The twin, global goals of net‑zero emissions and zero hunger demand collective, intensified support.
Under the South African Presidency, the G20 Task Force on Food Security aims to advance the zero‑hunger goal while ensuring progress towards environmental sustainability.
Transforming agro-food requires unleashing the potential of food-tech and anchoring it in local innovation ecosystems.
Intermediary cities –which connect urban and rural areas– are key actors in the development of food‑tech ecosystems in developing countries.
The innovative, local solutions piloted by intermediary cities to transform agro‑food systems and achieve the twin goals should be given greater attention (i) in national strategies and (ii) in the priorities of international partners.
Policy priorities to support and scale up those solutions include:
reducing digital infrastructure gaps
strengthening quality infrastructure systems in and for intermediary cities
building local capacities
scaling up successful initiatives, and
closing funding gaps to ensure resources are allocated where they can generate the greatest impact.
Activating food‑tech ecosystems in intermediary cities for sustainable food security
Key messages
Copy link to Key messagesTransforming agro‑food is essential for meeting the twin goals of net zero emissions and zero hunger
Copy link to Transforming agro‑food is essential for meeting the twin goals of net zero emissions and zero hungerEnsuring food security and improving nutrition for a growing world population is a shared global priority. To deliver on these ambitions, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight the need to transform agro‑food systems. The Six Transitions to Realise SDGs by 2030 recognise the catalytic and multiplier effect of food systems on SDGs. The G20 Matera Declaration in 2021 called for greater and better investment in food systems to advance both climate action and hunger eradication. In 2024, the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty was launched, upon a proposal of the Brazilian G20 Presidency. Under the South African G20 Presidency, food security and environmental sustainability have been placed at the heart of the agenda with the creation of a specialised Task Force on Food Security.
Despite strong global commitments, progress remains insufficient, and challenges are intensifying:
The share of people facing moderate or severe food insecurity has risen from 21.5% in 2015, when the SDGs were adopted, to 28% in 2024 (FAO, 2025[1]). Trends vary significantly across and within countries – for example, in South Africa, 35.3% of households faced moderate or severe food insecurity in the city of Mangaung in 2023, the highest incidence in the country, while the number stood at 16.1% in Tshwane (SSA, 2025[2]).
Since the 2008‑09 economic and financial crisis, repeated shocks – including the COVID‑19 pandemic, trade disruptions, and increasingly severe weather events – have strained agro‑food systems, amplifying the risk of hunger for the poorest. These disruptions have heightened production volatility and stressed local and global food value chains.
Vulnerable populations are bearing the brunt. In Africa, the proportion of people facing moderate or severe food insecurity reached 59% in 2024, nearly double the global average and up from 45.3% in 2015 (FAO, 2025[1]). With the global population projected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050 (UN DESA, 2024[3]), crop production must rise significantly and become more efficient to reduce food waste and meet demand sustainably.
Climate change remains a major threat. More frequent and intense droughts, heatwaves, storms, and erratic rainfall are undermining yields and livelihoods. Without adaptation, crop yield losses could range from 7% to 23% under severe climate scenarios (Rezaei et al., 2023[4]). Risks include declining soil carbon and nitrogen, higher pest prevalence, water scarcity, and direct damage from disasters. Higher pest incidence and mobility, unpredictable temperature and moisture patterns also impact processing and storage infrastructure, leading to higher post-harvest food losses.
Agro‑food systems accounted for about one‑third of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions in 2022 and have risen by roughly 14% since 1990 (FAO, 2025[1]). These emissions come from on‑farm activities, deforestation, biomass burning, peatland degradation, and supply chain processes. Some regions have disproportionately high emissions relative to agricultural output: for instance, in Africa each US dollar of agricultural value added (constant 2015 USD) generated 6.9 kg of CO₂ (equivalent) in emissions during 2022, more than in Latin America and the Caribbean (at 5.3 kg), and more than twice the global average of 2.3 kg – due to the dominance of primary crops and livestock and significant deforestation [Authors’ elaboration based on (FAO, 2025[1]) and (World Bank, 2025[5])].
