Working conditions in food systems remain precarious across the globe. Little scientific guidance exists on what works where when it comes to initiatives aimed at addressing this issue. Investments in large-scale, nationally representative agricultural worker data are needed to properly document the scale and nature of working conditions and better guide policy design and implementation.

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are essential carbohydrates for the early development of infants. In this study, the intrinsic carbohydrate anabolism of plants is leveraged to produce a variety of HMOs, highlighting the potential of this method for commercial applications.

Crop production data from 131 nations covering six decades reveal that the stabilizing effects of crop diversity are stronger as national land area increases, with only limited stabilizing effects in the smallest nations.

China’s feed imports have a considerable environmental impact globally. This modelling study quantifies China’s potential protein self-sufficiency by simulating farming spatial relocation according to irrigation water and nitrogen surplus, as well as technological innovations and demand-side measures.

Reducing China’s methane emissions is key to achieving carbon neutrality. Using four national-scale field surveys, a high-resolution dataset of Chinese methane emissions over the period 1990−2020 is compiled and used to estimate past and future emission trajectories while highlighting cost-effective mitigation measures.

Data on chemical concentrations in commonly recommended diets are sparse. This study estimates the association between adherence to three dietary patterns considered healthy and exposure to environmental chemicals in a multi-racial pregnancy cohort, underscoring the need for increased regulation and monitoring of environmental contaminants.

This study reveals that wheat migration as a strategy for climate adaptation lacks sustainability in the North China Plain. Irrigation and fertilization management provide mitigation opportunities to reduce negative environmental impacts and avoid carbon leakage.

Combining observations and biogeochemical theories, mariculture greenhouse gas emissions are estimated in comparison with freshwater aquaculture. Climate-friendly farm designs, species selection and low-density operational practices can mitigate damage to marine ecosystems and avoid carbon loss.

Using food balance sheet data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, this study shows that mandatory large-scale food fortification programmes in the 40 countries where zinc deficiency is considered a public health problem could considerably reduce the prevalence of inadequate dietary zinc intake globally.

Despite decades of resistance in the USA, agroecology is gaining momentum as a catalyst for food systems transformation, calling for coordinated action between science, practice and movement to dismantle the dominant industrial paradigm.

Working conditions in food systems remain precarious across the globe. Little scientific guidance exists on what works where when it comes to initiatives aimed at addressing this issue. Investments in large-scale, nationally representative agricultural worker data are needed to properly document the scale and nature of working conditions and better guide policy design and implementation.

Crop pest invasions and their interactions with climate change may have been overlooked in crop yield projections, hindering the development of climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture. A harmonized strategy is proposed to integrate such interactions into crop yield projections and management under climate change scenarios.

Building soil health and manipulating the soil microbiome, alongside targeted plant breeding that prioritizes preferential root architectural development, hold the key to the future success of regenerative agriculture. Greater integration is needed between disciplines focused on the rhizosphere scale with plant, microbiome and soil scientists working at the wider farm scale.

Biological diversity and food availability are intrinsically linked, yet trade-offs between them often arise. Further research is needed on the specific issues faced in different contexts and what could help overcome them.