Food systems involve complex challenges, which call for a systemic, multi-level and multi-stakeholder participatory approach for addressing interrelated issues across economic, social and environmental dimensions: the so-called food systems approach.

Therefore, multi-stakeholder collaboration needs to be an essential pillar of the food systems approach and the transition to sustainable food systems. Against this background, UNEP, FAO and UNDP jointly created this guide to consolidate learnings and tools gathered from within and beyond the three agencies to contribute to the growing canon of knowledge on how to improve multi-stakeholder collaboration for sustainable food systems transformation. The aim of the guide is to support those interested or engaged in convening, implementing, facilitating or supporting a multi-stakeholder initiative that contributes to the sustainable transformation of food systems, at different levels.