The EU Food System Monitoring Dashboard, developedby the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), is a vital tool for assessing the sustainability of food production, processing, distribution, and consumption across environmental, social, and economic dimensions. This dashboard supports the EU’s Green Deal and sustainable development goals by providing a holistic understanding of the food supply chain and its impacts on health, society, and the planet.

The dashboard evaluates sustainability using 44 headline indicators sourced from public data and scientific research, addressing key areas such as climate impacts, pollution, biodiversity, economic viability, food environments, nutrition, and health outcomes. It highlights the interconnectedness of healthy ecosystems, societies, and individuals, offering a comprehensive view of the food system’s performance.

A conceptual framework underpins the dashboard, organising indicators into thematic areas that reflect the entire food chain, from pre-production to waste disposal. While it provides a robust tool for analysis, significant data gaps exist, particularly in food processing, distribution, and consumption.

Designed to evolve with scientific, technical, and policy advancements, the dashboard also identifies priorities for further research and development. By addressing these challenges, the tool helps researchers, stakeholders, and policymakers track progress and guide actions toward a more sustainable EU food system.

Source: https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu