Nature Positive Food Systems

The transition to a nature-positive food system calls for a paradigm shift from ‘doing less harm to nature’ to ‘doing what’s best for nature’. Determining whether you’re ‘doing what’s best for nature’ will depend on the spatial context the system operates in, and on coming to an agreement about the type of action to be taken. We believe that the most successful nature-positive food systems are those that are supported by an integrated approach and by collaboration. Our first product is a working definition of the concept NPFS. We refer to nature positive food systems as food systems that have nature at the heart of decision-making and that will lead to increased biodiversity and improved ecosystem functioning through collective understanding and action. The five elements of this definition are explained in a brochure. This brochure is a starting point for actors in the food system who are interested in the concept; they can use it to start an internal dialogue on what is means for their part of the food system. The brochure has a background document that explains with what literature and process this working definition was conceived.

The second product is the indicator report. This report proposes a set of 35 indicators with which nature positive food systems can be monitored. The report explains how and why we selected these indicators and has an annex with a detailed description of each indicator we propose. In the present stage of the transformation, the indicators can be used to start the dialogue on principles and norms. In a later stage, they can be used to measure progress of specific parts of the food system.

Our food system is a complex, globally connected system. We aimed for tools that would work worldwide. Therefore we tested our definition and indicators in two case studies in Kenya and India, and added short exercises with Dutch stakeholders. The two case studies are published as four separate products: two previsit case descriptions and two post visit result reports. On the interactions with Dutch stakeholders from Natuurlijk Melken and the agroforestry network a short video is available. A scientific article on the case study findings is under preparation.

The case study results are the basis of a whitepaper on enablers and barriers for NPFS. We saw that most stakeholders acknowledge the dependence of humanity on nature for our food production. However, people struggle with becoming nature positive; or even, with becoming less nature-negative. The report on enablers and barriers proposes a way forward for governments, NGO’s and companies in the food sector.

Our work is only the beginning of a massive transformation that is needed before our global food system will have become nature-positive. More research and more dialogue is needed to achieve this. To support that process, our final product is a methods and tools report. This report is mainly for researchers who want to follow up on our work.