The Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition

29/01/2026

Sir John Beddington, Chair has announced that the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition will conclude its work on 30th January this year. Since 2014, The Panel has been very fortunate to have support from several funders which it has used to influence policy makers and many others to make decisions informed by rigorous analysis of the best available scientific evidence. The Panel has played a significant part in the wide recognition now given to the importance of sustainable food systems in enabling healthy diets for all. This is a legacy of which all those who have contributed can be proud.

In his statement on the website www.glopan.org, Sir John expresses his gratitude to Panel members, staff, funders and the hundreds of experts and policy makers who have contributed so much to the Panel’s goals. The Panel’s website and mailbox will remain open for a minimum of six months.

https://www.glopan.org

The Global Panel works with international, multi-sector stakeholders, to help governments make high-quality diets safe, affordable and accessible.

10/07/2025

Congratulations to the Global Panel’s Sierra Leone partners on the national launch of the Panel’s report, Building Resilience and Enhancing Nutrition in Africa’s Food Systems, funded by Irish Aid, with Hon Henry Kpaka, Minsiter of Agriculture and Food Security and Dr Kandeh Yumkella, Chairman of P-CREF.

The Report, produced in collaboration with the governments of Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Ethiopia, is the result of a 15-month study examining the resilience of food systems in these countries. Funded by Irish Aid, the objective was to foster the development of realistic and pragmatic strategies to s...

27/05/2025

Please join us on Thursday 29 May 2025 at 15:45-17.00 CET, during the IInternational Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)Rome Nutrition Week 2025, where we are hosting an event alongside our partner, the United Against Malnutrition and Hunger alliance (UAMH), on Building Resilience and Enhancing Nutrition in Africa’s Food Systems.

The discussion will centre on our recently published report, Building resilience and enhancing nutrition in Africa’s food systems. The Report, produced in collaboration with the governments of Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Ethiopia, is the result of a 15-month study examining the resilience of food systems in these countries. Funded by Irish Aid, the objective was to foster the development of realistic and pragmatic strategies to substantially enhance each country’s capacity to provide affordable and sustainable, healthy diets for all, ensuring resilience to future challenges, and building on the leadership these countries have demonstrated in the region.

Zoom link for the event is: https://ifad.zoom.us/j/85066528437?pwd=V1B

Passcode is: 080504

https://www.ifad.org/en/w/events/ifad-at-rome-nutrition-week-2025

A year on from the inaugural Rome Nutrition Week, this year's event will take place from 26-30 May, under the overarching theme of "Coherent Policy and Action for Better Nutrition".

22/04/2025

Please join us for a briefing that we are co-hosting with the United Nations Food Systems Coordination Hub and other food system professionals tomorrow, Wednesday, 23 April 2025, from 13:00 – 14:30 BST (GMT+1), to discuss insights from our latest report: Building Resilience and Enhancing Nutrition in Africa’s Food Systems.

🌍 Africa’s food systems are under pressure from climate change, conflict, and economic instability. How can we build resilience and ensure access to sustainable, healthy diets?

Join United Nations Food Systems Coordination Hub & The Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition for an online briefing on the recently published report, Building Resilience and Enhancing Nutrition in Africa’s Food Systems.

📅 Date: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
⏰Time: 13:00 – 14:30 BST (GMT+1)
📍Location: Online
🔗Register here: https://bit.ly/23AprilGlobal

Experts will share insights from Ethiopia, Malawi, and Sierra Leone and discuss actionable solutions aligned with the Kampala Declaration on Africa’s .

07/04/2025

The Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition has published a new technical paper by Koen Dekeryser from the European Centre for Development Policy Management, Emerging EU policy impacts on African food systems.

The paper describes how the interdependence between the EU’s and African food systems can deliver benefits for both sides, particularly through trade. It also highlights the barriers and opportunities, presenting three key recommendations.

The Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition has published a new technical paper by Koen Dekeryser from the European Centre for Development Po

04/04/2025

The Government of Malawi today launched the Global Panel’s Report ‘ Building Resilience and Enhancing Nutrition in African Food Systems’ in Lilongwe, Malawi. Funded by Irish Aid the Global Panel partnered with the Government of Malawi to explore how resilience to a range of threats and challenges could be built into its plans for food system transformation and strengthen universal access to sustainable, healthy diets. The Deputy Minister of Agriculture the Hon. Benedicto Chambo addressed the meeting and other officials and guests gathered to launch the report and commit to taking forward its recommendations. The Irish Ambassador Irish Ambassador Kate Bradly also attended. Dr Mirriam Matitia, member of the Lead Expert Group, presented the Malawin perspectives and recommendations.

The Report, produced in collaboration with the governments of Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Ethiopia, is the result of a 15-month study examining the resilience of food systems in these countries. Funded by Irish Aid, the objective was to foster the development of realistic and pragmatic strategies to s...

25/03/2025

The Global Panel is looking forward to attending the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) 2025 event in Paris this week, and is pleased to support the new Global Compact on Nutrition for Growth, published by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

21/01/2025

The Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition has published a new report, Building resilience and enhancing nutrition in Africa’s food systems.

The Report, produced in collaboration with the governments of Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Ethiopia, is the result of a 15-month study examining the resilience of food systems in these countries. Funded by Irish Aid, the objective was to foster the development of realistic and pragmatic strategies to substantially enhance each country’s capacity to provide affordable and sustainable, healthy diets for all, ensuring resilience to future challenges, and building on the leadership these countries have demonstrated in the region.

