Agricultural and food systems must become more resilient: a position paper by researchers from the Leibniz Association

How can our food supply be made not only sustainable but also crisis-proof in the future? Researchers from the Leibniz Research Network “Green Nutrition - Healthy Society” answer this question in a joint position paper recently published in the journal Sustainable Development. The Leibniz Center for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) also played a key role in the publication.

The paper is intended as a scientific impetus to rethink food systems holistically. Currently, many of our eating habits are harmful not only to our health, but also to the environment and climate: around one third of global greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture, while millions of people go hungry or eat unhealthily. The “SARAS” concept – short for “Sustainable and Resilient Agrifood Systems” – offers a new basis for this. It combines a healthy, predominantly plant-based diet with environmental protection and the ability of agricultural and food systems to remain stable even under stress and in global crisis situations, such as pandemics or extreme weather.

Five pillars for a new food system

What makes the concept special is its holistic view: it combines ecological, economic, political, social, and global-local aspects. One priority is on measures in wealthy countries, as this is where the greatest need for action lies. The focus is on transforming the entire system – from cultivation and production to trade and consumption of food.

"With SARAS, we not only want to make food more sustainable, but also more resilient to crises. To achieve this, it is necessary to establish spatially and functionally diversified food production systems so that the system can meet different product needs and provide ecological services. New cultivation models and technologies can contribute to efficient agriculture that yields good returns while protecting nature, biodiversity, and the climate," says Prof. Dr. Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura from ZALF, one of the co-authors of the study.

ZALF researcher Dr. Annette Piorr, also a co-author of the study, emphasizes: “Sustainable and shock-resistant food systems include promoting regional value chains for food, creating more socially equitable structures, and gaining political support for these measures. Everyone should have the opportunity to choose a healthy and sustainable diet.”

Concrete measures and open research needs

DThe position paper offers suggestions for change, for example in policy-making and food production. At the same time, it points to open questions: How can sustainable measures be implemented on a large scale? Which policy instruments are most effective? And how can the financing of this transformation be ensured? These questions highlight areas where further research is needed. The researchers emphasize that the results must be shared with policymakers, agricultural businesses, and consumers, as systemic change can only succeed if all stakeholders work together.

Project partners:

The position paper was developed in collaboration with 19 researchers from the Leibniz Research Network “Green Nutrition - Healthy Society.” The Leibniz Center for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) is part of the network. The network consists of 10 research institutions and is coordinated by the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE). Leibniz Research Network Green Nutrition – Healthy Society: https://www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de/en/research/leibniz-research-networks/green-nutrition-healthy-society

Further information

Position paper: Sustainable and Resilient Agrifood Systems (SARAS). A Leibniz Position: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.3468

Note on the text:

This is a summary of the original text created with the help of artificial intelligence: Hunecke, C., Thom, F., Vogt, J. H.-M., Bellingrath-Kimura, S. D., Brück, T., Gaupp, F., et al. (2025). Sustainable and Resilient Agrifood Systems (SARAS): A Leibniz Position. Sustainable Development, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.3468, veröffentlicht Open Access unter der Lizenz CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The text has been carefully reviewed and revised in accordance with AI regulations at ZALF.

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Rye (symbol picture): Researchers from the Leibniz Research Network “Green Food – Healthy Society” discuss ways to achieve agricultural and food systems that can ensure food security, withstand global crises, and protect natural resources in their joint position paper “Sustainable and Resilient Agrifood Systems (SARAS).” | Source: © NickyPe / Pixabay.