A better understanding of the real costs and benefits of food, integrating positive and negative environmental, social and nutritional externalities into the decision-making and evaluation processes of companies, institutions and consumers, will be the theme of the side event organised by CIHEAM Bari and the Santa Chiara Lab – University of Siena in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). This event will take place within the framework of the UN Food Systems Summit +4 (UNFSS+4). The summit, which represents the second progress review following the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit, will be held from 27 to 29 July 2025 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and is co-organised by the governments of Ethiopia and Italy. The panel, entitled “Measuring what matters: true value of food for the transformation of the Italian Agrifood sector”, will feature Angelo Riccaboni, president of the Santa Chiara Lab at the University of Siena, and Biagio Di Terlizzi, Director of CIHEAM Bari (International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies). The project brings together a diverse coalition of partners, including Save The Children, UNIDO and private sector leaders such as Illy, Ferrero and Lavazza. Almost four years on from the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), the UNFSS+4 summit will provide a platform to reflect on progress made, strengthen collaboration, and mobilise financial resources and investments to accelerate the transformation of agri-food systems.