“National Pathways to sustainable food systems”

National pathways refer to strategic frameworks or systems established by governments to guide the development and management of resources within a country, with the aim of achieving specific goals related to sustainable and resilient food systems by 2030. Countries around the world committed to developing these pathways after the UN Food Systems Summit in 2021.

National pathways may involve strategies aimed at promoting sustainable farming practices, enhancing food security, and supporting rural development. This could include initiatives such as promoting organic farming, improving access to markets or smallholder farmers, and investing in agricultural research innovation.

Key components of effective national pathways include:

• Goal-setting: Clearly defining the objective and targets that the pathway aims to achieve, based on scientific evidence and stakeholder input.

• Stakeholder engagement: Involving a wide range of actors, including government agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector, and local communities in the development and implementation of the pathway.

• Monitoring and evaluation: Establishing mechanisms to track progress towards the goals and targets set out in the pathway, and regularly reviewing and updating strategies based on feedback and new information.

• Policy coherence: Ensuring that policies and regulations across different sectors are aligned with the goals and objectives of the pathway, and that potential trade-offs and synergies are taken into account.

• Capacity building: Building the institutional, technical, and human capacity necessary to implement the pathway effectively, including providing training and support to relevant stakeholders.

Each country has its own national pathway which is shaped by its unique context, priorities and goals reflecting the collective vision of both its government and people. The national pathways for each specific country can be found here.

Adhering to the national pathways will assist students in navigating their complex projects and will give them guidelines on which factors to consider when working on their innovation.

Other criteria for the project design can be found on our website.