FOOD AND POWER INITIATIVE

Developed through a process of analysis, consultation and co-design with expert organizations and practitioners from around the world, the Food and Power Initiative (FPI), hosted by UNDP, brings together diverse actors from civil society, academia, UN agencies, international coalitions, governments and philanthropy. They are united in the collectively developed FPI mission to identify, highlight, address and challenge power asymmetries in food systems, to support the realization of the right to food, greater equity and ecological integrity.

Despite significant investments and forward-thinking policies, the global food system has been slow to transform. The UNDP’s recent White Paper, Supporting Food Systems Transformation Towards Sustainability and Resilience, highlights six key dimensions that must be tackled to drive real change: poverty and inequality, health, gender equity, environmental impact, climate change, and energy. These insights are shaping our collaborative work as we strive for a more sustainable and resilient food system.

However, the potential for progress in those areas depends on decision-making processes that are strongly influenced by political and economic factors. Power asymmetries—whether between nations, corporations, (small-scale) producers, or communities—play a crucial role in determining who has access to resources, who makes decisions, and ultimately, who benefits. Therefore, to truly transform food systems, navigating and addressing power is essential.

This short brief summarises 10 key power asymmetries in food systems, as analysed by UNDP, and details the scoping phase and rationale for the Food and Power Initiative.

Timeline graphic detailing phases of a project from January to June, with key activities.

Timeline illustrating key activities of the Food and Power Initiative.

 

The Food and Power Initiative is currently in Phase II. Activities include:

  • Convening an invitation-only Community of Engagement of Individual Members committed to sharing knowledge, action and strategies to rebalance power in global and local food systems. 
  • Undertaking a series of in-country power mapping and learning journeys, building on existing work, and aiming to support governments and other stakeholders to identify and address the power asymmetries blocking policy or subsidy reform.
  • Advancing the collective understanding of power asymmetries in food systems, through research and a presence in global food systems governance fora. 

 

Developed with the FPI Advisory Committee, the preliminary thematic areas of work for Phase II are:

  • The power dynamics of scaling up agroecology – with a dedicated Working Group and a flagship knowledge product to be developed with partners.
  • The power dynamics of countering corporate concentration – with a dedicated Working Group in the Community of Engagement.
  • The political economy of repurposing harmful agricultural subsidies – with a flagship knowledge product to be developed by UNDP and partners. 

For further detail about FPI’s Phase II activities, please refer to the Phase II Concept Note. [with link to Phase 2. The FPI Community of Engagement (CoE) is a closed, curated network of Individual Members committed to sharing knowledge, action and strategies to rebalance power in global and local food systems. Activities will include a collective resource library, webinars, discussions and working groups.

You can watch the recording of the side-event “Meaningful multi-stakeholder collaboration: why addressing power asymmetries is essential for food systems transformation and real nutrition” organised by UNDP in partnership with UN-Nutrition and the World Health Organisation at the Committee on World Food Security, October 2025. 

 

 

 

You can read a detailed overview of the activities to be undertaken by the Food and Power Initiative during its second phase in this document:

FPI Phase II Proposal

Read Brief

 

Food and Power at Wilton Park, 2025

FPI’s first phase of analysis, exploration, and partnership-building culminated in a major global dialogue held from 23–25 June at Wilton Park, UK, bringing together 50 experts from government, civil society, academia, UN agencies, and other sectors.

Explore testimonials from experts who contributed to this landmark event.

 

This initiative is made possible with thanks to the support of the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture and the McKnight Foundation. 

For more information on the Food and Power initiative, contact: