Agency in Food Systems Transformation: Who Has the Power to Shape Food Systems?

Agency is a fundamental dimension of food security and food systems transformation. It refers to the capacity of individuals, communities, institutions and governments to make decisions, influence outcomes and shape the food systems that affect their lives, livelihoods and environments.

Organized by the Scientific Advisory Committee of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, this webinar will explore agency as a key driver of inclusive, equitable and rights-based food systems transformation. The discussion will examine how power, voice and decision-making are distributed across food systems, and why agency is essential for translating food systems commitments into concrete and meaningful change.

The webinar will consider the role of agency across different levels, from local communities and food producers to institutions, governments and global policy processes. It will address issues such as rights-based approaches, food sovereignty, Indigenous Peoples’ food systems, gender, governance, knowledge systems and participation in decision-making.

By bringing together members of the Scientific Advisory Committee and invited experts, the event will foster dialogue on how agency can be strengthened in food systems transformation processes, including through National Food Systems Pathways, science-policy interfaces, institutional reform and participatory governance.

The discussion will contribute to ongoing efforts to advance inclusive, rights-based and people-centered food systems transformation, ensuring that those most affected by food systems decisions are meaningfully involved in shaping them.

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