As COP31 turns to finance and trade, one lever often gets overlooked: how governments spend their own money. Public buyers buy food at scale for schools, hospitals and canteens. Their choices shape which supply chains grow.

TRANSPATH is advancing the understanding of how public policies can accelerate the transition towards food systems that are both environmentally sustainable and socially resilient. Building on findings from the project’s Czech case study and broader research across TRANSPATH, the project’s Policy Review explores how governance can support transformative change by strengthening sustainable public procurement and promoting the decentralisation of food supply chains, two initiatives with strong potential to benefit both climate and biodiversity.

The analysis integrates stakeholder insights, expert interviews and a review of national and European policy frameworks to assess how existing policies enable the transition towards more sustainable supply chains. The findings point to important policy developments in Czechia, including new legislation and the country’s first National Public Procurement Strategy, which lay the foundation for integrating environmental and social considerations into public purchasing. As public procurement represents a substantial share of national spending, these measures have the potential to influence markets, strengthen demand for sustainably produced food and support more resilient local economies.

At the same time, the report identifies significant barriers that continue to limit this transition. Small farms and local food producers face considerable administrative, financial and regulatory burdens, while public procurement processes often prioritise price over broader environmental and social value. The analysis also points to policy gaps, including the lack of a clear definition of concepts such as “local” and “short supply chains”, as well as insufficient support mechanisms that would enable small producers to compete more effectively for public contracts.

By comparing Czechia’s policy landscape with examples from across Europe, the report demonstrates that coherent policy mixes, rather than isolated measures, are essential for accelerating food system transformation. Strengthening sustainable public procurement, improving support for local producers and creating more enabling governance frameworks can help decentralise food systems, enhance biodiversity, reduce climate impacts and build greater resilience across sectors and communities. Future editions of the review will assess policies that mobilise the financial sector, strengthen human–nature connecttion and support the transformative pathways being developed across TRANSPATH.

Download the Policy Review (Deliverable D1.5) from the TRANSPATH Library.