Future of Food 2017

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Future of Food

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Average age: 55 years Average wage: Less than $2 a day How cocoa farmers are dying out SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

and meeting heightened production pressures of climate change P2

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How aquaculture can help meet the population’s demand for animal protein P4-5

Agri-innovation crucial in ensuring everyone has enough to eat

The UNITED NATIONS Mitigating climatecaused human migration

P6

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Sustainable agriculture and climate nexus Climate change is a threat to humankind and could be devastating. Nature will not wait for us; it has its own clock and it will not stop to think about the need to feed the world’s growing population or the challenges of migration.

T

here is one immediate solution to sustainably deal with these global challenges - sustainable agriculture. It can address climate change, poverty, hunger and a byproduct of the previous three: migration.

We have to provide long-lasting options to help farmers, livestock keepers and fishers adapt to climate change; they are the hardest hit.

We need to look to youth and people in rural areas; they are the ones leaving their homelands. Exacerbating conflict is fueling migration at an unprecedented rate but people are also driven out by hunger, poverty, and an increase in extreme weather events linked to climate change.

An FAO analysis of countries’ climate commitments, shows that countries see agriculture as key to their climate change response.

FAO’s support expands from introducing climate-smart agricultural practices to protecting biodiversity, and making agriculture an attractive employment option.

From earth observation satFollow us

ellites to mobile technology to drones, FAO is embracing technology to capture vast quantities of new information on agriculture and natural resources, from dietary nutrition to forest, pest control to water management, plant health to climate change.

Unless we invest more in sustainable agriculture, climate change will hamper our progress towards ending hunger - a global goal adopted by 193 member states of the United Nations in 2015.

But ending hunger is not just a matter of having enough food for everyone; for the future of our planet and humanity, it is equally important how food is produced and how we use our natural resources in doing so.

For example, to halt deforestation – one of the Sustainable Development Goals - we need to make better use of wood for fire, which is still the main energy source in several developing countries, reaching two million cubic meters of wood per year.

FAO is applying all of its areas of expertise to pursue new models of sustainable, inclusive agriculture and natural resource man

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“Unless we invest more in sustainable agriculture, climate change will hamper our progress towards ending hunger”

complex migration issue can only become more challenging.

Economies evolve and the movement of people in search of better employment opportunities – within and across countries - is inevitable. But people should have the choice to migrate or not.

FAO is working to make agriculture an attractive employment option, and help create new jobs.

Investing in sustainable agriculture and rural development is a crucial part of any plan to tackle the migration challenge.

Governments, international organizations, regional agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector and research institutions need to look to sustainable agriculture to create an enabling environment and address major global challenges such as climate change and migration at the same time.

agement that promote food security and a sustainable food system hand in hand with climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Unless we invest more in sustainable agriculture, an already

This year, the theme for World Food Day, which is celebrated annually on 16 October will focus on the link between migration, food security, sustainable agriculture and rural development.

Rene Castro Salazar Assistant Director-General, Climate, Biodiversity, Land and Water Department, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

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COMMERCIAL FEATURE

More toxins in a single cup of coffee – AICC

By Steve Hemsley

The Association of Independent Crop Consultants Chairman, Sean Sparling, says proposed EU regulatory changes to agrochemicals will damage British farming and must be amended to avoid rising prices.

The Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) is encouraging all involved in UK agriculture, including consumers, to fight against a proposed ban on vital plant protection products (PPP).

The ban could damage the future of crop production and see food prices increase as a result.

The EU wants to restrict the use of numerous PPPs by 2020. PPPs that activists claim are harmful to human health, bees and the environment.

However, the AICC, which represents the largest group

of independent crop consultants in Europe, insists that the decision to move from a risk-based regulatory system of agrochemicals (the risk being that of exposure) to a hazard-based scheme is unworkable and flawed.

“Everything in life is hazardous, but it’s the dose that makes the toxin. Eight paracetamol a day is safe; 500 paracetamol a day would kill you - but we wouldn’t ban paracetamol” says Sparling.

“The rates of PPPs that we use in the field pose no risk to consumers and are totally safe to us over a lifetime. There are more toxins in a cup of coffee than in the traces of pesticide residue from all the food we eat in an entire year!”

Yields down He adds: “If these regulatory changes happen, weeds and diseases will become uncontrollable.

Crop yields could fall by up to 60

vent ill effects on bee populations.

However, in crops that do not attract bees, such as wheat, barley and sugar beet, the AICC and industry partners want the proposed blanket ban to be withdrawn.

Supporting farmers Sean Sparling AICC Chairman

per cent, overseas imports would increase and that imported food would have been treated with the very chemicals we have lost.”

“Without vital PPPs, our industry will be in serious trouble,” says Sparling. “We fully support the removal of outdated, unsafe products and that has always been the case”.

