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Greenhouses are quickly proliferating in response to the world’s increasing demand for food, but information on their precise location, distribution and extent remains limited in many countries. This Analysis combines global very-high-resolution satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to address this knowledge gap, showing a dramatic increase in greenhouse coverage in the Global South.
Harvest from inland recreational fisheries are estimated, demonstrating the importance of this food source for nutrition and economic value in food systems that are vulnerable to climate change.
Ongoing depletion rates of phosphorus reserves might pose a challenge to future food security. This Analysis estimates the effects of matching plant-available soil Olsen P concentrations with thresholds for optimal yields of grassland and 28 crops on the longevity of global P reserves.
A lack of systematized information on existing agri-environmental policies poses challenges for research and practice. A new database with more than 6,000 agri-environmental policies implemented over the past six decades around the world helps fill the gap. This information enables the extraction of valuable insights for policymakers, academics and businesses.
A trans-disciplinary framework shows how collaborative engagement and multi-phase development pathways can aid scaling up urban agriculture to transform food systems and support robust urban resilience and sustainability.
Holistic indicator frameworks are needed to track food systems transformation. This Analysis shows the application of a framework recently developed by the Food Systems Countdown Initiative to all UN member states, revealing current status, data gaps and priority actions.
Understanding the general responses of soil gross N cycling to commonly used knowledge-based N management practices on a global scale could help predict ecosystem N retention capacity and subsequent N losses. This global meta-analysis provides evidence for different responses of soil N cycling rates and N losses and associated soil properties to various knowledge-based N management practices.
A scenario analysis shows that disregarding the links between bovine milk and meat production could lead to imbalances between national dietary guidelines and production outcomes, leading to unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions and potentially to food waste.
Quantifying food-based supply and intake of micronutrients together with macronutrients is key for improved nutrition policies. This Article estimates the prevalence of 11 nutrients in global and regional diets using a production–consumption–nutrition model, highlighting the impact of reduced food waste and loss, biofortification and dietary supplements as intervention strategies.
Tropical blue food supply can be enhanced by small-scale octopus fisheries. Their catch methods and management approaches contribute to sustainable production and livelihoods.
This Analysis illustrates how nature-positive targets aimed at protecting biodiversity can be achieved at the scale of organizations. A canteen at one UK university college is used as a case study for the application of a four-step participatory approach comprising an estimation of food-related biodiversity impacts; definition of biodiversity targets; assessment of possible interventions; and exploration of different strategies.
The spatial patterns of global soil potential nitrogen cycling were characterized using 4,032 observations from 398 published studies. The global soil nitrogen cycle shifts from conservative in forests to leaky in croplands, highlighting the importance of forests in the global nitrogen cycle and the need for further insights on nitrate retention in croplands.
The demand for dairy produce is growing alongside concerns about the impact of intensive dairying on water quality due to nutrient loss. Using observational and modelled data, this study compares systems with different outdoor livestock grazing times, flagging combinations that could minimize phosphorus and nitrogen losses.
Herring, sardine and anchovy are the cheapest fish species in many low- and middle-income countries, with <20% of small pelagic catch sufficient to meet the recommended fish intakes for young children living near water in sub-Saharan Africa.
Promoting higher-than-historical adoption rates of improved Bos taurus × Bos indicus crosses is essential to meet Tanzania’s Dairy Development Roadmap targets and achieve dairy self-sufficiency by 2030.
Food system typologies enable the comparison of food systems transitions in terms of structural drivers of change and outcomes in sustainable development.
Finite marine resources have the potential to limit the growth of salmon aquaculture. A more judicious use of fish oil and fish meal in aquafeeds could sustain sector growth until 2100 and beyond.
Voluntary actions by the food and beverage industry are often adopted in lieu of public health policies. The realist review methodology here evaluates the context, mechanisms and outcomes of voluntary actions against unhealthy diets in low- and middle-income settings.
Using soil redistribution and crop growth models, this study shows that as the duration and intensity of tillage increases, wheat and maize yields decrease. Under projected future climate conditions, the impact of crop yields from tillage erosion will be amplified due to reduced water availability.
Aquaculture sector expansion requires limiting the chemical and pathogen hazards that can disrupt seafood supply. A schema is presented here for mitigating these risks and informing policy.