In this opening keynote, Patrick Holden will explore why improving health must begin with the food system itself. He will discuss the links between soil health, farming practices, food quality and human wellbeing, and why a shift towards real, sustainably produced food is essential for tackling chronic disease. Setting the wider context for the day, the session will reconnect healthcare with the origins of the food we eat and the systems that produce it—offering a food-system perspective that complements later discussions on how food can be transformed within healthcare settings.