Joint SDG Fund

JOINT SDG FUND

Food Systems Transformation Window

BACKGROUND

Following the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) in 2021, National Food System Convenors called for a global funding mechanism to support the shift of national food systems transformation pathways from consultations and political commitments to the implementation of innovative interventions and systems impact.

In response, the Joint SDG Fund Food Systems Transformation Window was established in 2024 by the Joint SDG Fund Operational Steering Committee for a 5-year period. Through a partnership between the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub and the Joint SDG Fund Secretariat, this initiative leverages the strengths of both the UNFSS process – including national pathways, National Convenors, and the Ecosystem of Support (such as UNFSS Coalitions of Action) – and the UN Development System Reform, which strengthens efforts through UN Resident Coordinator leadership, enhanced UN Country Team coordination, revised UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs), and insights from the SDG Summit. To read more: Investment Strategy and Terms of Reference.

Across two funding rounds, 29 joint UN programmes were activated in 26 countries under the leadership of UN Resident Coordinators and jointly implemented by UN agencies. This window now engages 14 participating UN organizations, reflecting the breadth of UN mandates mobilized to support government‑led food systems transformations.

Thanks to the governments of Germany, Italy, Spain, and Ireland, the Joint SDG Fund serves as a key mechanism to drive food systems transformation, turning holistic policy visions into multisectoral, multilayered impact across the SDGs. It also helps mobilize scaled-up financing, aligned with the UN Secretary-General’s UNFSS+2 Call to Action for enhanced support.

FUNDING OVERVIEW

The Food Systems Transformation Window Funding Rounds

A first round launched in 2024 mobilised USD 15 million across 18 countries through two distinct funding tracks: a High Impact Track (HIT) for 6 countries ready to pilot or scale systemic interventions, and a Seed Funding Track in 12 countries, designed to incubate emerging transformative solutions and strengthen enabling institutional environments. HIT programmes operate over a two‑year cycle, while Seed Funding Track programmes are designed as one‑year interventions.

Over the past two years, momentum around food systems transformation has continued to grow, together with a more mature understanding of the food systems approach as a lever for accelerated SDG action and for generating durable, structural change. Against this backdrop, a second funding round opened in 2025 reflects a significant increase in ambition, with a total envelope of USD 17 million allocated across 11 High‑Impact Track countries. The second funding round places a stronger focus on financial leverage and climate responsiveness, aiming to support countries in mobilizing and structuring diversified financing streams that can sustain food systems transformations over time and enhance national autonomy in implementation and scaling.

Objectives

Drawing from a participatory design process, the Joint SDG Fund Food Systems Investment Strategy pursues 4 overarching objectives:

Promote sustainable, equitable and resilient food systems as
a key SDG accelerator

Support government-led transformations

Drive sustainable, inclusive
food financing

Foster knowledge & measure impact

Strengthen advocacy efforts and broaden the collective understanding of the pivotal role that food systems play for People, Planet and shared Prosperity, and to withstand current and future shocks.

Empower governments to lead rights-based, inclusive food systems transformations as envisioned in the national pathways through strategic, coordinated support from UN Country Teams.

Reshape national food finance architecture to support healthy, equitable, and sustainable food systems, maximizing the impact of SDG investments.

Promote learning at national, regional, and global levels while monitoring progress and sharing the impact of food systems transformations.

The Joint SDG Fund Food Systems Investment Strategy is based on the principles of bottom-up and country-owned, catalytic, inclusivity, sustainability, predictability and agility, partners’ comparative advantage, and spirit of collective learning.

ACTION AREAS

The Investment Strategy prioritises support for the 5 Action Areas guiding national food systems transformations:

Nourish All People
Boost Nature-based Solutions
Advance Equitable Livelihoods, Decent Work and Empowered Communities
Build Resilience to Vulnerabilities, Shocks and Stresses
Accelerate Means of Implementation

FUNDING MODALITIES

Thanks to the governments of Germany, Italy, Spain and Ireland:

Seed Funding Track

The seed funding track, supporting countries to incubate transformative solutions and contributing to an enabling institutional environment to accelerate progress in their food systems transformation journey.

High Impact Track (HIT)

A High Impact Track (HIT) supports countries in advanced stages in their food systems transformation journeys. High-impact proposals are piloting or scaling up innovative systemic interventions as part of national food systems pathways. They are designed to mobilize and deepen partnerships, and leverage substantial additional financing (at least 4 to 5 times the amounts invested).

High Impact Track Second Funding Round

In the second funding round, the High Impact Track maintains its focus on systemic transformation at scale, while placing greater emphasis on climate responsiveness and innovative financing. Joint programmes are expected to structure diversified financing solutions, strengthen national food finance architectures, and mobilise higher financial leverage, generally in the range of 1:5 to 1:10. This round exclusively supported HIT countries, reflecting a shift towards deepened implementation and investment ready transformations.

RESOURCES

Powering National Food System Transformation Pathways and Delivering Results

A mid-term overview of country-level process enabled by the Food Systems Transformation Window, jointly prepared by the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub and the Joint SDG Fund Secretariat ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit +4 Stocktake.

Download the publication

Food Systems Transformation Window