SDG 2: Zero Hunger
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Institutions: Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Rural Development; Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
The report explores how agribusiness can drive the transformation toward healthy, sustainable food systems and identifies systemic barriers that block progress. It outlines three critical “lock-ins.” The first is the cheaper food paradigm, prioritising affordability over nutrition and environmental protection, undermining public health and ecosystems. The second is market consolidation, where many powerful agribusinesses dominate supply chains, curbing innovation and reinforcing unsustainable models. The third is investment path dependency, which locks producers into intensive, input-heavy practices reliant on agrochemicals and industrial technologies.
The report stresses that breaking these barriers requires coordinated action. Governments must reform harmful subsidies, strengthen transparency, and invest in public research that supports sustainable farming. Financial institutions must redirect investment toward regenerative practices, while agribusinesses must adopt strategies that balance profitability with climate resilience and social well-being. UNEP and Chatham House conclude that only systemic shifts anchored in political will and market incentives can unlock agribusiness’s global potential to scale sustainable food systems.
Follow the full report here: