To bring our interconnected food and climate systems within a ‘safe operating space’ for people and the planet, the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change has outlined seven major areas for policy action. Over the past year, I have worked with my colleagues on the Commission to harvest the practical solutions detailed in the many recent authoritative reports on food security and climate change. By combining this thorough review of the substantive evidence base with the diverse perspectives and disciplinary expertise of the 13 Commissioners, we have crafted a succinct roadmap for policy makers. We offer no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solutions, but rather point the way forward to foster national, regional and sectoral innovation that can aggregate up to meaningful global change.