Last month, the fourth edition of the World Food Forum in Rome saw world leaders call for agrifood system reforms to foster resilience against economic and climate challenges. Amid this push for reform, a new generation of food systems planners is emerging to help shape policies and practices that address hunger, economic inequality, health, and environmental issues more comprehensively.
Food systems planners take a broad view of how these issues are interconnected with how we produce, process, and consume food. And so they work on diverse projects — from improving food distribution networks and ensuring equitable food access to reducing food waste.
Devex recently spoke with one such professional: Alexandra Payne, a program officer at The Rockefeller Foundation. Payne shared insights into her role at The Rockefeller Foundation and the varied experiences, roles, and skills that have shaped her system-thinking approach and focus on community cohesion. Ultimately, she reminded us of the connective power of food in bringing people together.
About the author
Katrina J. Lane
Katrina Lane is an Editorial Strategist and Reporter at Devex. She writes on ecologies and social inclusion, and also supports the creation of partnership content at Devex. She holds a degree in Psychology from Warwick University, offering a unique perspective on the cognitive frameworks and social factors that influence responses to global issues.