In this context, transforming agro-food systems demands co-ordinated local, national, and international action to ensure resilient, efficient, low-emission food systems capable of delivering healthy diets for all while protecting the environment.
Food-tech, a solution for transforming agro-food systems
Copy link to Food-tech, a solution for transforming agro-food systemsAs agro-food systems face growing pressures to feed a rising global population while reducing environmental impacts and adapting to climate challenges, food‑tech is gaining prominence as part of the solution. Food‑tech refers to innovative ventures and the ecosystems around them, developing solutions in six main areas: food science, agtech, IoT‑food, food delivery and retail, food demand, and food waste management (Box 1).
Box 1. What is food-tech?
Copy link to Box 1. What is food-tech?Food-tech is a multidisciplinary field combining scientific and technological expertise in areas such as biotechnology, engineering, analytical chemistry, food safety, and nutrition. It has applications throughout the food system – from production and processing to storage, distribution, retail, and waste management. Technologies range from precision agriculture tools and drones to robotics and new business models like e‑commerce platforms.
Food-tech research and innovation are expanding rapidly worldwide.
The People’s Republic of China (hereafter “China”) leads global scientific output in food‑tech, accounting for 24% of all publications with at least one citation during 2020‑24 (fractional count), followed by the European Union (19%), the United States (11%) and India (9%). Within the European Union, Italy, Germany and Spain are the top three (Figure 1).
Developing and emerging economies are playing an increasing role. African countries, and the Latin America and the Caribbean account respectively for about 5% of total publications [authors’ elaboration based on (Scopus, 2025[6])]. South Africa is the top publishing country in Africa, accounting for 17% of the continent’s food‑tech publications, followed by Egypt at 15% (ibid).
International collaboration is significant: about 29% of food-tech articles are co‑authored with an international partner [authors’ elaboration based on (Scopus, 2025[6])], in line with global reported averages of about 24% for all sciences (UNESCO, 2021[7]). These are particularly important for developing and emerging economies. In Egypt, Kenya and Jordan, for example, around 68-74% of publications with a collaborator include a foreign co-author, compared to 38-59% in countries like Italy, Spain, and Brazil [authors’ elaboration based on (Scopus, 2025[6])].
For intermediary cities, strong linkages with national universities and research hubs are critical for accessing wider knowledge networks. For example, in Nakuru, Kenya, researchers at Egerton University collaborate closely with Nairobi-based institutions, which in turn connect the country to global food-tech networks.
Figure 1. International research partnerships are on the rise in food-tech
Copy link to Figure 1. International research partnerships are on the rise in food-techGlobal co-authorship network, food-tech articles, by country 2020-24 (fractional count)
Note: Articles are considered food- and agro‑tech related if they contain “food” or "agriculture” and at least one of: “innovation”, "IoT", "tech", "AI", "artificial intelligence", "internet of things", "smart”, “digital”. Bubble size reflects the total number of published scientific articles (fractional count) related to food‑tech with at least one citation during 2020‑2024 (September). The lines reflect the co‑authorship network. The weight of the lines reflects the amount co-authored by partners based in the two countries. Only the connections representing the 97% of the total network have been included for visual clarity.
Source: Authors’ elaboration based on Scopus (2025[6]). From OECD (forthcoming[8]), Food-tech Ecosystems for Food Security and Sustainability.
