We have achieved one of 30 goals for the food system - and it doesn't even involve food.

Out of 30 goals for our food systems, we have achieved one: there should be at least one mobile subscription per inhabitant. A better communication channel makes the system more resilient, and since there are 110 subscriptions per 100 people worldwide, the goal is actually exceeded. That’s also that. Globally, none of the remaining 29 goals have been met, and for many of them, the outlook appears bleak. This is shown by a new study published in the journal Nature Food. The study is conducted by the Food Systems Countdown Initiative (FSCI), a global interdisciplinary research collaboration led jointly by Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition. FSCI’s task is to monitor and evaluate the development of the world’s food systems, and in this analysis, researchers measured 197 countries across a wide range of parameters—from pesticide use and greenhouse gases to child labor and access to clean water. We are moving too slowly The status is that the transition is too slow. Most countries are either making only slight progress, standing still, or moving in the wrong direction. At the current pace, most will not reach their goals by 2030—and many will not do so by 2050. “A responsible transformation of food systems requires faster progress—without it, efforts risk becoming more for show than truly transformative. We can no longer afford to continue at the current pace,” says Mario Herrero, professor at the Ashley School of Global Development and the Environment, Cornell University, in a press release. Climate action is among the areas where the situation is worst. The goal is to eliminate emissions entirely. Compared to each country’s average emissions in 2000-2010, the world today emits nearly 120%. That is, about 20% more than back then. To meet the 2030 target, annual reductions of over 70% across all continents are required. No country in the world is currently on track to achieve this at the present rate. Pesticide use is another parameter where development is moving in the wrong direction: the world’s agriculture uses an average of 4.6 kg of pesticides per hectare. Among the 20% of countries that use the least, and are thus best in class, the level is 0.2 kg. How they did it To measure how food systems are progressing—globally, across continents, and within individual countries—researchers established 44 indicators. 30 of these have specific targets found in existing agreements. Of these 30 goals, 11 concern diet and health, 5 relate to environment and production, 3 to living conditions and equality, 5 to governance, and 6 to resilience. The other 14 indicators do not have an international target to compare against, so researchers measured them based on benchmarks: they took the top 20% performing countries and assessed where the others generally stand in relation to them. The idea is that countries should learn from those doing best. Africa is the furthest behind Africa faces the greatest challenge, while Europe is the continent closest to meeting the goals, but even here, several targets are out of reach by 2030, including the climate goal. Among other indicators that are generally declining are sales of ultra-processed foods and an increasing proportion of people experiencing food insecurity. “Delayed or inconsistent action will mean that by 2050, we are still facing the same unattainable goals as today,” the researchers write. According to the study, efforts should especially focus on indicators where progress is most lacking, such as affordable food prices, food insecurity, public sector efficiency, and emissions from food systems. “Our global food systems require rapid and decisive action—right now,” says José Rosero Moncayo, FAO’s chief statistician and director of the statistics department. However, the picture is not entirely bleak: for seven out of 33 indicators, at least one-third of countries are already on track for 2030. This includes, among others, women’s share of farmland and stability in food supply.