CfP: "Global Challenges of Food System Transformation: Bridging Dichotomies", EADI Conference 29 June to 2 July 2026 (Antwerp, Belgium)

[Lehmann, I.M. (Ina)]

Dear all,

 

Please find below a call for papers that might be of interest for those of you working on sustainable food systems and food systems transformation:

 

We are inviting submissions for a panel on “Global Challenges of Food System Transformation: Bridging Dichotomies” for the European Association of Development and Research Training Institutes (EADI) conference in Antwerp, Belgium, 29 Jun to 2 July 2026.

The deadline for abstract submission is 21 December, and the link guiding you to the submission system is here: SP38 - Global Challenges of Food System Transformation: Bridging Dichotomies

 

Global Challenges of Food System Transformation: Bridging Dichotomies

Convened by Oane Visser, Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam, Ina Lehmann, VU, Amsterdam, Joseph Awetori Yaro, University of Ghana, Dominic Glover, Institute of Development Studies (IDS), UK, and Marijn Faling, Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam

The past years have acutely demonstrated the need for an overhaul of our food systems. While global hunger and undernourishment showed a downward trend for several decades, in the past years, food insecurity has markedly increased. Crises such as the corona pandemic, Ukraine war and drought, caused major disruptions, yet there is growing recognition that they constitute merely triggers that expose increasingly acute structural problems of current food systems. The increasingly apparent, yet fundamental, challenges of current food systems, are characterized as ‘severe and persistent problems' , and call for ‘transformative’ or ‘deep change’.

While there is no shortage of studies and visions on how to transform food systems, finding structural solutions is hampered by engrained positions and dichotomous thinking. Such dichotomies exist for instance regarding whether food systems should be market-led or rights-based, whether they should follow land-sharing or land-sparing approaches, or whether innovation should be tech-driven or be steered based on (local) knowledge. This panel will examine concepts, approaches and methodological tools, to bridge such dichotomous thinking, seeking to inform strategies for ‘deep’ food system transformation.

We seek papers that go beyond examining slight modifications of current policies and practices, and instead explore new avenues for food systems change, especially when informed by approaches that transcend long-existing deadlocks and dichotomous thinking. 

 

 

Kind regards,

Ina

 

Dr Ina Lehmann

Assistant professor, Department of Environmental Policy Analysis

Institute for Environmental Studies – Instituut voor Milieuvraagstukken (IVM)

i.m.l...@vu.nl l www.vu.nl/ivm l  WORKING DAYS: MON. to FRI. l

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