as the extent to which it enables a whole-of-society approach. Understanding public-sector governance is thus fundamental to designing and implementing food systems transformation initiatives. This working paper provides an overview of public sector governance at the country level, with a food systems lens. Public governance models vary across countries, and understanding these is vital for addressing challenges and trade-offs and leveraging opportunities in food systems. Local governments, including city governments, have close relationships to the daily lives of residents and landscapes. This makes them key players in bringing together multiple stakeholders, implementing locally relevant solutions, and strengthening capacity through sharing best practices, tools, and lessons learned via city-to-city networks. In a similar way, global food systems-related fora can provide opportunities for national, sub-national, and local governments to enhance the evidence base on food systems transformation and shape wider food systems outlooks.

Building Demand under the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils

GAIN, CIMMYT, FAO and the US State Department to discussed The Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS), drawing on their shared knowledge and work in demand creation around healthier and more sustainable diets. Read the transcript and watch now.

The Food Systems Countdown Initiative Policy Report 2024

Food systems are a foundation of human and planetary well-being and central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Yet they also contribute to ill health, inequity, environmental degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions. These challenges demand urgent food systems transformation. Such a transformation requires understanding the status of food systems across their diverse functions.

Leveraging WTO rules to tackle malnutrition

The benefits of trade are often viewed in economic terms, but its human impact — on malnutrition in particular — cannot be ignored. Malnutrition stunts development, weakens immunity, and deteriorates bone and muscle health.

If the farmer grows, who will buy? Building Demand under the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS)

15 January 2025  , Global

The Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) relies on a cross-cutting ecosystem of research, policy, production, and demand working together to drive the adoption and consumption of 'opportunity crops'

Can AI Chatbots Help Demystify Food Policies?

Using OpenAI LLM (GPT-4o) and embedding models, GAIN developed a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)-based chatbot and connected it to a database of 28 publicly accessible food and nutrition policy documents from Bangladesh.

Fuelling the Workforce: How Nutrition Drives Occupational Health and Safety

This Human Rights Day, our panel will bring together experts from GAIN, SUN, ILO, and WHO to discuss the critical issue of nutrition integration in global labour standards. The panel is based on a comprehensive report that analysed the current state of nutrition considerations in international instruments, national legislation, and workplace practicesThis Human Rights Day, a live interview panel will bring together experts from GAIN, SUN, ILO, and WHO to discuss the critical issue of nutrition integration in global labour standards. The panel is based on a comprehensive report that analysed the current state of nutrition considerations in international instruments, national legislation, and workplace practices

GAIN Working Paper n°44 - Nourishing the Workforce: Nutrition Integration in Occupational Safety and Health Regulations

This report presents objective findings on the current levels of nutrition integration in international instruments and guidelines, and national legislations, regulations and procedures. Nutrition is only integrated in a few examples. Many laws, instruments and codes were developed before worker malnutrition was as prominent an issue and before newer scientific evidence emerged linking worker performance to improved nutrition. This new context, married with the evidence in this report, highlights the enormous opportunity presented to future labour standard setting for employees and employers.

Transforming Food Systems for a climate-resilient, well-nourished Nigeria

Climate change is a threat to the sustainability of global and national food systems. Unsustainable food systems cannot ensure food and nutrition security or healthy eating patterns. Climate change is already altering agricultural production, food processing, distribution, and conSumption. Its impacts disrupt food supply, limiting people’s access to the diverse, safe, and nutritious foods that make up high-quality diets.