M. Troell/Azote

Photo: R. Kautsky/Azote

Global food systems and multifunctional land & seascapes

We address questions related how we build resilience in global food systems and how to bring about large scale transformation of these systems

One of the greatest challenges of our time is how to produce healthy food for a growing world population without increasing the pressure on the planet’s ecosystems or eroding other functions. This is much about how we adjust our resource use to existing planetary boundaries and reverse ongoing trends of homogenization and instead strive for multifunctionality.

Within this multi-disciplinary theme, we address questions related how we build resilience in global food systems and how to bring about large scale transformation of these interconnected systems. We also look more broadly at how resource consumption and recognition of multiple values could become a driver of positive change in support systems and what market-based mechanisms and other policy tools exist for changing human preferences and behaviour. “

Other aspects we look at include:

- how to navigate trade-offs in and across multifunctional landscapes/seascapes to accomplish good stewardship

- how to manage resources in a time with increasing scales, speed and connectivity;

- how agriculture biodiversity relates to poverty

- relationship between human health, environmental health and food systems

- power structures and relations within the food system and its relationship to multi functionality and stewardship

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THEME PUBLICATIONS

Middle-range theories of land system change

Meyfroidt, P.,Chowdhury, R.R., de Bremond, A., E.C.Ellis, E.C., Erb, K-H., Filatova, T., Garrett, D. et. al.

2018 - Journal / article

Changes in land systems generate many sustainability challenges. Identifying more sustainable land-use alternatives requires solid theoretical foundations on the causes of land-use/cover changes. Land system science is a maturing field that has produced a wealth of methodological innovations and empirical observations on land-cover and land-use change , from patterns and processes to causes. We take stock of this knowledge b...

Food as a daily art: ideas for its use as a method in development practice

Haider, L. J., and F. J. W. van Oudenhoven

2018 - Journal / article

Food is the only art form that is also a basic need. It requires knowledge and labor for cultivation and cooking and offers a space where tastes, hospitality, and other cultural values are expressed and created. As a daily practice in agricultural societies, food is a holistic concept that incorporates ideas of health, spirituality, community, technology, and trade, and connects the most marginalized with the most powerful. Co...

Sustainable food systems—a health perspective

Lindgren, E., Harris, F., Dangour, A.D. et al.

2018 - Journal / article

Malnutrition in all forms, ranging from undernourishment to obesity and associated diet-related diseases, is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, while food systems often have major environmental impacts. Rapid global population growth and increases in demands for food and changes in dietary habits create challenges to provide universal access to healthy food without creating negative environmental, economic, and soci...

Remote land use impacts on river flows through atmospheric teleconnections

Wang-Erlandsson, L., I. Fetzer, P.W. Keys, R.J. van der Ent, H.H.G. Savenije, L.J. Gordon

2018 - Journal / article

The effects of land-use change on river flows have usually been explained by changes within a river basin. However, land-atmosphere feedback such as moisture recycling can link local land-use change to modifications of remote precipitation, with further knock-on effects on distant river flows. Here, we look at river flow changes caused by both land-use change and water use within the basin, as well as modifications of imported...

Projects

Ecosystem services, livelihoods and resilience in Sahel

Here we sum up our insights on from our work on adaptation, innovation and the regreening of the Sahel region. Read more

Social-ecological systems (SES), are characterized by multi-scale interactions among actors and ecosystems. SES-Link investigates these linkages and how they affect resilience and governance. Read more here

Stockholm Resilience Centre is a collaboration between Stockholm University and the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Stockholm Resilience Centre
Stockholm University, Kräftriket 2B
SE-10691
Phone: +46 8 674 70 70
info@stockholmresilience.su.se

Organisation number: 202100-3062
VAT No: SE202100306201