World Food Day - Q3 2021

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World Food Day

We make a sacrifice to bring our children to safety using a bucket. ~Nyalong Wal, 36, carries her daughter Nyamal Tuoch, 2, to dry land. © IMAGE PROVIDED BY ACTION AGAINST HUNGER

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Urgent action is needed on fighting hunger ~ Dr Maximo Torero Cullen, Chief Economist, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

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How to build a climate-smart food system to feed a growing world ~ William R. Sutton, Lead Agricultural Economist, The World Bank

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Urgent action is needed on fighting hunger A dramatic transformation of food production techniques is urgently needed if global hunger and undernourishment is to be eradicated for billions of people worldwide.

W INTERVIEW WITH Dr Maximo Torero Cullen Chief Economist, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations WRITTEN BY

Mark Nicholls

ith three billion people worldwide lacking access to healthy diets and an increase last year of 161 million people facing hunger, the global agriculture sector faces huge challenges to deliver better quality food and distribute it more equitably.

Coupled with this is the need for lower use of natural resources, reduced emissions and more efficient use of water, soil and land.

The goal is to achieve “Zero Hunger” and achieve food security for all - defined by the UN as all people at all times “having physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.”

Precision farming Precision agriculture can support better food production and automation can deliver that for smallholders, though he acknowledges such farmers are generally those with less funds to invest.

In the biotechnology versus agrology debate, Dr Torero Cullen believes both have a complementary, rather than conflicting, role to play.

“But with technology, we need the scientific evidence and the regulatory mechanisms in place to protect consumers and help farmers make optimal decisions,” he adds.

Zero hunger Digital technology can collect real-time data, such as to increase resilience against locust plague for farmers, but investment in broadband is essential.

The UN Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030 is looking to be a difficult target. Current modelling suggests there will still be 660 million people undernourished by that date. Interventions include reducing food losses and waste (which also reduce water, soil and emissions), while controls on land usage and investment – of around $40 billion a year - remain essential.

“Achieving zero hunger is not easy to do,” he concludes, “and we believe there can be a difference, but this huge transformation needs to start now.”

With technology, we need the scientific evidence and the regulatory mechanisms in place to protect consumers and help farmers make optimal decisions.

Agri-tech solutions Dr Maximo Torero Cullen, Chief Economist of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization, says the biggest challenges were in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

While improving trade is essential, moving commodities in these regions remained problematic, with low levels of intraregional trade.

Importing food from different continents offers an initial solution but requires port infrastructure and transportation at a time of high shipping costs due to container shortages and reduced freight flights.

He suggests agri-tech has a role via e-commerce and underpinned by a platform, mobile money, connectivity and transportation.

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Meet the farmers growing your food, organically.

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Why a greener food system supports a healthy planet

WRITTEN BY Alex Henriksen Managing Director, Tetra Pak North Europe

Rethinking how we use packaging Turning the food system around requires rethinking how we create and use packaging and processing solutions. We see three key areas where incremental changes would help to decarbonise the food system: food waste; the supply chain, and water usage.

Beyond the farm gate, the biggest contributors to food waste are households, amounting to 70% of all waste.1 Sustainable packaging options with a long shelf life can help to address this problem, giving consumers access to food packages that retain the longevity of food while reducing carbon emissions.

Addressing this need for sustainable food packaging requires innovation pathways driven by renewability and recyclability. These are key to accelerating the shift from high carbon, fossil-based materials to low carbon, renewable ones.

Already today, the high proportion of renewable materials in Tetra Pak cartons, made of on average 70% paperboard, helps our products to achieve a lower carbon footprint2 than many other alternatives, such as glass, plastic or metal packages.

But our ambition is to go even further and create the world’s most sustainable food package – one that is made entirely from renewable or recycled materials, is fully recyclable and carbon neutral.

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Commitment to protecting natural environments These materials must be sourced and processed responsibly if we are to minimise environmental as well as human and societal risk. At Tetra Pak, our participation in The Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC™)3, Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) and Bonsucro schemes ensures our resourcing meets all the criteria for protecting biodiversity and natural environments in a traceable, transparent way.

However, decarbonising the food and packaging supply chain isn’t just about the packaging materials – other routines like transport, retail and waste disposal carry carbon costs too.

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he National Food Strategy,1 an independent review published earlier this year, identified the global food system as the second-biggest contributor to climate change. It accounts for 26% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; food loss and waste constitute a whopping 8% of GHG emissions alone.

Packaging can be part of the solution, keeping food safe, nutritious and fresh for longer – but there is a catch. Packaging itself can have a negative environmental impact, producing waste, expanding landfills and increasing GHG emissions.

by Te tra Pa k

Awareness of the climate crisis has vastly increased in recent years, but how well do we understand the impact of our global food system on phenomena like biodiversity loss, deforestation and drought?

