System analysis and the world food system

The current world agricultural system generates persistent hunger, economic instability, and ecological degradation. Quantitative analysis has been used primarily to predict or optimize small parts of this system, not to engage with its larger problems, and not to redesign the system to eliminate those problems. New questions are posed here about world agriculture; several systems studies are described that begin to deal with those questions; and a challenge is put forth to combine systems tools with transcendent human qualities, to bring forth a stable, sufficient, sustainable global food system.