What does 2025 hold for food systems?

As 2024 draws to a close and the food agenda grows ever more important, what can we learn from our food systems in 2024?

Food has continued to face a multitude of challenges this past year, including rising costs, extreme weather impacts, and ongoing geopolitical conflict. The latest research on food security and nutrition finds that the world is falling significantly short of achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, Zero Hunger, by 2030 and that an alarming number of people continue to face food insecurity and malnutrition. With limited progress on food systems action in the face of the climate crisis, we are looking at a future where global food consumption alone could add nearly 1°C warming by 2100.

In spite of these challenges, a survey of over 250 global brands indicated that 76 percent planned to increase their spending on new product development over the year. We have already seen a wave of new innovations hit the market, from plant-based alternatives to sustainable packaging. In 2024, nearly half the world’s population headed to the polls, ushering in a new set of policymakers and opportunities for the food systems community to push for transformation.

Looking ahead to 2025, the need for bold, decisive action on food has never been greater. There is huge potential to reshape the food system into one that is sustainable, equitable, healthy and resilient – but this will only be achieved through coordinated efforts from policymakers, industry leaders, farmers and consumers alike.

The halfway mark in a decisive decade

We only have five years until 2030 – by which time countries have committed to cutting global emissions by almost half. With food systems contributing one third of greenhouse gas emissions, and current estimates suggesting that we are drastically off target, urgent and radical transformation of our food systems is needed.

A major milestone on the horizon in 2025 is COP30, set to take place in Brazil. This presents a unique opportunity to connect the dots between nature and food systems, with Brazil playing a dual role as both a global leader in food production and a vital custodian of biodiversity. COP30 must serve as a moment to take stock, be bold, and commit to the transformative changes needed to ensure food systems are sustainable and resilient.

Between now and then, local and national policymakers have a key role to play in the food systems transition. Recent analysis by EIT Food has outlined seven critical opportunities for the recently elected European Parliament, ranging from strengthening public-private partnerships to placing consumers at the heart of policymaking. By meaningfully involving actors across the food value chain, policymakers have a real opportunity to establish frameworks for food systems to thrive.

Technology is here to stay (and evolve)

Technology is no longer an emerging force in the agrifood sector – it is now fundamentally transforming the way we produce, distribute, and consume food.

Startups are leading the charge, developing innovations that enhance productivity, reduce waste and create new opportunities across the value chain. SAM-DIMENSION GmbH, recent winner of EIT Food’s Marketed Innovation Prize, uses drone-based technology and AI weed detection software to help farmers identify emerging weed problems. Case studies on treating thistles have shown that using the tool can allow up to 95 percent of sugar beet fields to remain untreated by herbicides, demonstrating how technological innovation is supporting the transition towards a more efficient and sustainable food system.

However, this rapid technological evolution brings challenges that we must be prepared for in 2025 and beyond. To harness its full potential, we must ensure  no one is left behind.

Initiatives like EIT Food’s Test Farms programme demonstrate how startups and farmers can mutually benefit by empowering entrepreneurs to test, validate and showcase their solutions on test fields in collaboration with farmers. Investment in training and infrastructure, and improving regulation around new technologies are crucial to ensure that technological innovation delivers widespread benefits.

The rise of regenerative

Regenerative farming continues to gain momentum as a key solution for addressing climate change, improving soil health, supporting biodiversity and reducing water use, among other benefits. Earlier in 2024, EIT Food and Foodvalley launched Navarra 360º, the first landscape project of the Regenerative Innovation Portfolio, which will support 80 farmers in northern Spain to implement regenerative agriculture in their crop rotation systems.

What was once a niche conversation is now firmly in the mainstream. However, as interest grows, so too does the risk of problematic claims that oversimplify or exaggerate the benefits of regenerative practices. It is critical to approach the shift to regenerative practices as part of a holistic set of solutions, working collaboratively across value chains to maximise impact.

For example, regenerative practices must go hand-in-hand with protein diversification to reduce the environmental impact of diets. Policy shifts are also essential, with governments playing a central role in enabling the regenerative transition.

At the same time, we must listen to the global calls for greater climate finance for farmers, particularly smallholders, to ensure a just transition that prioritises livelihoods and food security alongside environmental benefits. Climate finance was a key focus of the COP29 climate conference and will likely remain high on the climate policy agenda in 2025.

Consumers take control

Consumer preferences are continuing to evolve, with 2024 bringing emerging trends towards whole foods over processed products, as well as a greater focus on hyper-personalised diets. Wearable technology and AI-driven tools are empowering consumers to take greater control over their nutrition, while advancements in science are enabling tailored dietary recommendations.

While these trends hold significant promise, they also come with risks. Cost remains a major barrier, potentially exacerbating health inequities if personalised nutrition becomes accessible only to those who can afford it. We must also ensure we fully understand the long-term health impacts of these innovations, with policy having a key role to play in regulating new personalised nutrition offerings.

If implemented thoughtfully, personalisation has the potential to reshape public health for good.

What’s next?

The challenges facing the food system are vast, but so too are the opportunities to take collective, decisive and urgent action. By working collaboratively across the value chain, we can maximise the potential of emerging trends while addressing the risks they pose.

It is clearer than ever that policymakers, industry leaders, farmers and consumers must work in tandem to ensure that the food system of tomorrow is sustainable, equitable and healthy for all. As we move into 2025, let us commit to being bold, inclusive, and forward-thinking in our approach, seizing this critical moment to transform our global food system for the better.