Many decisions about our food system are being made based on data and computer models, including how we should respond to climate change, what subsidies governments should provide, and what changes supermarkets should make. But how do we know if these numbers and models are reliable? When should we trust them, and when should we be asking more questions?

Transparency is often suggested as a solution, but what would that actually look like in practice? Can we imagine a world where researchers, policymakers, and practitioners share their data and models openly — combining their insights to create something more powerful than any one group could achieve alone?