The UK abides by the EU moratorium on neonicotinoid seed treatments, an initiation to pre-

Sparling says this is not about money. “As Independent consultants we only sell advice,” he says. “This is about protecting UK agriculture from flawed EU legislation that does nothing to further the protection of consumers, the environment, our wildlife and sustainable food production in the future”.

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Underpinning global food fraud and security Harnessing the deciphering powers of analytical technology and the internet-of-everything is increasingly at the core of ensuring secure, safe and assured food supplies.

Fera’s Paul Brereton explains how limiting risk to food safety fraud is taking on new dimensions.

“Fera Science, a joint venture between Capita and Defra, is using the latest technology and big data techniques to help protect global food security.

One of the highest profile UK food frauds – ‘Horsegate’ was a pivotal moment, highlighting how little we know about the food we eat, and a wake-up call to industry to do more to counter fraud and restore consumer trust.

More sophisticated technology and a new, ‘non-targeted ap-

Julian Smith International Partnership, at Fera Science Ltd

Paul Brereton Head of Agri-food Research at Fera Science Ltd

proach’, allows us to help industry keep up with the fraudsters.

Instead of looking for individual ‘contaminants’ that should not be present, we use state of the art techniques to identify the profile of a normal food product and any abnormalities.” This is a more efficient process as we don’t need to know what we are looking for – very useful when trying to second guess the fraudsters’ next move.

We also use technology to anticipate where fraudsters might go

next. Looking at big data trends in trade and prices of food commodities’ unexplained changes can often reveal the fraudsters at work or identify areas they might want to exploit, providing industry with ’red flags’ warning them about high-risk areas where they might target their next audit.”

Julian Smith explains Fera’s global work in food security: “We, in the UK, are fortunate to benefit from the work that Fera delivers. Mostly, ‘bad things’, such as

pest outbreaks, are avoided with UK crops by virtue of this risk and prevention mindset. However, in most African countries, this level of preparedness is missing.

Fera is supporting many African nations to upgrade crop health capacity. Recently, Fera has played centre stage with Kenyan counterparts, deploying its state-of-theart technology and knowhow to identify a new disease of maize – Maize Lethal Necrosis - protecting the maize seed industry.”

Read more on fera.co.uk

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Fishing for future sustainability The world is increasing its consumption of animal protein but landbased initiatives are reaching the limits of sustainable production.

Now, the food system is moving from green to blue, as the future of food is increasingly seen to lie beneath the waves… but can it be sustainable?

By Virginia Blackburn

A

s the world population continues to grow, one of the biggest issues facing the food system is trying to balance the demanded increase in production of animal protein and the stresses that it places on the environment. By 2050, when the population is set to hit nine billion, there will there will be a 70 per cent gap between supply and growing demand and there is simply not enough arable land and water for traditional agriculture to bridge the gap.

Past initiatives to dramatically increase land productivity, such as the

“green revolution”, came with a significant environmental cost. While it did increase crop availability, the mass farming approach led to the increased use of fertilizers and release of greenhouse gases. The solution increasingly lies in aquaculture, which is intrinsically less harmful than land-based protein production, but still needs to reduce its environmental footprint if it is to scale up and help feed the growing planet.

“The big question is straightforward: how are we going to feed ourselves?” says Avrim Lazar, Convener of the Global Salmon Initiative (GSI). GSI is a leadership initiative

Results you can count on To find out more, contact your local MSD sales representative or visit:

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established by CEOs from around the world, including Norway, Chile and Scotland, which aims to provide a healthy and sustainable source of protein to the growing population.

Farmed salmon is one of the most popular seafood choices and, with its high omega 3 content, it offers significant potential in feeding the world with highly nutritious protein. “A rapidly growing salmon farming sector is part of the answer, but if we are to meet our potential we need to continue to further improve our environmental game, at scale and at speed.”

To ensure change at scale and speed, GSI members have been ex-

perimenting with pre-competitive collaboration, which means that rather than competing with one another on environmental matters, they are sharing their expertise, research and breakthroughs in order to accelerate progress and raise the bar for the whole industry, rather than just a few. To ensure progress in the right direction, GSI members have adopted the most stringent of environmental standards, The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), as their reference point for environmental and social performance, and have made it their goal to be 100 per cent certified by 2020. To ensure ac-

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countability, all members are publishing their sustainability performance results annually, via an online sustainability report. With more than half the global industry participating in GSI, the potential for wide scale change in sustainability is enormous.

Recognizing the potential of working pre-competitively, the current focus areas for the members are: ensuring the future sustainability of feed resources and improving disease management. Focuses may change with time as industry priorities shift, but the central mission is core: increasing the eco-efficiency of farming while minimizing any im-

Low in levels of mercury

Avrim Lazar Convener, Global Salmon Initiative

Read more on globalhealthaction.co.uk

SOURCE: GLOBAL SALMON INITIATIVE

pact on ocean ecosystems and ensuring a healthy product.

In addition to the benefits of knowledge sharing, there have been many other positives. Companies taking part have seen an immediate return on their reputational capital, and because the public tends to think of the salmon industry as a whole rather than divided into individual companies, this has boosted the whole industry’s standing. Most importantly, it has induced a certain pride among members in being part of a group that is quite simply doing the right thing, which keeps them engaged and committed to the pro-

The world’s largest producer of salmon

ject. For an industry often located in remote areas, an improved reputation is also appealing to bright young graduates who want to work in ethically attuned industries. “There is a real motivational force in being part of a gang who gets it – and does the right thing,” Avrim says.

Impressive as this shift in thinking is from the salmon industry, it is not enough to address the challenges to our food system. We need more sectors to follow the example of the GSI: setting the bar high and working together to achieve speedy results. Our future and the future of the planet depends on it.

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Global challenges mean food innovation is a must

By Steve Hemsley

Jon Walker Cocoa Supply Chain Manager, Fairtrade Foundation

A sweetener to the cocoa industry

By Virginia Blackburn Cocoa production is experiencing serious issues involving sustainability. The Fairtrade Foundation is coming up with initiatives to help.

About 70 per cent of the world’s cocoa comes from West Africa, including Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana, while 90 per cent of production comes from smallholders.

With production based in such a small area, the industry is far more susceptible to shocks, be they political or environmental, than most. With many farmers earning less than a $2 a day and an average age of 55, cocoa farmers are in danger of dying out. Farmers and Fairtrade are addressing this.

“For every tonne of Fairtrade cocoa beans sold, the farmers’ cooperatives receive $200,” says Jon Walker, Fairtrade’s cocoa supply chain manager. “At current prices that is over 10% of the export price in Cote d’Ivoire. Farmer empowerment is critical to Fairtrade. The $200 per tonne Fairtrade Premium belongs to the farmers and they decide how to meet their sustainability needs.

Typically, this includes investment in productivity on their farm by, for example, accessing fertiliser or investment in nurseries for new cocoa trees. Community investments such as a village school or a well for water can encourage the younger generation to stay in the rural communities rather than moving to the cities.”

In addition to this $200 premium, Fairtrade offers the farmers free training.

“They receive advice on subjects such as good agricultural practice, women’s empowerment, governance and financial management. The joint aim of farmers and Fairtrade are strong and empowered, thriving communities. Shoppers make this happen when they choose Fairtrade.” Jon says.

With a growing global population, we need innovative ideas to ensure everyone has enough to eat, but the impact food production can have on the environment must be carefully managed.

With the world’s population predicted to surge to nine billion by 2050 and increasing environmental challenges, innovation in the food supply chain is vital.

Calum Murray, Head of Agriculture and Food at government agency, Innovate UK, says food production efficiency and food quality must improve.

“Agri-innovation is crucial for reducing greenhouse gases, cutting food waste and enhancing the quality of affordable food

Calum Murray Head of Agriculture and Food, Innovate UK

that is consumed, both domestically and in developing countries,” says Murray.

Innovate UK encourages the adoption of new technologies.

In the UK and overseas new ideas have included low-impact meat alternatives, new sources for livestock feed, the use of ro-

bots to harvest crops and LED lighting to improve yields from salad crops.

Murray wants governments and industries to address water and land shortages and the threat of pests migrating north due to climate change. He was involved in the Government’s Sustainable Agriculture and Food Innovation Platform and says the debate is about sustainability.

“Innovation in production efficiency helps farmers get more from the resources they have, such as labour and nutrients, and they reduce their carbon footprint,” says Murray. “Consumers benefit from innovation because it means we continue to have enough safe and good quality, affordable food.”

World’s food system is ‘broken’ and unsustainable

By Steve Hemsley

As economic and social factors test the food supply chain, it is a challenge to feed everyone around the globe. A clear strategy for food sustainability is a must, say experts.

The international community must come together to ensure the world’s food system is sustainable for future generations.

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) says it is not sustainable to keep using more land, water and energy in food production methods that harm the environment and human health.

“In some countries, there is hunger and in others obesity,” says director general, Shenggen Fan. “The food sys-

Shenggen Fan Director General, the International Food Policy Research Institute

tem is not helping smallholders in poor areas or young people and women in developing countries to find jobs.”

Governments, the private sector and national citizens can improve food sustainability and reduce consumption, he says.

“People in developed and emerging economies are consuming too much animal protein and eating large amounts of staple foods such as wheat and rice,” he says. “Governments must stop subsidising food staples so people are encouraged to eat a balanced diet with more fruit, vegetables and fish.”

Working together IFPRI wants more robust climate, water, energy and food policies and enhanced bio-safety systems to improve food and nutrition security.

“Advancements in areas such as biotechnology can help, with new varieties of crops that make more efficient use of land and use less water and energy, and are climate resilient,” says Fan.

Save the rainforests or feed the growing population?

Through knowledge, innovation, partnership, and responsible use of mineral fertilizers, we can do both.

Together we grow knowledge to improve life.

Learn more about our sustainable solutions at yara.com/globalchallenges

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