Issue Brief

Reimagining Sustainable Food Systems: A New Blueprint for Global Resilience and Inclusive Growth

Introduction

The world today stands at a defining moment in terms of the future of food. From rising food prices and supply chain disruptions to extreme climate shocks, the global food system is under unprecedented pressure. These challenges are no longer confined to vulnerable regions alone. Even the most food-secure nations are grappling with heightened costs, shrinking production windows and widening inequality. What the world is experiencing is not merely a food crisis, it is a multi- dimensional crisis of livelihoods, equity, sustainability and long-term stability.

Amidst these challenges, a unique window of opportunity emerges. By fundamentally transforming the way food is cultivated, traded and governed, the world can usher in a new era of resilience and inclusive growth. Recognising this, the Business 20 (B20) South Africa Task Force on Sustainable Food Systems and Agriculture (SFS&A) has developed a set of practical, forward-looking recommendations. Their vision is to build agricultural systems that are not only highly productive and technologically advanced but also climate-resilient and socially inclusive by 2030.

Recommendations:

1. Enhancing Labour and Capital Productivity in Agrifood Systems

Global food systems urgently need to boost productivity while ensuring sustainable land use and inclusive economic participation. The first recommendation focuses on strengthening resilience across agrifood supply chains through investments in local and regional sourcing, agro-processing and workforce development.

Key Action Points

• Strengthen regional agri-value chains through private sector investment

Governments must incentivise private sector participation by offering tax credits, concessional finance, milestone-based funding and simplified procurement frameworks. Such instruments enhance local sourcing, diversify markets and increase smallholder participation, especially for women and youth.

• Optimise land use for food, fuel, fibre and nature

As global demand for land intensifies, clear frameworks for sustainable land allocation and restoration are essential. Multi-stakeholder Public-Private- People-Partnerships (4Ps) can improve land access, enhance tenure security and revive degraded lands while integrating food waste reduction systems.

• Build labour productivity with modern skills and technology adoption

Collaboration between private employers and training institutions can create tailored upskilling and re-skilling programmes focused on emerging technologies including AI, precision agriculture and digital supply chain tools. Women, youth and smallholder farmers must be prioritised to ensure broad- based participation.

Impact

Effective interventions have the capacity to substantially enhance agricultural value- added per worker. In Kenya, increasing incentives for local processing alongside workforce development may lead to significant productivity gains. Ghana offers an example where agro-processing initiatives have already enabled smallholder farmers to elevate their incomes and invest further in their livelihoods. Furthermore, technologies such as solar-powered cold storage systems including ColdHubs in Nigeria, demonstrate rapid and scalable reductions in post-harvest losses.

2. Expanding Access to Productivity-Boosting Technologies and Inputs

Accessibility remains one of the biggest barriers preventing small-scale producers in low and middle income countries (LMICs) from adopting modern technologies. Recommendation 2 aims to democratise access to high-quality inputs and advanced tools such as AI, drones and precision farming systems.

Key Action Points

• Promote equitable access through innovative financing and market-based incentives

Mechanisation and improved inputs such as seeds, fertilisers and bio-based solutions must be made affordable through bundled credit schemes, rental markets and targeted subsidies. All technologies must be designed with smallholder users in mind.

• Strengthen international technology cooperation

Governments, private sector entities and educational institutions should collaborate to promote cross-border dissemination of productivity-boosting innovations. Regulatory clarity and risk-based frameworks are essential to encourage private sector investment while safeguarding farmer data and land rights.

Impact

Countries that invest in accessible technologies often witness dramatic improvements. In Zambia, hermetic storage bags cut post-harvest losses by 47% and increased farmer incomes by 37%. Similar technology-driven gains are achievable globally if access is broadened and supported through strong institutional partnerships.

3. Fostering Inclusive and Equitable Livelihoods Across the Food Value Chain

Smallholder farmers, particularly women and youth, are vital to global food production but face significant obstacles. Recommendation 3 calls for equitable systems to increase financial access, boost climate resilience, and ensure income security.

Key Action Points

• Scale inclusive financial solutions and gender-responsive investment models

Innovative tools such as group lending, asset-based finance, tailored credit products and financial literacy programmes can dramatically increase access to capital, particularly for women farmers and agri-SMEs.

• Build harmonised data systems to track inclusion and guide policy

Robust, interoperable data systems capturing the contributions of women and youth are essential to designing targeted interventions. They must be complemented by rigorous ROI analysis and impact assessments.

Impact

Digital platforms like Farmerline in West Africa demonstrate the transformational impact of tailored financial solutions and real-time agronomic advisory. By integrating AI, mobile tools and blended finance, Farmerline has enabled 2.2 million farmers to achieve 2.5× higher yields and 3.3× higher incomes, strengthened climate resilience and expanded market access.

4. Embedding Intra- and Inter-Regional Trade Within Food Security Strategies

Trade continues to be an essential component of achieving food security, provided it operates within a predictable, rules-based, and inclusive framework. Recommendation 4 advocates for the incorporation of trade considerations into long- term food system strategies to minimise supply vulnerabilities and support market stability.

Key Action Points

• Develop trade-enabling physical and digital infrastructure

Investments must include one-stop border posts, cold-chain systems, low- emission transport, blockchain traceability and e-certification platforms for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) compliance.

• Harmonise agricultural and trade regulations with global standards

Aligning policies with WTO SPS guidelines and adopting interoperable digital systems can reduce non-tariff barriers and significantly enhance cross-border trust.

Impact

Peru’s FTA with the United States, which led to a 175% rise in agricultural exports, highlights the economic and food security benefits of integrated trade policies. Likewise, regional mechanisms like the ASEAN Emergency Rice Reserve have proven vital during climate shocks.

5. Accelerating Adoption of Climate-Smart and Regenerative Agricultural Innovations

The final recommendation emphasises the urgent need to scale climate-smart agriculture, regenerative practices and digital agronomic advisory systems to enhance sustainability and reduce emission intensity.

Key Action Points

• Establish inclusive innovation hubs

These hubs can enable collaboration among researchers, innovators, extension workers and farmers, ensuring that sustainable practices integrate local and Indigenous knowledge.

• Strengthen G20 cooperation on sustainable agriculture

Joint investments and technical assistance from G20 nations can accelerate the development and dissemination of resilient agronomic practices.

• Adapt certification systems and digital advisory tools to LMIC needs

Certification frameworks must be practical, profitable and aligned with local realities. Digital tools should provide real-time, tailored insights that enhance uptake of regenerative farming.

Impact

Brazil provides an illustrative example where climate-smart practices have already reduced emission intensity of agricultural products, with potential for a further 20% reduction by 2030. Digital agronomic systems can increase incomes by 25% and reduce input costs by 20%.

The Road Ahead

A resilient global food system requires structural transformation. It demands collaboration across governments, industries, financial institutions, technology providers and farming communities. The B20 SFS&A Task Force lays out a clear, actionable and ambitious roadmap that can guide this transformation.

By enhancing productivity, expanding access to technologies, promoting inclusion, strengthening trade systems and accelerating sustainable innovation, the world can build a food system that feeds people, supports livelihoods and protects the planet.

The choices made today will determine whether the world moves from crisis to resilience or from disruption to sustainable, equitable growth. The moment to act is now.