A RENOWNED agricultural economist called for a stronger science-policy-society interface to transform food systems amid escalating global challenges.
Shenggen Fan has been emphasizing the urgency of holistic approaches to food systems transformation to address hunger, malnutrition, resource decline, climate change, and widening inequality.
He discussed these issues during the recently held Agriculture and Development Seminar Series (ADSS) hosted by the Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) at the University of the Philippines Los Baños campus in Laguna.
The SEARCA ADSS is a regular forum for exchanging ideas on agricultural and rural development. It aims to contribute to a dynamic discussion and knowledge sharing within and beyond the Los Baños Science Community.
Fan stressed the urgent need for novel and more effective forms of "science-policy interfaces" that extend their influence by directly including "society" to become Science-Policy-Society Interfaces (SPSIs).
A former director general of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), he also emphasized the critical role of science through technological innovation, data-driven decision-making, and interdisciplinary collaboration in shaping sustainable food systems.
"The best available evidence and knowledge must be marshaled to support policymaking, business decisions, and community-level investments," Fan said.
In outlining key principles of effective SPSIs, he included political legitimacy, participation in traditionally excluded and equity-deserving groups, transparency and democratic decision-making, and integration of diverse concerns emerging at different scales and across different sectors of food systems.
Fan also mentioned SEARCA's role in bridging science, policy, and society, underscoring that the center is a key actor in advancing SPSIs for agricultural development in Southeast Asia.
He pointed out that as a regional intergovernmental organization, SEARCA contributes to both individual and institutional capacity building, ranging from modern agriculture and education methodologies and internal management systems enhancements to "optimize research and teaching processes and resource management."
"SEARCA's research initiatives can be instrumental in producing evidence-based outputs, such as policy briefs co-developed with Ministries of Agriculture, to directly inform national decision-making," said Fan, urging the center to "deepen its efforts to promote inclusivity by empowering communities, including leadership programs for women farmers."
Cautioning that capacity building goes beyond training, he said "capacity is not just training; it's also enabling ecosystems."
He explained that this entails strengthening not only individual and institutional capacities but also creating supportive environments and long-term cooperation networks that foster systemic and cultural change.
Fan also rallied to overcome key barriers to SPSIs to accelerate its operationalization.
These barriers include weak research and development or R&D capacity in developing Asia-Pacific countries, gaps in actionable knowledge, underappreciation of sustainability issues, disjointed policies, and lack of attention to the priorities of diverse stakeholders, especially marginalized actors.
Fan also recommended five strategies.
First, engage stakeholders inclusively through a task force that facilitates ongoing food systems dialogues, ensuring respect for diverse communities and viewpoints.
Second is to develop and integrate publicly accessible, regionally relevant capacity-building modules on topics like healthy diets and improved nutrition within in-country extension services.
Third, localize food systems research and innovation processes.
Fourth is to fund a global coordination hub to identify local and regional partners' constraints and needs, and generate multidirectional linkages between science, policy, and community members.
And fifth, support integrated data portals, enhance capacity building, and convene regional assessments to forecast food system trends.