Our food production is embedded in a social, cultural and environmental context and forms a complex network of activities that we must make sustainable if we are to address major global challenges such as climate change and local problems of environmental quality and biodiversity. In addition, geopolitical challenges and conflicts, macroeconomic transformations (e.g. technological innovation), changing values and consumption patterns mean that the food system is subject to rapid change. Agricultural policies are also confronted with large regional disparities, which require a diversified, not too rigid and consensus-based approach to avoid escalating tensions. The climate, environmental and biodiversity objectives that such a policy sets itself also require quantifiable parameters against which the policy can be adjusted, and a good assessment of the feasibility of policy proposals that must be acceptable to stakeholders.

At the European level, a Strategic Dialogue has already been launched, which contains many commendable recommendations for a sustainable European agriculture of the future. However, these recommendations remain rather vague on important points, which is why LIAS aims to bring together international experts in this project to arrive at concrete policy recommendations for making the food system more sustainable, based on the following themes. The focus is on the EU and on Flanders in particular, but of course the international context is also important.

1. What measures should be taken to mitigate the local impacts of our food system on biodiversity and environmental quality and on the climate? What is the role of knowledge and innovation, and of measures on the consumption side? How can efforts to address these two major challenges be translated into European agricultural policy?
2. What are the local socio-economic consequences of increasing sustainability (taking into account farmers' incomes, market forces, effects on the chain, new revenue models, social aspects, etc.)? How can we best formulate policies in this regard
3. What is the international context for sustainability efforts? What is the role of geopolitical challenges, competitive position, food security and international trade, and what policies are recommended?