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January 24, 2019 — From here 2050, five million people a year could die due to factors related to the industrial production of food, double the current number of people killed by the US. obesity. According to a report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, it will be presented today at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. The current food system has promoted a rapidly growing population and urbanization, but it is neither sustainable nor healthy. The adverse impacts of pesticides, air and water pollution require a circular economy approach to the food system, the report notes.
The theme of this year's forum in Davos is Globalization 4.0: Developing a Global Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In short, how can we ensure that globalization benefits everyone and not just a few? Until Friday, delegates in Davos will discuss some of the most serious risks for the global economy in 2019, and food systems and sustainability are top priorities.
The foundation's report highlights the enormous environmental damage caused by food production. Synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and poorly managed manure exacerbate air pollution and contaminate soils and water. Food production is also responsible for nearly a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, there is a lack of knowledge, albeit growing, about the impact of the current food system on the environment and health, said Clementine Schouteden, project leader and lead author of the report. Food IngredientsFirst.
According to the report, in the current linear food system, for every dollar spent on food, society pays $ 2 in health care, the environment, and economic costs. Half of these costs – totaling US $ 5,700 billion a year worldwide – are due to the way food is produced.
The circular economy approach to food is based on three main pillars:
- Food source grown regeneratively and locally, where appropriate.
- Make the most of food by avoiding waste by creating something new when waste is inevitable.
- Harness the power of culinary designers – chefs, foodservice companies, and restaurants – to offer customers the best, healthiest, and best-produced options.
Design and marketing of healthier food products
Click to enlarge
In a circular economy, food products must be designed to be healthy. This is not only from a nutritional point of view, but also in the way they are produced.
In a circular economy, food products must be designed to be healthy. This is not only from a nutritional point of view, but also in the way they are produced.
The establishment of a circular economy of food will involve the activation of the food industry, these organizations shaping preferences and eating habits for decades. An example could be the innovation of vegetable proteins as an alternative to meat and dairy products, and the marketing of environmentally friendly diets, Schouteden points out. Food IngredientsFirst while attending the Davos event.
The report comes shortly after the publication of the EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health, which featured a recommended food plan for environmental health last week.
Researchers recommend a diet of about 35% of calories in the form of whole grains and tubers, sources of protein derived mainly from plants, but including about 14 g of red meat per day, and 500 g per day of fruits and vegetables.
The adoption of this new diet will require a drastic reduction of about 50% of global food consumption such as red meat and sugar, while the consumption of nuts, fruits, vegetables and legumes must double.
The report also comes at the same time that the Canadian government has updated its official Food Guide, which recommends a diet rich in plants with less animal-based food.
Mr. Gunhild Stordalen, founder and executive chairman of EAT, said the approach of the circular economy would be an essential part of the future health of humanity and the environment. "We can not create a healthy planet and population without a fundamental transformation of our entire food system."
Schouteden notes that at the Davos Forum, the publication of the EAT Lancet was widely praised as part of a larger campaign aimed at changing the food system.
"There is a momentum here of working together to make a difference, which will benefit the entire landscape of food initiatives."
This includes food companies, she explains: "There are always early adopters and companies that are more willing to change. I've talked to some of these companies and they have recognized the pressure of consumers, and of course, the consumer is the key. Now they understand, it will take change. It's ubiquitous. We should expect a strong reaction from the industry to our report. "
Food and beverage companies are becoming increasingly aware of sustainability issues. The Dutch multinational DSM, also in Davos, shared with Food IngredientsFirst One of the key themes of the forum is how the industry increases the overall efficiency of the food chain.
At the end of last year, the global debate on food changes was in the spotlight when some of the world's largest science academies said the global food system was "broken," saying it was failing and that it was absolutely necessary to turn around to avoid catastrophic climate change. A detailed report from the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) calls for a total transformation of how systems work as agriculture and that consumer choices are the main factors behind the 'change' disastrous climate ".
Key themes include the type of food produced and how to mitigate impacts through "climate-smart" food systems, as well as dietary changes, such as meat reduction.
Click to enlargeRegenerative food production is considered, in the broad sense, to encompbad all production techniques that improve the overall health of the local ecosystem.
Regenerative growth
Food should be grown locally and regeneratively. In the report, regenerative food production is considered broadly to encompbad all production techniques that improve the overall health of the local ecosystem.
Cities will prove to be the key to this food revolution. By 2050, they will consume 80% of the food, which will give them the power to switch to this healthy system. Cities themselves can unlock $ 700 billion a year by using organic materials to produce new foods and products and by reducing edible food waste, the report notes.
"What we also discovered is that 40% of the cultivated land is located within 20 km of the cities. This means that for most of us, we should be able to feed ourselves with local foods, but that is far from the case, "says Schouteden. .
"Local sourcing is not a miracle solution. Many people are aware of the problem of kilometers traveled by food and greenhouse gases, but these are not the main problems with regard to the environmental impact of food. Agriculture is more damaging – you might have something farther away, but its impact is less just because its farming technique can be more respectful. "
Schouteden explains that organic food culture would be better compared to conventional agriculture, but the real answer is that solutions need to go further and that society needs to be more ambitious in the way it cultivates. food.
"We have to protect the soil, the water and the air when we produce food. Part of the organic food production is already doing this, but in some areas organic production has not arrived yet, "she says.
"There is a big question about whether there is a limit to the amount of food that can be produced biologically or regeneratively. Innovation has a huge role to play in helping us produce food with similar yields, but in a better way, "she adds.
The examples mentioned in the report include agroecology, rotational grazing, agroforestry and conservation agriculture.
"Getting the best out of food"
Although the issue of plastic waste has been in the news, capturing the imagination of consumers and sparking many changes, food waste is also a colossal problem that must be solved. Schouteden predicts that this should become the next "integrated" problem to involve consumers.
The elimination of waste and improved health through the circular model could represent a value of 2.7 trillion US dollars per year for the global economy, the report says.
To achieve this goal, some of the report's main partners are waste management companies, such as Suez and Veolia.
Click to enlarge
The elimination of waste and improved health through the circular model could represent a value of 2.7 trillion US dollars per year for the global economy, the report says.
"In the food circular system, food and organic waste is part of the system. What happens to post-consumer organic waste? It's important, "she says.
"So we have to include companies, such as Veolia and Suez, which are waste management companies in the design. They help with the infrastructure. Waste becomes the beginning of something else in our model. As far as organic waste is concerned, a large part can be reused in the food chain and it is important to include all the actors in this field, "she explains.
When food ends up falling, cities can ensure that unavoidable by-products are used to their fullest value, turning them into new products ranging from organic fertilizers to biomaterials, medicines and bioenergy.
Next steps
The second phase of this initiative, to be launched in June, focuses on three cities around the world.
"We are going to transform three cities of the world: one in Europe, one in North America and one in Latin America. We will work with local authorities, businesses and policy makers to take concrete steps to create a circular model of food. In three years we hope to have achieved something transformative and important, "said Schouteden.
"The way we produce food today is not only extremely useless and damaging to the environment; this causes serious health problems. This can not continue in the long run. We urgently need to rethink the system. Around the world, people need nutritious, cultured, produced and delivered foods in a manner that benefits their health, the environment and the economy, "he said. Ellen MacArthur, founder of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Cities are essential to this food revolution. By 2050, they will consume 80% of the food, which will give them the power to switch to this healthy system. The food industry needs to engage in this process to ensure its success, but it seems that, given the developments in Davos this year, the industry can be prepared and ready for change.
By Laxmi Haigh
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