TMG Think Tank for Sustainability
Food Systems

Agriculture is a major driver of biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation and human-driven climate change. Most food systems today neither provide sustainable livelihoods nor sufficient and healthy diets. At TMG, we recognise the urgent need to transform our food systems to support the resilience of our ecosystems, ensure equitable access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food, and provide secure livelihoods for farmers.

Drawing on in-depth scientific knowledge, and our long-standing experience in the governance of food systems, we advise and shape agricultural policy reforms at national and regional level. In partnership with leading food producers and financial institutions in Europe, we seek to build broad alliances to co-design economic and financial systems that account for the harmful environmental and social costs of current food systems, opening up avenues for their transformation.

Digitalization

Digitalization

Exploring the role of digitalization and social innovation for inclusive and resilient food systems.

While there are many successful development initiatives in the African region, entrenched structural inequalities and power asymmetries continue to lock out millions of people from taking charge of their own development aspirations.

Food Systems Transformation

Food Systems Transformation

Exploring equitable transformation pathways for a sustainable future of food systems

The global food system is broken – it is unsustainable, unhealthy, unjust, and in dire need of transformation. Our food systems contribute to climate change, biodiversity loss, unhealthy diets, hunger, and social inequality. There is need for fundamental changes to the way our food is grown, processed, distributed, and consumed. This aspiration is at the heart of the shift from the old agricultural productivity paradigm towards food systems, in line with the concept of planetary boundaries and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

True Cost Accounting in Agri-food Systems

True Cost Accounting in Agri-food Systems

Developing integrated accounting standards for the food and farming sector

Standard accounting and economic evaluation systems do not take full account of all four capitals − produced, natural, social and human − that are involved in the production, processing, marketing and consumption of food, and related services. This means that businesses and other actors are often not held liable for the negative externalities of their activities. Instead, the costs are often borne by society, and the environment. Examples include paying more for clean water due to the cost of removing pesticides from water sources, or higher prices for food due to reduced harvests from poorly managed soils.

The role of true cost accounting in guiding agrifood businesses and investments towards sustainability

Report

The role of true cost accounting in guiding agrifood businesses and investments towards sustainability

Background paper for The State of Food and Agriculture 2023

Written by Olivia Riemer, Tavseef Mairaj Shah, Alexander Müller

Published on Nov 6, 2023

Joint Statement on the Implementation of the CFS Policy Recommendations on Food and Nutrition Security Data

Declaration

Joint Statement on the Implementation of the CFS Policy Recommendations on Food and Nutrition Security Data

This Joint Statement is the output of a 3-day forum entitled "From Data to Action" presenting six key recommendations to guide the implementation of the CFS Policy Recommendations on FSN Data for the progressive realization of the Right to Food.

Written by TMG Research and Partners

Published on Oct 26, 2023

Programme: From Data to Action

Event Programme

Programme: From Data to Action

Forum on Inclusive Digitalization for Food Systems Transformation & Progress towards the SDGs

Written by SEWOH Lab Team

Published on Oct 12, 2023

Tropentag 2023: Competing pathways for equitable food systems transformation — trade-offs and synergies

Article

Tropentag 2023: Competing pathways for equitable food systems transformation — trade-offs and synergies

An article in Rural 21, the International Journal for Rural Development, about the Tropentag 2023 and how agricultural technology and management can cut billions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Written by Harry Hoffmann

Published on Oct 10, 2023

TMG's work in Kenya - Towards inclusive and climate resilient food systems

Info Brief

TMG's work in Kenya - Towards inclusive and climate resilient food systems

TMG's areas of support in Kenya

Written by TMG Research

Published on Sep 11, 2023

Joint Conclusions

Report

Joint Conclusions

Key messages on food systems transformation from the expert workshop hosted by TMG Research in Rome, June 2023

Written by CLIF Team

Published on Jul 12, 2023

25
October
2023
Forgotten Foods and Future Feasts: Sustaining Our World Through Diverse Food Systems
06
October
2023
Critical Questions to Ask and Answer About the Future of Global Agriculture in an Era of Multiple Crises
16
June
2023
Inclusive governance of food systems transformation
16
February
2023
Making True Cost Accounting (TCA) a reality: Implementing TCA in policy and corporate practice sustainability forum

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TMG Think Tank for Sustainability consists of TMG Research gGmbH, an independent, non-partisan, non-for-profit organization registered in Berlin (District Court Charlottenburg, HRB 186018 B, USt.-ID: DE311653675) and TMG - Töpfer, Müller, Gaßner GmbH, a private company registered in Berlin (District Court Charlottenburg, HRB 177576 B USt.-ID: DE306832549).

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