Food system transformation (FST) is fundamental to human progress. Feeding and nourishing the world. Creating jobs and reducing poverty. Managing the environment. Avoiding catastrophic climate change. Building resilience to shocks. These are the building blocks of human and planetary wellbeing.
Breastfeeding not only contributes to positive nutrition and health outcomes, but also to environmental sustainability by significantly reducing the environmental footprint associated with the production, packaging, distribution and consumption of infant formula. The environmental benefits of breastfeeding are multi-faceted.
Food system transformation is reshaping how food is produced, processed, distributed, and consumed to create a more sustainable, fair, and healthy system. It demands a deep, collective effort involving multiple layers of society - farmers, policymakers, businesses, consumers, and more. But changing such a complex system isn’t just about policies or farming techniques. It’s about changing hearts and minds too. This is where media and journalists have a fundamental role.
GAIN Kenya is proud to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with UNICEF Kenya to strengthen efforts to improve access to nutritious, safe, and sustainable foods for the most vulnerable. This strategic partnership underscores a shared commitment to addressing malnutrition and shaping healthier food environments for children, adolescents, and families in Kenya. The MOU was officially signed on 24th June 2025.
On 27 May 2025, the second episode of Bincang Pangan Sehat Lestari (Talk Series on Sustainable and healthy diets) brought together experts, policy makers, practitioners, and development partners to discuss the environmental perspectives on Indonesia’s school meal program (MBG). The seminar saw active participation, with attendees engaging in panel discussions. Over 30 Participants attended the seminar in person, and over 500 participants from sub national food agencies and NGOs attended it online.
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (FAO, 2024) highlights the dire state of hunger in Ethiopia – 59% facing moderate or severe food insecurity from 2021 to 2023. Young women are particularly vulnerable, Ethiopia’s National Food and Nutrition Strategy Baseline Survey (EPHI, 2023) states that 15% and 22% of women of reproductive age are underweight, in urban and rural settings respectively. The same report notes that only 7% meet minimum dietary diversity standards - as a result, 66% have some form of micronutrient deficiency.
In April 2025, we took part in the Act4Food Youth Leaders Workshop held in Arusha, Tanzania, a truly transformative experience that deepened our already strong convictions of the power and potential of young people to shape the future of our food systems. Organized by ACT4FOOD with support from the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), the workshop brought together 22 youth leaders from across the globe working under the ACT4FOOD banner, along with GAIN staff and additional food systems youth leaders from Tanzania.
Every morning in Nairobi’s informal settlements, thousands of mothers head to the local market, searching for fresh vegetables to feed their families. For many, affordability is a top concern—but so is safety. Mary, a mother of three, recalls the time her youngest fell ill after a meal of sukuma wiki (kales). The vegetables had looked fine, but invisible risks like pesticide residues or poor handling were the real culprits.
Across the City, 27-year-old Joseph joins dozens of young men at a construction site, hoping to earn enough to make it through the week. With limited pay and rising costs of living, lunch often comes from a nearby kibanda—a roadside kiosk offering fast, affordable meals. It’s filling and convenient, but rarely is the question asked: Is the food safe?
Human Centred Design (HCD) is a set of approaches, methods, and mindsets that can be applied to create fit-for-purpose solutions (designed around the needs of the final user).
GAIN is committed to making social protection systems work harder for the nutrition and dietary resilience of the most vulnerable consumers using HCD.
In Ethiopia, children are a particularly vulnerable group when it comes to malnutrition – with 39% stunted, and 28% suffering from micronutrient deficiencies. Education and nutrition are intrinsically linked, with malnutrition having a harmful effect on academic performance as well as adult life (Ready to learn and thrive - School health and nutrition around the world, UNESCO, 2023).