Venture capital (VC) investment in food-tech has surged globally, rising nearly twelve-fold in 15 years – from about USD 4 billion in 2010‑2012 to an estimated USD 47 billion during 2022‑2024 [authors’ calculations based on (Crunchbase, 2025[9])]. Despite this rapid growth, food-tech remains an emerging field, representing roughly 6% of global VC investment and 5% of start‑ups. Investments have been driven largely by the growth of e‑commerce globally that popularised online food delivery, a trend that peaked during the COVID‑19 pandemic, and sparked the use of platform models along the entire food value chain. The last few years also witnessed a boom in investments in plant-based proteins and lab-grown food, although relatively slow uptake by consumers has cooled sentiment. The top hub globally remains the United States (42% of all food-tech VC during 2022‑24 and 32% of start-ups), followed by other large start‑up hubs, such as the EU‑27 (14% of VC and 17% of start-ups), India (11% and 9% respectively) and China (11% and 3%). For these hubs, their share in food-tech VC is roughly in line with their share across all sectors, with the exception of India, whose share in food-tech investments doubles its share overall (4%). The sector’s geographic footprint is also widening. Africa accounts for 4% of all food-tech start-ups, compared to its share of 3% in all sectors, while in Latin America and the Caribbean the share is 5%, compared to 4% overall.
Local innovation ecosystems and intermediary cities are key players in the unleashing of food-tech for food security and environmental sustainability
Copy link to Local innovation ecosystems and intermediary cities are key players in the unleashing of food-tech for food security and environmental sustainabilityIntermediary cities – agglomerations, usually of small and medium size, that intermediate within urban systems as well as with rural areas – play an increasingly important role in advancing food‑tech innovation: approximately 31% of the world’s food‑tech start‑ups are located in intermediary cities, compared to 26% for other sectors [authors’ calculations based on (Crunchbase, 2025[9])], highlighting a relative specialisation of local innovation systems in this area. The role of intermediary cities differs across regions, depending on local industrial, urbanisation and institutional dynamics, and the maturity of the innovation and start‑up ecosystems overall. In ecosystems that are still emerging, start-ups tend to concentrate even more in capital cities, where they have easier access to markets, capital and skills. For example, in the European Union, about 29% of start‑ups overall are located in intermediary cities, with the share rising to 33% for food‑tech, the highest in the world. By contrast, in Africa, 12% of start-ups related to food-tech are located in intermediary cities compared to 7% across all sectors (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Intermediary cities account for 31% of the world’s food-tech start-ups
Copy link to Figure 2. Intermediary cities account for 31% of the world’s food-tech start-upsFood-tech start-up distribution by city size, 2024
Note: Intermediary cities are defined as urban agglomerations with less than 1 million inhabitants (3 million in China and India).
Source: Authors’ elaboration based on Crunchase (2025[9]), https://www.crunchbase.com. From OECD (forthcoming[8]), Food-tech Ecosystems for Food Security and Sustainability.
Figure 3. Food-tech makes up 11% of all start-ups in Africa’s intermediary cities, compared to 6% in large ones
Copy link to Figure 3. Food-tech makes up 11% of all start-ups in Africa’s intermediary cities, compared to 6% in large onesFood-tech start-ups as a share of total, by intermediary or large cities, 2024
Note: LAC: Latin America and the Caribbean. G20 average excludes AUC.
Source: Authors’ elaboration based on Crunchbase (2025[9]), https://www.crunchbase.com. From OECD (forthcoming[8]), Food-tech Ecosystems for Food Security and Sustainability.
Within intermediary cities, food‑tech firms make up around 6% of all start‑ups, compared to 5% in large cities (Figure 3). This difference grows wider in emerging ecosystems. For instance, in Africa about 11% of start‑ups in intermediary cities are related to food‑tech, compared to 6% in large ones. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the corresponding shares are 8% vs 6%. On the one hand, the higher prevalence of agriculture there leads to more opportunities for ventures to arise related to agtech. On the other hand, certain areas of food‑tech offer lower barriers to entry, particularly in downstream activities, such as food delivery, which makes it easier to access in places with fewer innovation resources.
