Global food systems have complex, diverse and coupled multisectoral dynamics that present challenges for progressive interdisciplinary research. We propose a framework for inclusive, flexible and iterative integration across disciplines to support the entire research process.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Relevant articles
Open Access articles citing this article.
-
A typology of interdisciplinary collaborations: insights from agri-food transformation research
Sustainability Science Open Access 20 June 2025
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$32.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 digital issues and online access to articles
$119.00 per year
only $9.92 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to the full article PDF.
USD 39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References
National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine Facilitating Interdisciplinary Research (National Academies Press, 2005).
Metzger, N. & Zare, R. N. Science 283, 642–643 (1999).
van Rijnsoever, F. J. & Hessels, L. K. Res. Policy 40, 463–472 (2011).
Howells, M. et al. Nat. Clim. Change 3, 621–626 (2013).
Huppmann, D. et al. Environ. Model. Softw. 112, 143–156 (2019).
Rosegrant, M. W. et al. International Model for Policy Analysis of Agricultural Commodities and Trade (IMPACT): Model Description (IFPRI, 2008).
Viseu, A. Nature 525, 291 (2015).
Brown, R. R., Deletic, A. & Wong, T. H. F. Nature 525, 315–317 (2015).
Hertel, T. W. et al. BioScience 60, 223–231 (2010).
Bailis, R. & Baka, J. Ann. Assoc. Am. Geogr. 101, 827–838 (2011).
Pye, O. J. Peasant Stud. 37, 851–874 (2010).
Dogan, M. Creative Marginality: Innovation at the Intersections of Social Sciences (Routledge, 2019).
Taebi, B., Correljé, A., Cuppen, E., Dignum, M. & Pesch, U. J. Responsible Innov. 1, 118–124 (2014).
Miller, T. R. et al. Ecol. Soc. 13, 46 (2008).
Eggen, M. et al. Environ. Res. Lett. 14, 045005 (2019).
Bakker, C. et al. Agric. Syst. 164, 165–184 (2018).
Sankaranarayanan, S. et al. Front. Sustain. Food Syst. 4, 4 (2020).
Gebreyes, M. et al. Sustainability 12, 2161 (2020).
Alemneh, T., Zaitchik, B. F., Simane, B. & Ambelu, A. Front. Environ. Sci. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2019.00001 (2019).
Bazzana, D., Gilioli, G. & Zaitchik, B. J. Clean. Prod. 275, 122333 (2020).
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by National Science Foundation grant no. 1639214 for INFEWS/T1: Understanding multi-scale resilience options for vulnerable regions.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Peer review information Nature Food thanks Fabrice DeClerck, Andrew Bell and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Grace, K., Siddiqui, S. & Zaitchik, B.F. A framework for interdisciplinary research in food systems. Nat Food 2, 1–3 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-020-00212-6
Published:
Version of record:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-020-00212-6
This article is cited by
-
A typology of interdisciplinary collaborations: insights from agri-food transformation research
Sustainability Science (2025)