A defining moment: Preparing for UNFSS+4 and the future of food systems

As we enter the final countdown to the UN Food Systems Summit +4 (UNFSS+4) Stocktake, preparations are intensifying across every region. The past months have brought a surge of momentum – through Regional Preparatory Meetings across Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Arab Region; national stocktaking reports; virtual dialogues; and the energetic Preparatory Youth Conference. These efforts are now converging into a comprehensive and inclusive roadmap toward Addis Ababa.

The scale and depth of engagement in the lead-up to UNFSS+4 has been unprecedented. In 2025, five Regional Preparatory Meetings convened representatives from 106 countries – with participation form a broad coalition of sectors and organizations. These meetings gathered more than 800 participants and provided inclusive platforms for Member States and stakeholders to take stock of progress, share lessons, and sharpen their priorities. Africa had the highest turnout, with 31 of 45 countries participating. Alongside these gatherings, 109 Member States submitted national stocktaking reports – drawing on 77 questionnaires, 55 interviews, and 87 official statements. These contributions reflected strong geographic diversity, with 33 reports from Africa, 26 from Europe and Central Asia, 20 from Asia and the Pacific, 18 from Latin America and the Caribbean, and 12 from the Near East and North Africa. This formal process was further reinforced by regional and global dialogues, side sessions at multilateral forums, and the dynamic youth-led conference in Bangkok. This Youth Conference alone welcomed 110 delegates in person, from 70 countries, and over 200 attendees online – contributing to a truly global and inclusive lead-up to Addis Ababa.

Critically, the engagement process extended far beyond government representatives. More than 500 stakeholders – including civil society, Indigenous Peoples, farmers’ organizations, youth networks, academics, and private sector actors – contributed their insights and priorities. National reports and stakeholder inputs highlighted consistent themes, including climate and nature, nutrition and health, and economic resilience, underscoring the integrated nature of food systems within the broader SDG framework. Youth voices were especially prominent: over 30 youth-led or youth-focused events took place across platforms, and many countries hosted targeted consultations with women’s groups, Indigenous communities, and smallholder farmers. There was also strong continuity with earlier efforts – at least 75 countries submitted both their 2021 food systems pathways and 2025 stocktaking reports, enabling learning and accountability. And with more than 25 preparatory sessions embedded in global convenings – from FAO Regional Conferences to UNEA and WTO discussions – food systems transformation is increasingly being mainstreamed across international agendas.

The UNFSS+4 is a milestone in our shared journey – a defining moment for accelerated action to transform how we produce, consume, and govern food. It comes at a time when food systems have taken center stage on the global policy agenda – recognized not only as a development priority, but as essential infrastructure for climate stability, economic resilience, and social justice.

2025: A turning point

2025 marks a critical inflection point on the path to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With just five years remaining, the sobering truth is that we are off track on nearly every major target: hunger is rising, emissions are climbing, and inequality is deepening. Yet food systems offer an integrated entry point to get back on course.

That message has resonated throughout the preparatory process. From the halls of the Bangkok Youth Conference to farmer-led consultations in rural Africa, from Indigenous wisdom in Latin America to innovation hubs in Europe, one truth has been clear: transforming food systems is no longer a choice, it is an imperative.

Themes that matter, actions that count

The themes driving UNFSS+4 – accountability, investment, and inclusivity – are the foundation of meaningful progress. Over 100 countries have developed national food systems pathways since the first Summit in 2021. Addis Ababa is where we assess how far we've come, and how we must accelerate.

• Accountability is central. Citizens, especially youth, are demanding transparency and follow-through. At the Bangkok Youth Conference, young leaders framed food systems not just as a policy issue, but as a justice issue. Their message was unequivocal: we must move from pledges to practice.

   

• Investment is equally crucial. From regenerative agriculture in Kenya to climate-smart rice systems in Viet Nam, we are seeing the dividends of bold public policy. But these successes must be scaled. Food systems must feature prominently in climate finance, development frameworks, and national budgets – because no nation can climate-proof its future if it cannot feed its people sustainably.

   

• And inclusivity remains our core commitment. The Preparatory Youth Conference and regional meetings made clear that transformation must be co-led by those too often excluded: women, Indigenous Peoples, and young changemakers. These are not side conversations – they are central to solutions that last.

From Addis to the world

UNFSS+4 will serve as a catalyst for global alignment. What emerges from Addis Ababa will feed into a series of key moments: the Stockholm Food Forum in October, the Committee on World Food Security and the World Food Forum later that month, the World Social Summit in November, COP30 in Brazil, and the UN Environment Assembly in December. These gatherings must reinforce the understanding that food is the connective tissue of the SDGs. Only by embedding food systems into climate, health, trade, and finance frameworks can we deliver durable progress.

Our next chapter

As we look ahead to Addis Ababa, we do so with urgency and resolve. The momentum we have built must now be translated into action. Governments must integrate food systems into national strategies across sectors. Financial institutions must channel capital toward sustainable production and local food economies. And all of us – citizens, consumers, communities – must recognize food as both a shared responsibility and a strategic lever for change.

What happens in 2025 will echo beyond this year. The choices made now will shape how we feed people, sustain ecosystems, and uphold dignity for generations to come.

As the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub continues to advance its mandate, I wish to clarify that the Hub develops and manages its own flagship initiatives, which it implements in direct partnership with its supporting UN agencies, funds and programmes (FAO, WFP, IFAD, UNDP, UNEP, WHO, UN-DCO, and Joint UN SDGs Fund). The Hub also collaborates with these UN entities on additional joint projects. While we value the broader ecosystem of food systems actors, the Hub is not a formal partner in any project or proposal unless it is developed or led by the Hub, or by one of the UN entities supporting the Hub, under an explicit agreement with the Hub. This approach ensures full alignment with our mandate, promotes transparency, and upholds the principles of institutional accountability that guide all our engagements as a UN coordination body.