Intermediary cities are piloting innovative solutions to transform agro‑food systems and deliver on the dual goals of climate action and food security. Due to their proximity to agricultural production zones, these cities are well-positioned to deploy food-tech solutions that enhance productivity, sustainability, and supply chain resilience. They act as testing grounds for technological extension services, new production methods, smart logistics, and more efficient distribution channels. Moreover, intermediary cities connect local production ecosystems with national and regional innovation hubs, helping launch successful food‑tech experiments. For example, in the Amazon region of Brazil, cities are drawing on expertise developed in the country’s established innovation hubs to unleash food‑tech potential and harness the bioeconomy; CERTI, a private organisation providing incubation services in Florianopolis, a major start‑up hub, launched a dedicated programme in 2020 to support start-ups in the bioeconomy value chains of the Brazilian Amazon region at early stages. ECOAMA, one of the pre‑incubated businesses based in Igarapé‑miri in Pará, received financial support and technical assistance in 2024 to complete product development and scale up the production of açaí seed feed for fish. Using a byproduct of conventional açaí processing, this innovation increased income for local açaí producers and strengthened fish farming in the Amazon –particularly of native species, such as the Tambaqui. It also helped sustainable agriculture to remain a profitable alternative to monoculture and large-scale industrial farming.
Evidence collected in the context of the Learning from Cities workstream of the G20 Platform on SDG Localisation and Intermediary Cities (PLIC) supported by Italy and Spain reveals three best practices of partnerships unleashing food‑tech in intermediary cities (Box 2):
Platforms that encourage collaboration among stakeholders are particularly potent. In some cases these are more formalised, as for example in the dairy cluster in Villa Maria, Argentina, which was set up in 2009 to connect industry with public bodies at the local and national levels and academic institutions. In other cases, the collaboration is more informal as in the case of As‑Salt, Jordan, where stakeholders engage extensively but in an ad‑hoc manner.
International development co‑operation can accelerate the transformation of local ecosystems by financing innovative start‑up programmes. For example, CIHEAM (the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari) is financing an incubator in Al-Minya, Upper Egypt, to explore ventures in agro‑food, making an important contribution in a place where the start‑up ecosystem is still nascent.
Equity considerations can be powerful levers for new innovations, and not only appendices to programmes, as in the case of the Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development, which diffuses agro-food technologies to local communities in the Amazon.
Box 2. Food-tech pilots in intermediary cities: evidence from Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, Jordan and Kenya
Copy link to Box 2. Food-tech pilots in intermediary cities: evidence from Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, Jordan and KenyaPublic-private partnerships unleashing food‑tech innovations in dairy in Villa María, Argentina
Villa María, an intermediary city of about 96 000 inhabitants in the province of Cordoba, Argentina, has become a dynamic agro‑food hub. Manufacturing accounts for about 30% of the city’s GDP, double the national average, and is concentrated in food and dairy. Villa María produces 24% of the country’s cheese and 10% of the country’s dairy companies. New products have been developed with the support of public‑private partnerships. The creation of a cluster association that brings together the private sector, scientific and educational institutions, and government agencies, has been key for improving quality standardisation, marketing and linkages between dairy farms and industry. It has also worked to increase networks and interaction among stakeholders to facilitate innovation. One example is the country’s first functional cheese, designed to reduce cholesterol and enriched with vitamin E, developed in collaboration with the National Institute of Agricultural Technology and the company Lácteos Capilla del Señor in 2016, with financing by the Interamerican Development Bank.
The Mamirauá Institute combines science and traditional knowledge for sustainable food production in Tefé, Amazonas, Brazil
The Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development has helped the municipality of Tefé, in the Brazilian State of Amazonas, to position itself as a regional hub for innovation and education services in the heart of the Amazon forest. Located 545 kilometres from the State capital and home to roughly 237 000 inhabitants, Tefé connects remote villages and large urban centres, offering a range of essential services (60% of its GDP) such as transport, education, and research. At the heart of its innovation ecosystem is the Mamirauá Institute, founded in 1999 as a non‑profit research institution linked to the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. The Institute offers sustainable agriculture solutions for local communities, building on traditional knowledge and advanced science to increase production and protect forest conservation units. For example, it launched its Pirarucu Fishery Management Programme in 1999 to develop new production and management techniques. For example, new equipment for real‑time fish population monitoring and water treatment systems for post‑harvest processing were developed using both advanced technologies and local knowledge. Among the results: the pirarucu fish population --considered nearly extinct in 1996-- has increased by 620%; and fishery incomes in supported communities are 50% larger than in other areas.
