The Emergence of the ‘Food Systems’ Discourse and Corporate Solutions to Hunger and Malnutrition

In recent years, the concept of ‘food systems’ has gained prominence in several global processes. While there is no unified definition, many definitions tend to cover the different steps and actors involved in the production chain, spanning from producers to consumers. Some include health and nutrition outcomes, as well as economic, environmental, and social externalities.

Although the concept itself does not entail specific proposals nor solutions to current food systems crises, the way how different actors describe and interpret the term ‘food system’ has a bearing on which direction the debate takes.