provide valuable insights, strategic guidance, and act as a powerful advocacy force towards UNFSS+4 and beyond.

This appointment by UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed acknowledges Philip Lymbery’s longstanding contributions as a UN Food Systems Champion during the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit and the 2023 UNFSS+2 Stocktaking Moment in Rome.

Food Systems Transformation Through a One Health Lens

When discussing Food Systems Transformation, it is essential to define the desired outcomes - what a “better” system looks like. This aligns with the first priority of the UN Secretary-General’s Call to Action from the 2023 Stocktaking Moment, which urges the integration of food system strategies into national policies for sustainable development, encompassing livelihoods, nutrition, health, climate, and nature.

A truly sustainable global food system must operate within planetary boundaries, respecting and enhancing planetary health. This can be achieved by adopting a One Health approach - an integrated framework that recognises the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health.

Neglecting the One Health principle leads to cascading negative impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem services, environmental health, soil, land, water, food safety, and the overall sustainability of agrifood systems. Rapid development, if not carefully managed, can result in unintended consequences and hidden costs. Integrating One Health into food systems transformation helps identify interconnections, minimise trade-offs, and maximise synergies.

Compassion in World Farming advocates for the One Health approach as a guiding framework for reimagining the global food system. We call for its stronger integration into food systems discourse, as outlined in the One Health Joint Plan of Action and the Theory of Change developed by the High-Level One Health Expert Panel.