International co-operation has fuelled opportunities for food-tech start-ups in Upper Egypt
CIHEAM Bari (the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari) has been developing sustainable and innovative agriculture in Upper Egypt through dedicated co‑operation programmes, such as the Startup10 initiative, launched in 2023 to support food security and youth employment in Mediterranean and African countries. The programme supports three incubators in Egypt, one of which – the Athar Accelerator – is located in the city of Al-Minya. Incubators benefit from training courses for managers and business coaches, as well as access to a network of Italian companies interested in co-operating with start-ups in partner countries. The programme also creates opportunities for training in Italy young graduates and technicians from local companies on technological applications in agriculture, and the green and blue economy. Each of the incubators selected seven start-ups to benefit from a six‑month coaching programme, and one start-up from each incubator was chosen to participate in a programme working with Italian firms to research and design potential collaborations.
Large firms have stimulated food-tech start-ups in As-Salt, Jordan
As-Salt is the capital of the Balqa Governorate in Jordan, located close to Amman and with a population of around 183 000. It is a historical commercial and cultural centre, designated UNESCO World Heritage in 2021. Its food‑tech scene has emerged by leveraging local agricultural resources, a vibrant food culture and its proximity to Amman. In addition to local academic institutions such as Al-Balqa Applied University, the College of Agriculture Technology and the National Agricultural Research Centre, large firms have been stimulating food‑tech, particularly in digital technologies. For example, since 2015, “BIG by Orange” has launched, with the support of the European Union, eight accelerators and incubators throughout Jordan, in Aqaba, Irbid, As-Salt, Karak, Madaba and Zarqa. These support start-ups at the growth stage with office space, capacity-building, marketing guidance, connection with venture capital and general networking opportunities. The Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan (int@j) also provides support for start-ups through policy advocacy, business development, and training programmes.
International co-operation has fuelled opportunities for food-tech start-ups in Upper Egypt
CIHEAM Bari (the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari) has been developing sustainable and innovative agriculture in Upper Egypt through dedicated co‑operation programmes, such as the Startup10 initiative, launched in 2023 to support food security and youth employment in Mediterranean and African countries. The programme supports three incubators in Egypt, one of which – the Athar Accelerator – is located in the city of Al-Minya. Incubators benefit from training courses for managers and business coaches, as well as access to a network of Italian companies interested in co-operating with start-ups in partner countries. The programme also creates opportunities for training in Italy young graduates and technicians from local companies on technological applications in agriculture, and the green and blue economy. Each of the incubators selected seven start-ups to benefit from a six‑month coaching programme, and one start-up from each incubator was chosen to participate in a programme working with Italian firms to research and design potential collaborations.
Large firms have stimulated food-tech start-ups in As-Salt, Jordan
As-Salt is the capital of the Balqa Governorate in Jordan, located close to Amman and with a population of around 183 000. It is a historical commercial and cultural centre, designated UNESCO World Heritage in 2021. Its food‑tech scene has emerged by leveraging local agricultural resources, a vibrant food culture and its proximity to Amman. In addition to local academic institutions such as Al-Balqa Applied University, the College of Agriculture Technology and the National Agricultural Research Centre, large firms have been stimulating food‑tech, particularly in digital technologies. For example, since 2015, “BIG by Orange” has launched, with the support of the European Union, eight accelerators and incubators throughout Jordan, in Aqaba, Irbid, As-Salt, Karak, Madaba and Zarqa. These support start-ups at the growth stage with office space, capacity-building, marketing guidance, connection with venture capital and general networking opportunities. The Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan (int@j) also provides support for start-ups through policy advocacy, business development, and training programmes.
