SIANI network together for resilient food systems

SIANI’s annual meeting 2025 took place in Stockholm, Sweden, bringing together SIANI members to discuss how to transform our food systems to become more inclusive and resilient in times of recurring and protracted crises.

SIANI chair, Cecilia Nordin van Gansberghe, opened the meeting highlighting the importance of addressing resilient food systems. She emphasized the significant shift taking place in today’s rapidly changing world, creating spaces for new actors to contribute to shaping the future of food systems. 

“At times I have felt there was not a key understanding of the concept. Now, however, with the world we see, it has moved to the forefront. As the situation is becoming more concerning. What can organizations and individuals do to affront the next crisis? Because surely there will be one, but the challenge is to know what shape it will take. This has led to a deeper discussion on the vital importance of sustainability and resilience of our food systems.”

Participants took part in an interactive Mentimeter, which outlined the great variety of sectors and disciplines represented in the room. A second question asked attendees about their expectations for the meeting, and many expressed a desire to gain new knowledge and network, as well as to leave the day with a feeling of hope. 

Insights from policy, research, and community action 

A session on resilient food systems featured insights from Ola Möller, Policy Specialist at Sida, who stressed that: 

“We need to become much better to show that agriculture can be a tool to achieve all the other agenda 2030 targets – something that can be integrated to support the implementation of work in different fields.”

Klara Fisher, Senior Lecturer at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), contributed with a research perspective, emphasizing that while resilient food systems must be sustainable, there is no agreement within the scientific community remain on what sustainable agriculture entails and how to achieve it. She highlighted that siloed scientific discourses – such as agroecology and sustainable intensification – often take different approaches, making it difficult to define a single answer. This, she argued, underscores the need for humility in research to communicate limitations. 

Meanwhile, Helena Forslund, Africa Regional Desk Officer at the Swedish Red Cross emphasized the importance of multi-sectoral approaches to vulnerability and capacity building, and Akram Abdulrahman Environmental Advisor and Desk Officer at Islamic Relief Sweden highlighted the need for climate-resilient farming practices and livestock health for food security in vulnerable communities. 

Around the world with SIANI expert groups 

 SIANI’s Project Coordinator, Jonna Wiklund introduced the new SIANI expert groups aiming to enhance a holistic understanding of key issues, facilitate interactions, and generate knowledge. Representatives from three of the new 2024-2025 expert groups presented their projects:  

• Milena Arias Schreiber, Researcher at Gothenburg University from the Small-Scale Fisheries in Latin America Expert group highlighted their efforts to raise awareness about the sector’s vital role in food security.  

• Monica Nderitu, Regional Environment and Climate Change Advisor at Vi Agroforestry introduced their initiative showcasing agroforestry’s potential to restore dryland ecosystems in East Africa.  

• Tatiana Stebneva, board member at the Central Asia Solidarity Groups, introduced the expert group Reviving the Roots, promoting ecosystem-based approaches to agriculture in Kyrgyzstan by integrating culture and art into soil practices. 

Representatives from the SIANI expert groups launched in 2024 reflected on their experiences. Paul Egan (SLU) from the Pollination in Asia Expert Group, Linus Dagerskog Research Fellow at the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) from the One health approach to Wash in Burkina Faso Expert Group, Caroline Delgado, Senior Researcher and Director of the Food, Peace and Security Programme at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), presented the Land rights in Latin America Expert Group and lastly, Ivar Virgin, Senior Researcher at SEI introduced East African Agrobiologicals Expert Group. 

Supporting resilience among smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities 

Afterwards, a roundtable discussion addressed the question: How can we support collaboration and knowledge-sharing within our network to support resilience among smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities? Participants discussed the meaning of cross-sector partnerships and explored potential new collaborations to increase impact. The summary of the discussions can be found here. 

Connecting food systems to landscapes 

In the final session, SIANI Program Director Madeleine Fogde moderated a panel on connecting food systems to landscapes, a long-standing focus for SIANI.  

When linking food systems to landscapes, Laura Kmoch, Research Fellow at The University of Göttingen, raised the need to consider multiple connectivity pathways, leveraging cultural values and intervening towards multifunctionality. 

Klara Fisher, Associate Professor in Rural Development at SLU, presented Marta Cefaro’s thesis on the honeybush tea industry in South Africa.  

Hasitha Priyashantha, Milk quality expert in the Federation of Swedish Farmers, and Shishanthi Jayarathna, teacher at Folkuniversitetet, discussed a beekeeping capacity-building project for school children in Sri Lanka, founded by SLU and SIANI. Finally, Marie-Claire Feller and Leon Pepe Buindo from Alnarp’s Agroecology Farm shared their experience on how the farm became more engaged in the broader farming movement, including their participation in the World Food Forum. They stressed the need for more opportunities for hands-on learning in agroecology, noting the challenges of achieving financial viability. 

Madeleine Fogde wrapped up the day by highlighting the importance of the annual meeting as a platform for showcasing the many interconnections within SIANI’s work and the collaborative efforts, particularly with sister network Focali, leaving members with a powerful message;  

“For you keep calm and carry on, we will always need food, we are in the right sector, and it is up to us to make it resilient and sustainable.” 

The recording of the SIANI Annual Meeting 2025 can be found here: