World off-track on nearly every food system goal, latest assessment reveals

A new assessment from the Food Systems Countdown Initiative reveals that nearly all countries will fall short of their 2030 food system goals across multiple indicators. Covering 197 nations and 44 metrics, the study published in Nature Food identifies a lack of progress on health, environment, livelihoods, governance, and resilience.

Only one indicator—mobile phone subscriptions—has been met by most countries. The largest gaps are in greenhouse gas emissions from food systems, with the global average 75% away from the target. No country is projected to meet this target. For some regions like Africa and Asia, annual improvements of 15-20% and cuts in food insecurity of over 63% are required to reach the 2030 goals.

While seven of 33 indicators show progress, half of them are moving in the wrong direction. The study emphasizes the need for accelerated action, particularly in food affordability, food insecurity, government effectiveness, and food system emissions. Improvements in governance and accountability are critical enablers for progress across the entire food system.