Like many companies, we are committed to reaching net zero GHG emissions in our operations by 2030 and in our value chain by 2050. A key step towards this is lowering energy-related emissions.

Innovations in clean and efficient energy – such as adopting electric vehicles for transporting products, and sourcing 100% renewable energy across operations – can help the whole food supply chain to reduce its carbon footprint.

Additionally, innovations in food processing and filling equipment can reduce water usage at the same time as GHG emissions. This is critical for those industries in high-risk water areas, where wastewater is becoming an increasingly pressing concern.

The clock is now ticking: by 2050, demand for food will be 56% greater than it was in 2010.

Supporting food manufacturers The packaging industry can support food manufacturers to tackle these issues – but doing so relies on constant innovation. In May this year, we launched the Tetra Pak® E3 Speed Hyper filling machine and UHT 2.0 heating portfolio, which together cut water and steam consumption for dairy manufacturers by 70%. Solutions like this are key to addressing environmental concerns while supporting food producers to feed a growing population.

The clock is now ticking: by 2050, demand for food will be 56% greater4 than it was in 2010. Urgent action is required on all sides to address the need for more food at a lesser cost to our planet. Finding solutions faster can be done through better collaboration, which is why we must collectively step-up investment and innovation to turn our food system into one that protects food, people and planet.

References 1. www.nationalfoodstrategy.org 2. https://www.tetrapak.com/content/dam/tetrapak/publicweb/uk/en/ sustainability/2020-lca-tetra-pak-european-market.pdf 3. The FSC license code for Tetra Pak is FSC™ C014047 4. https://www.wri.org/insights/how-sustainably-feed-10-billion-people-205021-charts

Find out more at tetrapak.com/en-gb

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Agricultural risk management: an opportunity to reshape the way risks are managed In 2020, the world woke up to the reality of risk. COVID-19 not only exposed the vulnerability of human health but shattered social and economic stability.

WRITTEN BY Massimo Giovanola Lead Technical Specialist, Platform for Agricultural Risk Management (PARM) WRITTEN BY Carlos Enrique Arce Hazel Bedford Karima Cherif

Investing in agricultural risk management Building resilience in the agricultural sector is becoming increasingly urgent. We have the chance now to take the greatest risk of our time and turn it into an opportunity to reshape the way risks are managed.

A holistic approach to agricultural risk management must be integrated into agri-food systems to assess the multitude of risks and their interrelations, and to identify and design risk management tools tailored to each context.

This is the approach adopted by the Platform for Agricultural Risk Management (PARM) and INSURED, which are special programmes hosted by IFAD, the UN organisation mandated to eradicate rural poverty.

© Ac C a os rlos ta T / P om AR as M Lo , I F ra AD

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e have witnessed increased incidences of chronic food insecurity, food price spikes and a host of other agricultural risks. But people are not all equally vulnerable; poverty and inequality amplify their exposure and undermine their capacity to manage risks.

In 2020, between 720 and 811 million people faced hunger, an increase of about 118 million over 2019.

The world’s 510 million smallholder-farming families produce about 35% of our food and yet they are among the poorest people on the planet. Their food security and livelihoods are largely dependent on the performance of rain-fed agriculture, which is acutely vulnerable to multiple, interlocking risks related to climate change, the environment, conflicts, production and markets.

In 2020, between 720 and 811 million people faced hunger, an increase of about 118 million over 2019.1 Agricultural risk management is fundamental for a future in which productive, sustainable and healthy agri-food systems are able to support a population expected to exceed 9.5 billion people by 2050.

References 1. FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO, 2021. In Brief to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2021. Transforming food systems for food security, improved nutrition and affordable healthy diets for all. Rome, FAO. https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000130147/download/?_ ga=2.60267117.1530487006.1628161990-263610822.1628161990 2. FAO, 2021. Which farms feed the world and has farmland become more concentrated?

By Sarah K. Lowder, Marco V. Sánchez, Raffaele Bertini. https://www. sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X2100067X?via%3Dihub 3. World Bank, 2015. Ending Poverty and Hunger by 2030 : An Agenda for the Global Food System. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/ handle/10986/21771

Managing risks to improve farmers’ livelihoods Building resilience in the agricultural sector is getting increasingly urgent.

Agricultural risk management is fundamental for a future in which productive, sustainable and healthy agri-food system are able to support a population that is expected to exceed 9.5 billion people by 2050.

