In recent months, we've seen just how a conflict in one region can evolve into food challenges elsewhere. Fertilizer price volatility is shaping what farmers can grow and what consumers ultimately pay at the supermarket.  Hunger, nutrition, and food access are continually shaped by a web of interconnected forces – from policy to infrastructure and economics. And rarely does one of these shift in isolation. 

Rather, all of these forces converge across what we call a food system that can be local, regional or global. Understanding where a system is strong, where it is strained, and where targeted investments and policy are critical to driving positive change.

That's why I'm so committed to work we're doing at the Global Food Institute alongside communities to build that understanding of food systems from the ground up. In collaboration with systems science experts across GW, we're mapping the relationships and dynamics that shape access to healthy food – bridging data with lived experience to identify practical, high-impact opportunities for action.

This community-driven approach is already informing efforts with our partners to expand healthy food access in places like Indianapolis, the Mississippi Delta, Haiti, and here in Washington, DC. And through a new Systems Sciences Summer Institute offered by our colleagues at the GW Institute for Socioeconomic Opportunity, GW is providing a formal training pathway for professionals seeking skills to improve complex systems through policy.

Finally, our newest brief offers a window into this work, showing how we're helping communities turn complexity into clarity, and insight into action. I encourage you to take a look.

Stacy Dean
Carbonell Family Executive Director
Global Food Institute

GFI and the Aspen Institute’s Food & Society Program are partnering on the Conversation on Food Justice webinar series, bringing together experts across the food system for critical conversations on pressing food issues. 

We kicked off this year with a two-part conversation on SNAP purchase restrictions unfolding across the country. Check out the recording from the first session, which examined the policy debate and evidence behind these restrictions. Then join us on May 27 for the second session, which shifts from policy to practice to explore the on-the-ground impact on retailers and communities.

What can a Lakota chef in Minneapolis teach us about the future of the American food system? A lot – especially when paired with sharp reporting on food policy and politics.

At the kickoff of the GW Planet Forward Summit, a live taping of the Food & Environment Reporting Network’s "Forked" podcast, hosted by editor-in-chief Theodore Ross, explored the state of food in America today. Leah Douglas and James Beard Award-winning chef Sean Sherman (“The Sioux Chef”) discussed the realities facing restaurants and communities in Minneapolis, alongside broader debates over glyphosate, regenerative agriculture, and food policy.

From food systems to climate, many of today’s sustainability solutions are increasingly local. GFI Affiliate Faculty Samuel Ledermann recently published How to Achieve Sustainable Development: Local Actions for Global Change. Drawing on scientific research, real-world case studies, and perspectives from both the Global North and Global South, the book highlights practical pathways for addressing sustainability challenges – including sustainable food systems – through local action with global impact.

Sustainability Storytelling. On May 7, join the GW Alliance for a Sustainable Future for an afternoon event exploring how sustainability narratives shape trust, brand value, and business outcomes. Author Mike Hower shares real-world examples of effective sustainability storytelling.

Senior Hunger Conference 2026. On May 15, join the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, D.C. for a convening focused on strengthening collaboration among leaders, front-line providers, community members, and organizations working to reduce senior hunger in the District. 

Bread for the World Advocacy Summit. From June 9-10, deepen your understanding of the policies shaping food security and build practical advocacy skills. On day two, participants head to Capitol Hill to meet directly with members of Congress and staff to advocate for legislation addressing the root causes of hunger.

Grocery Retail for All Summit. On June 18 in Chicago, the Food Systems for the Future Institute, alongside GFI and partners, will convene leaders from grocery, food, health, investment, and policy sectors for a cross-sector summit focused on solutions. The event will spotlight store models, financing tools, and public policies that keep stores open and shelves stocked, and scale approaches to ensure affordable, nutritious food for all. Space is limited – register by June 1.

Choosing Between Rent and Food. A new video from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities explains how 2.5 million people lost access to SNAP in just five months and how H.R. 1 could further restrict food assistance for low-income communities across the U.S. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

From Ideas to Reality. The Blue Ridge Labs Founder Fellowship supports early-stage founders working on social-impact ventures, including food security and economic mobility. Fellows build ventures that address hunger and strengthen local opportunity. Apply by May 3. Blue Ridge Labs’ Founder Fellowship

Ripple effects. The economic fallout from the war in Iran is driving up fuel and fertilizer costs, threatening food security across Africa and beyond. The disruptions highlight how geopolitical conflict can quickly destabilize global food systems. The New York Times

Cutting Through the Noise. There is growing evidence that ultra-processed foods can harm health, yet for most families - especially those with fewer resources - opting out isn’t possible. Experts, including GFI’s Priya Fielding-Singh, weigh in on the debate. The Guardian 

The Future of Meat. Alternative proteins are becoming a geopolitical priority, with China investing heavily in plant-based and cultivated meat to strengthen food security and global influence. At the same time, the U.S. risks losing early leadership despite its early innovation in the sector. Foreign Policy

Food, art, and systems change. The Food Lab Fellowship at the Jan van Eyck Academie invites artists and designers to explore global food systems, ecology, and culture through a year-long international residency focused on regenerative approaches. Apply by June 4. The Jan van Eyck Academie

Netflix’s This Is a Gardening Show, hosted by actor and comedian Zach Galifianakis, blends humor with curiosity about how food is grown. Across visits to small farms, Galifianakis learns about plants, talks with experts and children, and explores what it takes to grow food sustainably at home.

We want to lift up your work and share information about events, opportunities to collaborate or whatever you think is important to share. Email us at globalfoodinstitute@gwu.edu. 

Do you know someone who would be interested in this newsletter? Forward to a friend!