SYSTEMIC

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Background and aim

The SYSTEMIC network brought together scientists from various disciplines to collaboratively explore solutions, identify knowledge gaps, and develop strategies for transforming food systems. Although there is abundant information on improving productivity and sustainability in individual agricultural sectors, comprehensive, cross-sectoral approaches to sustainable food and agriculture remain scarce in the literature. SYSTEMIC sought to bridge this gap by developing proven strategies for creating a sustainable, resilient, and nutritious food supply that integrates both land and sea resources. Researchers from eight European countries Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Portugal, and Spain collaborated to build a network that enhances understanding of food and nutrition security in a changing environment. This collaboration emphasized knowledge and technology sharing, with national and transnational R&D projects playing a key role. The project was organized into interrelated work packages covering resource use, production, consumer preferences, nutrition, and public health. Additionally, case studies were developed to address the complexities involved in transforming food systems.
The goal of SYSTEMIC was to develop a unified vision for an integrated food system that promotes sustainability across production, consumption, and public health. By aligning with key Sustainable Development Goals specifically (2) zero hunger, (3) good health and well-being, (12) responsible consumption and production, (13) climate action, and (17) partnerships for the goals SYSTEMIC aimed to contribute significantly toward the creation of a sustainable and equitable global food system.

Key results

1. Tools for assessing dietary intake: Are diet-tracking mobile apps suitable to estimate energy and macronutrient intake? Comparing the data obtained from the five apps available in Italy with those from the dietary software “Foodsoft 1.0” used in the last national food consumption survey, no significant differences were found in the mean values of energy and macronutrients, except for fat intakes. The selected apps could be a suitable tool for assessing dietary intake, as well as Foodsoft 1.0, and reduce the interview burden.
2. Global Durum Panel: The Global Durum Panel (GDP) is a representative, broad and diverse collection made of 10.11 tetraploid wheat accessions consisting of durum wheat modern germplasm and landraces, along with a selection of emmer and primitive tetraploid wheat to maximize diversity. The GDP has been multiplied, deeply genetically characterized with SNP array, and made freely available to all durum wheat breeders. The GDP is a unique and ideal resource to identify and map useful genetic diversity at loci of interest.
3. Technology efficiency and gaps in Norwegian grain farms using the stochastic metafrontier approach: the country was classified into regions with district levels of development and, hence, production technologies. The dataset used is farm-level balanced panel data for 19 years (1996–2014) with 1463 observations from 196 family farms specialized in grain production. The study used the true random effect model and stochastic metafrontier analysis to estimate region level technical efficiency (TE) and technology gap ratio (TGR) in the two main grain-producing regions of Norway. The result of the analysis shows that farmers differ in performance and technology use.
4. Economic performance of crop-producing farms in Norway: the empirical analysis was based on a translog cost function and unbalanced farm-level panel data for 1991-2013 from the 455 crop-producing farms with 3,885 observations (1,004 observations from the central region and 2,881 observations from the eastern region). We found that the mean minimum costs were about 93% and 92% of the actual costs for crop farms in the central and eastern regions, respectively. The marginal effects of crop rotation, land tenure, off-farm activity, direct government support, and experience were positively associated with crop farm economic performance. The marginal contribution of these variables on economic performance increased in the years 2000-2013 compared with the years 1991-1999 in both regions.
5. Climate change on Italian grasslands: Expected warming and modification of rainfall patterns will produce a reduction or disappearance of cold-tolerant species and a spread of xeric/thermophilus ones and shrubby vegetation; a general upward shift of vegetation types in mountain areas. Moreover, a general reduction of aboveground biomass is expected, as summer droughts is considered a main driver to force grassland productivity. Finally, warming and rainfall reduction are considered the main factors able to reduce forage quality and palatability of grasslands, because of the reduction of nitrogen content in the available biomass and the higher spread of less unpalatable species and shrubs.

How

The SYSTEMIC project idea is based on researchers from eight European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Portugal, and Spain) by creating a network for a better understanding of food and nutrition security in a changing environment. National and transnational collaboration in R&D projects together with the transfer of knowledge and technology are the major aim of the research teams working in this project. SYSTEMIC works on seven interrelated working packages and case studies.

Key Features of SYSTEMIC:

• Assess current technologies on their feasibility to address the food challenges
• Develop methods to assess trade-offs in support of decision and policymaking
• Identify knowledge gaps and research needs to funding agencies and governments
• Disseminate knowledge to industry, society, and policy, and develop and collate education and training tools