Droughts, political upheaval, diseases and terrorism are among the many threats that have pushed the global food system into shock in recent years. Crop losses, environmental and economic disruptions have resulted in more than 1.5 billion people around the world being unable to afford healthy diets, while others are at risk of severe food insecurity and malnutrition.

What can be done to tackle these challenges and how can food systems deliver healthy foods and allow farming families to make a good living while protecting the ecosystems that in turn support those very food systems?

CIFOR-ICRAF research has highlighted the contributions and critical roles of forests and trees within the wider food system for supporting availability and access to a greater diversity of nutritious foods. Nutri-scapes is a new platform that integrates insights from ecology, agronomy, nutrition and economics to tackle food and nutrition security challenges and ensure sustainability at the household level and beyond.

As part of CIFOR-ICRAF’s new 10-year strategy, Nutri-scapes aims to deliver solutions to the world’s biggest food system challenges through evidence-based research, technologies, advisory services and partnerships. This program and CIFOR-ICRAF’s other Transformational Partnership Platforms (TPP) and Engagement Landscapes (EL) seek to address the complex ways in which people and ecological systems affect each other through transformative science.

The following feature showcases Nutri-scapes research and stories as part of CIFOR-ICRAF’s efforts to build a resilient, sustainable and fair food system.