Growing more food has been the global response to food insecurity. It will no longer suffice and philanthropy should be prepared to lend its hand to a more thoroughgoing change

In the build-up to the UN Food Systems Summit on 23 September 2021, more than 900 independent dialogues were convened to give people around the world an opportunity to comment on their experiences with food systems and the nature of changes needed. More than 100,000 participated. The major theme that emerged from those dialogues was a need to transform food systems to make them more sustainable and equitable.  

How did we get to the need for such a dramatic, global transformation? This article looks back over the last two or three decades and into the future. It charts the response of philanthropy to the food question to date and suggests ways it needs to approach that question going forwards.  

The charitable approach