A systematic review of sustainable food systems identifies socio-economic pathways driving food systems transformations
Socio-economic conditions influence the implementation of proposed solutions for transforming food systems. Here we systematically screen over 1,700 articles and select 349 for detailed review, investigating the role of socio-economic drivers in sustainable food systems transformations across different world contexts. We identify seven sustainable food systems transformations, including sustainable land resources and soil health, precision agricultural practices, diet change and novel food transition, good nutrition and health, food loss and waste reduction, healthy freshwater and marine ecosystems, and climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation. We propose socio-economic pathways comprising specific socio-economic drivers needed for achieving them and provide actor-specific recommendations to support sustainable food systems transformations.
Authors
- Johannes Piipponen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2925-3397)
- Matias Heino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4294-7756)
- Daniel Chrisendo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4941-8606)
- Marja Roitto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6993-9927)
- Delphine Deryng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6214-7241)
- Mika Jalava (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4133-7462)
- Sara Heikonen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3469-9801)
- Xavier Irz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5659-5291)
- Venla Niva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1456-4881)
- Matti Kummu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5096-0163)
- Hanna L. Tuomisto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5971-8354)
- Rachel Mazac (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0287-6984)
- Mia Pihlajamäki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1322-0558)
- Thomas Banafa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7648-6508)
- Mohammad El Wali
- Josias Láng-Ritter
Institutions
- University of Helsinki (FI)
- Stockholm Resilience Centre (SE)
- Stockholm University (SE)
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (FI)
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE)
- Aalto University (FI)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Food
- Published
- 2026-03-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-026-01317-0
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 31.91
Funders
- Helsingin Yliopisto
- European Commission
- Aalto-Yliopisto
- Maj ja Tor Nesslingin Säätiö
- Koneen Säätiö
- Strategic Research Council