Mapping the impact of food system initiatives on advancing Sustainable Development Goals

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Abstract Non-technical summary This study explores how community-led initiatives known as ‘seeds’ are transforming Ghana’s food systems. These 80 diverse projects tackle challenges such as hunger, poor nutrition, climate change, and poverty. From promoting sustainable farming and fisheries to creating healthier diets and supporting local economies, the seeds show how local innovation can help achieve global goals, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By highlighting these grassroots efforts, the study shows that local actors play a crucial role in building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems, and can inspire broader change by addressing real-world problems in creative and impactful ways. Technical summary Food system transformation is essential for achieving the 2030 Agenda, yet top-down policies often overlook the localized, emergent innovations occurring at the community level. This study investigates the potential of ‘seeds’ – locally embedded, small-scale, community-led initiatives – to catalyse transformative shifts towards sustainable and equitable food systems in Ghana. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected on 80 food system seeds via online searches, snowball sampling, and community engagement across 11 key study sites. We used a hybrid inductive–deductive coding framework to assign primary and related SDGs to each seed, with four researchers coding after a calibration process to ensure reliability. The seeds contributed to 15 of the 17 SDGs, with a predominant focus on SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 1 (No Poverty). Analysis indicates that these initiatives move beyond simple project-based interventions by addressing the food–water–energy nexus through decentralized, community-driven pathways. While social and ecological dimensions are frequently prioritized, results highlight significant synergies across goals, demonstrating the capacity of localized seeds to address complex, interconnected food system challenges. This study offers a methodological template to assess the transformative potential of food system seeds, linking grassroots innovation with global sustainability goals. Social media summary A study documenting how local innovations are transforming Ghana’s food systems and helping to achieve SDGs.

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