Egerton University is supporting experimentation in agro-food in Nakuru, Kenya
Egerton University, a public institution with campuses in the cities of Njoro and Nakuru in Kenya, has been a major force behind innovation in the local agro-food scene, already since it set up a department dedicated to research and extension services when it was established in 1987. More recently, it set up the Agro‑science Park in 2011 to promote the transfer of new ideas to market, by conducting capacity building for farmers and students, providing research services to the private sector, and aiming to commercialise new technologies. Since 2008, it has also been hosting the CoELIB incubator, supported by various international and local organisations, including the EU, World Bank, USAID, and African Union. The incubator’s support system encompasses collaborative innovation spaces, technical assistance, consulting in technology, business, and market development, alongside media and advocacy support, and facilities for professional growth. One of the start‑ups incubated there, Plotus Technologies, set up in 2018, designed and successfully developed automated brooding machines for poultry that met local needs.
From OECD (forthcoming[8]), Food-tech Ecosystems for Food Security and Sustainability.
What can development policymakers do?
Copy link to What can development policymakers do?Transforming agro‑food systems to deliver food security and environmental sustainability in developing countries – while unlocking industrialisation, innovation and sustainable urbanisation– requires stronger national and local policies, improved multi‑level governance, and greater mobilisation of resources and capacities – with particular focus on non-capital and intermediary cities. It also demands a step change in international development policy, guided by place‑based, localised approaches. Key priorities include:
Promoting open science and technology transfer. Open, collaborative research and knowledge sharing are key to adapting food‑tech to local contexts. Policies should strengthen the participation of intermediary cities in global research networks and encourage city‑to‑city partnerships that foster practical experimentation and locally relevant innovation.
Enhancing spaces for peer learning on policy and governance pilots. In fostering food‑tech, intermediary cities need to bridge agriculture, food, innovation and environmental agendas among others. Experimenting with new tools and governance mechanisms to foster partnerships across stakeholders, and ensure inclusivity of perspectives and needs, will be important. While every place is unique, supporting peer learning on new pilots can help diffuse emerging best practices, and support the design, implementation and monitoring of initiatives at all levels.
Closing infrastructure gaps. Deep digital divides persist between and within countries. Investing in robust digital and physical infrastructure, especially in underserved areas, is vital to support food‑tech deployment, connect rural producers, and foster local industrial and innovation ecosystems. This investment should be accompanied by appropriate safeguards in terms of data privacy and security, linked to relevant national and international frameworks.
Strengthening quality infrastructure systems. Robust metrology, standards, testing and certification systems are crucial to ensure food‑tech solutions are safe, effective and scalable. International co-operation should prioritise aligning and upgrading quality infrastructure, with targeted support to ensure intermediary cities have access to modern measurement and testing services. The OECD Seed Schemes, for example, have launched an initiative to strengthen participation of African countries, and raise the capacity of farmers in the continent to access quality seeds (Box 3).
Building local government capacity. Targeted capacity building will empower local authorities to design, implement, co-ordinate and update food‑tech initiatives, and to effectively link local action to national strategies and international collaboration. The urgent need to build local capacities to attract, manage, and optimise funding is a key priority for international co-operation going forward, reflected in the Sevilla Commitment.
Box 3. The OECD Seed Schemes supports food security and agricultural productivity in Africa
Copy link to Box 3. The OECD Seed Schemes supports food security and agricultural productivity in AfricaBetter food systems start with better seeds. Since the 1960s, the OECD Seed Schemes have been certifying the varietal identity and purity of seed lots destined for international trade, ultimately ensuring farmers can trust the seed they are buying. Sound seed certification improves domestic production, helps develop export markets, potentially reduce fraud and provides farmers, plant breeders and authorities with reassurance on seed quality. Sixty-four countries participate in the OECD Seed Schemes, which have been adopted into national legislation in countries worldwide.
