LOS BAÑOS, Philippines – Dr. Shenggen Fan, a renowned agricultural economist, has called for a stronger science-policy-society interface to transform food systems amid escalating global challenges. Speaking at the Agriculture and Development Seminar Series (ADSS) hosted by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 24 March 2025, Dr. Fan emphasized the urgency of holistic approaches to food systems transformation to address hunger, malnutrition, resource decline, climate change, and widening inequality.
"There is an urgent need for novel and more effective forms of 'science-policy interfaces' that extend their influence by directly including 'society' to become Science-Policy-Society Interfaces (SPSIs)," said Dr. Fan, former Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). He stressed the critical role of science through technological innovation, data-driven decision-making, and interdisciplinary collaboration in shaping sustainable food systems.
"The best available evidence and knowledge must be marshaled to support policymaking, business decisions, and community-level investments," he added.
Dr. Fan outlined key principles of effective SPSIs. These include political legitimacy, participation in traditionally excluded and equity-deserving groups, transparency and democratic decision-making, and integration of diverse concerns emerging at different scales and across different sectors of food systems.
SEARCA's role in bridging science, policy, and society
Dr. Fan underscored that SEARCA is a key actor in advancing SPSIs for agricultural development in Southeast Asia. He pointed out that as a regional intergovernmental organization, SEARCA contributes to both individual and institutional capacity building, ranging from modern agriculture and education methodologies and internal management systems enhancements to optimize research and teaching processes and resource management.
He also noted that SEARCA's research initiatives can be instrumental in producing evidence-based outputs, such as policy briefs co-developed with Ministries of Agriculture, to directly inform national decision-making. Dr. Fan urged SEARCA to deepen its efforts to promote inclusivity by empowering communities, including leadership programs for women farmers.
However, Dr. Fan cautioned that capacity building goes beyond training.
"Capacity is not just training; it's also enabling ecosystems," he said, explaining that this entails strengthening not only individual and institutional capacities but also creating supportive environments and long-term cooperation networks that foster systemic and cultural change.
Tackling barriers to SPSIs
To accelerate the operationalization of SPSIs, Dr. Fan rallied to overcome key barriers, including weak R&D capacity in developing Asia-Pacific countries, gaps in actionable knowledge, under-appreciation of sustainability issues, disjointed policies, and lack of attention to the priorities of diverse stakeholders, especially marginalized actors.
Dr. Fan concluded with five strategic recommendations:
- Engage stakeholders inclusively through a task force that facilitates ongoing food systems dialogues, ensuring respect for diverse communities and viewpoints.
- Develop and integrate publicly accessible, regionally relevant capacity-building modules on topics like healthy diets and improved nutrition within in-country extension services.
- Localize food systems research and innovation processes.
- Fund a global coordination hub to identify local and regional partners' constraints and needs, and generate multidirectional linkages between science, policy, and community members.
- Support integrated data portals, enhance capacity building, and convene regional assessments to forecast food system trends.
The SEARCA ADSS is a regular forum for the exchange of ideas on agricultural and rural development. It aims to contribute to a dynamic discussion and knowledge sharing within and beyond the Los Baños Science Community.
Watch Dr. Fan's full ADSS presentation here: https://bit.ly/ADSS-SFan