Read it here:

The Report, produced in collaboration with the governments of Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Ethiopia, is the result of a 15-month study examining the resilience of food systems in these countries. Funded by Irish Aid, the objective was to foster the development of realistic and pragmatic strategies to s...

08/01/2025

Join us on 21 January 2025 for the launch of our new report Building Resilience and Enhancing Nutrition in Africa’s food systems.

With 28.9% of the world’s population (2.33 billion people) experiencing either moderate or severe food insecurity, ensuring universal access to adequate food and nutrition has become a global imperative. However, transforming food systems to deliver healthier diets while mitigating their adverse environmental impacts must occur in an increasingly uncertain and volatile world, with intensifying climate change impacts.

The Global Panel, in collaboration with the governments of Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Ethiopia, undertook a one-year study on the resilience of food systems. Funded by Irish Aid, the objective was to identify where food systems are vulnerable to future threats and how strategies could be developed to strengthen resilience, building on the leadership these countries have already demonstrated in the region.

The report, a collaborative effort, draws on the latest international scientific evidence. It demonstrates that substantial progress can be achieved through the combined political will, intellectual resources, and capacity of the three countries, as well as the local communities and citizens.

The report draws out key messages from the study which are relevant to the three countries , and other African nations. It identifies the gaps between what can be practically accomplished and what is required, outlining priorities for actions. While primarily focused on government stakeholders, this report also contains important recommendations for stakeholders in international organisations, as well as actors within the donor community, researchers, and the private sector.

Register now to book you place:

Launch of the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition report on Building resilience and enhancing nutrition in Africa’s food systems

23/12/2024

Join us on 21 January 2025 for the launch of our new report Building Resilience and Enhancing Nutrition in Africa’s food systems.

With 28.9% of the world’s population (2.33 billion people) experiencing either moderate or severe food insecurity, ensuring universal access to adequate food and nutrition has become a global imperative. However, transforming food systems to deliver healthier diets while mitigating their adverse environmental impacts must occur in an increasingly uncertain and volatile world, with intensifying climate change impacts.

The Global Panel, in collaboration with the governments of Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Ethiopia, undertook a one-year study on the resilience of food systems. Funded by Irish Aid, the objective was to identify where food systems are vulnerable to future threats and how strategies could be developed to strengthen resilience, building on the leadership these countries have already demonstrated in the region.

The report, a collaborative effort, draws on the latest international scientific evidence. It demonstrates that substantial progress can be achieved through the combined political will, intellectual resources, and capacity of the three countries, as well as the local communities and citizens.

The report draws out key messages from the study which are relevant to the three countries , and other African nations. It identifies the gaps between what can be practically accomplished and what is required, outlining priorities for actions. While primarily focused on government stakeholders, this report also contains important recommendations for stakeholders in international organisations, as well as actors within the donor community, researchers, and the private sector.

Registration details will be announced early January 2025.

25/10/2024

We were delighted to host a side event at the 52nd session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS 52) yesterday, in partnership with the CFS High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN), the Governments of Sierra Leone and Brazil, and the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems.

The event, “Just in time” or “just in case” food systems, moderated by Global Panel Director Professor Sandy Thomas and Dr. Iain Wright, focussed on food system resilience, from production to supply chain management, exploring how sustainable food system transformation can bolster resilience at many scales. The participants discussed future challenges and options, and explored practical next steps.

The event was opened by Akiko Suwa-Eisenmann, Chairperson of the HLPE, High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition, and also included presentations from: Dr Patrick Kormawa, Director of Climate Change and Food Security in the Office of the President in Sierra Leone and former FAO Regional Director; Lilian dos Santos Rahal, National Secretary of Food and Nutritional Security at the Ministry of Social Development and Fight against Hunger in Brazil, and Gates Foundation 2024 Goalkeepers Champion; and Nicholas Jacobs, Director of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food).

Professor Thomas remarked on this highly productive event, stating “I am really grateful to our high-profile speakers for their insightful presentations”. She added, “Brazil and Serra Leone are exemplars of how to approach building resilience into food system transformation, and iPES’s new report highlights the importance of investment at a local level”.

30/09/2024

Nutrition has geopolitical significance as hunger and malnutrition are fuelling social unrest, and conflict and even driving outward migration. The substantial progress made in previous decades by the UK and its international partners which contributed to a decline in global hunger, has now slid into reverse. Today 1 in 11 people or 783 million of the world’s citizens face hunger, affecting people’s lives and earning potential.

Despite nutrition’s importance in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global nutrition remains underfunded. Malnutrition receives less than 1% of Official Development Assistance (ODA) globally

A new short brief, jointly produced by Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition and the United Against Malnutrition and Hunger (UAMH) for UK Parliamentarians highlights the opportunity for malnutrition and hunger to be a UK international priority and makes specific recommendations for the support of nutrition in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). They include integrating nutrition services within national health systems; breaking the cycle between food systems and environmental degradation; prioritising the nutrition of women and girls; and increasing financing for long-term nutrition programmes to build resilience.

Read and amplify the brief here https://www.glopan.org/why-nutrition-is-foundational-to-development/

Good nutrition is critical at the start of life from conception and during pregnancy. It paves the way for greater equality, and prosperity making nutrition fou