In 2024, G7 agriculture ministers have launched a new plan to enhance Africa’s participation in the OECD Seed Certification Scheme, as part of wider efforts to strengthen agricultural activity and its contribution to economic development. This new G7-OECD Joint Initiative: Strengthening seed certification in Africa, primarily funded by the Italian government, holds the promise of making a substantial impact on African agriculture, by providing farmers with affordable and accessible seeds capable of responding to changing growing conditions and other unpredictable situations, boosting yields and income for farmers, and ultimately enhancing food security and agricultural productivity across the Continent.
The G7‑OECD initiative will expand uptake of the seed certification scheme to up to 8 African countries over a five-year period. Capacity-building activities will improve countries’ ability to:
Meet global OECD Seed Schemes standards.
Facilitate access to quality seeds to farmers, including smallholder farmers.
Improve farmers’ and smallholder farmers’ livelihoods.
Facilitate trade and access to new markets.
Build an inclusive seed system to achieve national food security and sustainability goals, including resilience to changing growing conditions.
The technical implementation of the project is undertaken in consultation with the Advisory Board of the Initiative, which consists of representatives of G7 countries, African Union institutions (AU Commission and AUDA-NEPAD), the African Seed Trade Association and the International Seed Federation ensuring public and private partnership and the alignment with strategic priorities of the African continent.
Source: OECD Seed Schemes.
Further information
Copy link to Further informationFAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO (2023), The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023, https://doi.org/10.4060/cc3017en.
G20 Task Force Two: Food Security
OECD (2025), “Thailand is promoting food-tech through public-private initiatives”, Start-up Asia: Chasing the Innovation Frontier, Development Centre Studies, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/a9b71040-en.
OECD (2023), “Innovative agro-food industries in the EU Outermost Regions”, OECD Development Policy Papers, No. 49, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/0d615c8d-en.
OECD/UN (2018), “Transforming industries: Perspectives on solar energy, mining and agro-food in Chile”, Production Transformation Policy Review of Chile: Reaping the Benefits of New Frontiers, OECD Development Pathways, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264288379-en.
OECD/UNCTAD/ECLAC (2020), “Transforming industries: Focus on agro-food in the Dominican Republic”, Production Transformation Policy Review of the Dominican Republic: Preserving Growth, Achieving Resilience, OECD Development Pathways, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/1201cfea-en.
OECD et al. (2024), “Transformer les industries : perspectives de l’agroalimentaire et de la logistique portuaire au Togo”, Examen des politiques de transformation économique du Togo : Pour une prospérité partagée, Les voies de développement, Éditions OCDE, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/2c837a76-fr.
OECD et al. (2021), “Transforming industries: Perspectives from agro-food and electronics and electrical in Egypt”, Production Transformation Policy Review of Egypt: Embracing Change, Achieving Prosperity, OECD Development Pathways, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/302fec4b-en.
UN (2025), Outcome document of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (Sevilla Commitment or Compromiso de Sevilla).
UN (2023), Six Transitions: Investment Pathways to Deliver the SDGs.
References
[9] Crunchbase (2025), “Database”, https://www.crunchbase.com/.
[1] FAO (2025), “FAOstat”, https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/FS.
[8] OECD (forthcoming), Food-tech ecosystems for food security and sustainability.
[4] Rezaei, E. et al. (2023), “Climate change impacts on crop yields”, Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, Vol. 4/12, pp. 831-846, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-023-00491-0.
[6] Scopus (2025), “Scopus search”, https://www.elsevier.com/products/scopus/search.
[2] SSA (2025), “Food Security in South Africa in 2019, 2022 and 2023: Evidence from the General Household Survey”, Statistics South Africa, https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/03-10-28/03-10-28.pdf.
[3] UN DESA (2024), “World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition”, United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, https://population.un.org/wpp/.
[7] UNESCO (2021), UNESCO Science Report: the Race Against Time for Smarter Development, UNESCO Publishing: Paris.
[5] World Bank (2025), “World Bank Indicators”, https://data.worldbank.org/.
Contact
This note has been drafted by the OECD and UN-Habitat as part of the implementation of the 2025 G20 PLIC Programme of Work under the South African G20 Presidency. Contact: DEV.G20-DWGPLIC@oecd.org