Holistic Performance Measurement for Food Systems Transformation - A Scoping Study

Introduction

In the light of multiple, urgent and interconnected food system challenges – including but not limited to the climate and biodiversity crises, the triple burden of malnutrition and growing inequity – holistic and context-specific food system transformations are crucial. Agroecology is increasingly recognized as a promising approach for transforming food systems, rendering them more resilient, equitable and sustainable in all dimensions. However, a key challenge to scaling agroecology is how to measure its performance in ways which allow for fair comparison with alternatives. Common practice when evaluating agri-food systems has been to measure a narrow set of metrics, mainly focused on productivity and economic returns. Yet, such approaches fail to take the multi-functionality of agri-food systems into account, overlooking the environmental and social benefits of agroecology and the negative externalities of conventionally intensified systems. What is needed are ways to measure the performance of diﬀerent agri-food system approaches holistically and inclusively, so that policymakers, donors, development actors, and farmers can make informed decisions regarding their investment in agroecology or alternative approaches. Drawing on a desk review, in-depth case studies and stakeholder engagements in Burkina Faso, Ghana and Tunisia, this study identified and synthesized common barriers and opportunities for assessing agroecological performance and explored how investing in the development of more holistic assessment can support agroecological transitions in West Africa and globally.

Aim

The aim of this scoping study was to explore how the development of holistic metrics and assessment approaches can support agroecological transitions and identify priority areas for future investment.

Specifically, it:

Identified key actors supporting agroecological transformation in the region and potential partnerships for building the field of agroecology
Evaluated their experience, interests, and needs regarding holistic assessment of agroecology and identified common barriers and opportunities
Evaluated existing metrics and assessment approaches and highlighted priority areas for future research and development