Why food needs a systems approach (with Corinna Hawkes)

What do Yorkshire beaches, Sierra Leone’s new food strategy, and New York City school lunches have in common? For Corinna Hawkes, they all shaped her journey toward understanding how systems shape food. In this episode, we trace her path from a childhood fascination with shifting sands to her current role at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. Along the way, we ask: what does it actually mean to ‘take a systems approach’ to food? What type of leadership skills are needed to fix food systems today? And why do the best solutions sometimes require slowing down, not speeding up?

For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/
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Read the report: Transforming food and agriculture through a systems approach (FAO, 2025)

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Guest

• Corinna Hawkes, Director of Agrifood Systems and Food Safety at FAO

Episode hosted, edited and produced by Matthew Kessler. Music by Blue dot sessions.