What are the ingredients for food systems change towards sustainability?—Insights from the literature
Many detrimental effects on the environment, economy, and society are associated with the structure and practices of food systems around the world. While there is increasing agreement on the need for substantive change in food systems towards sustainability, divergent perspectives exist on what should be the appropriate points of intervention and strategies to achieve such change. Change in diets and nutrition, the importance of social food movements, and sustainable farming practices are all disparately featured in the literature; yet, there is little effort at synthesis and integration. This review offers a comprehensive overview of perspectives on food systems change towards sustainability. We discern where there is convergence in approaches and assess how the literature reflects emergent theory on sustainability transformation. We analyzed more than 200 peer-reviewed articles employing a fertile approach that combines both quantitative and qualitative analysis. First, we performed a semantic hierarchical cluster analysis of the full texts to identify thematic clusters representing different perspectives on sustainability transformations and transitions of food systems. Second, we conducted a qualitative text analysis for the most representative papers of each cluster to examine in detail how deep changes in the food system are conceptualized in these clusters. We identified five distinct ap¬proaches to food systems change that are currently discussed, i.e. Alternative food movements, Sustain¬able diets, Sustainable agriculture, Healthy and diverse societies, and Food as commons. Each approach provides a nuanced perspective on identified sustainability problems, envisioned sustainable food systems, and proposed actions to change food systems towards sustainability. The findings offer guidance for researchers and practitioners working on food systems change towards sustainability.