Partner with us Let’s turn risks into opportunities

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PARM (www.parm.org) and the INSURED programme (www.ifad.org/en/insured) provide technical support in agricultural risk management to governments of developing countries. The goal is to integrate risk management into agricultural policies, institutional capacities and investments to move away from a culture of coping with disasters towards a smart management of risk.

PARM and INSURED are hosted by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). They are generously supported by the European Commission (EC), the French Development Agency (AFD), IFAD, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

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Platform for Agricultural Risk Management

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©Image provided by Action Against Hunger (Medina with baby, with energy-rich food to address malnutrition)

How hunger and the climate crisis are linked All across Africa, communities are suffering from the lasting effects of the climate crisis and its continued impact on food security.

I WRITTEN BY Hajir Maalim Regional Director for East Africa, Action Against Hunger

’ll never forget the day Maliha in Madagascar told us: “We have been starving for so long. Ever since there has been no rain, the children have not eaten normally. I give them what I can find, like cactus leaves” An estimated 1.3 million people in Madagascar’s Grand Sud region are facing extreme hunger and 28,000 are living in a state of famine.

Small-scale farmers make up 63% of Madagascar’s population. They are the hardest hit by the worst drought in 40 years in Grand Sud. Vicious cycle of food scarcity As a result of the drought, crops are not growing, so farmers have nothing to eat or sell. Without income from their crops, they cannot buy the limited, expensive food available at local markets and they have to forage for food like cactus leaves.

It is a vicious cycle for families already living on the edge; finding food to eat is a daily struggle. Between a sixth and a quarter of young children are now suffering from acute malnutrition, which can be deadly.

At Action Against Hunger, we see that the climate crisis is driving children to our malnutrition treatment clinics. So, as well as providing children with life-saving treatment for malnutrition, we are also providing farmers with training, equipment and seeds; and teaching them how to get rid of pests and be resilient to climate hazards.

Lasting impacts of the climate crisis In August, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its 6th report showing the climate crisis is happening faster than predicted and some of the impacts are here to stay. Africa is being disproportionately hit. Temperatures are rising faster than in any other region.

In 2020, Africa remained the continent most affected by humanitarian crises with people experiencing famine-like conditions in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Nigeria and Burkina Faso.

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In Guchi Town, Ethiopia, cattle herders are bringing their children to our clinics because drought means the livestock lack milk so pastoralists have nothing to sell to earn a living and feed their children.

In this part of Ethiopia, livestock used to be the main source of food and income. But now the dry seasons are getting longer, there is a delay in new grass growth, which is starving cattle. So people have less milk to sell and feed their children. The lack of rain is also driving people to give up cultivating the land.

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Rise in malnutrition The lack of a diverse, nutritious diet coupled with climate stressors often results in a spike in the cases of severe malnutrition in the dry season. Malnutrition is life threatening – it is responsible for nearly half of all young child deaths globally.

Medina is nine months pregnant and already has a one-year-old girl, Munira, who has been ill since she was born. Our health and nutrition staff treated Munira with medicine, milk and ready-to-use therapeutic food. When Munira was discharged, our staff continued to visit regularly.

Medina speaks about the impact the climate crisis and hunger has on her family. “When we have rain during the rainy season the cattle will eat a lot, they have a lot of grass to eat and we get milk out of it. But when there is no rain the cattle get hungry and they don’t have anything to eat, so in turn we won’t get milk and we go hungry.”

It worries me that we will see more and more children like Munira arriving in our clinics if we do not see rapid international action in response to this emergency.

The injustice feels all the more profound when I consider that communities like those in Grand Sud and Guchi have played no role in driving the climate crisis, but their children are paying the price with their health and lives.

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Action Against Hunger’s life-saving work on malnutrition and the climate crisis is supported thanks to funding raised by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery. actionagainsthunger.org.uk

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How to build a climatesmart food system to feed a growing world The world’s food system is not fit-for-purpose under the realities of the climate crisis. It must meet the growing demand for safe, affordable and nutritious diets while reducing greenhouse gases and adapting to a changing climate.

T WRITTEN BY William R. Sutton Lead Agricultural Economist, The World Bank

he impacts of the climate crisis are being felt worldwide, resulting in a decline in yields, livelihoods and natural resources including soil, air and water. Agriculture itself is also a major part of the climate crisis. Along with forestry and land use, agriculture produces between 19-29% of global greenhouse emissions.

So, how do we achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, particularly the goal of ending hunger and malnutrition, in the face of such unprecedented challenges? Many countries are turning to climate-smart agriculture (CSA) as a solution.

The triple win of CSA CSA is an integrated approach to managing landscapes – cropland, livestock, forests and fisheries – by systematically taking the climate crisis into account in the planning and development of sustainable food systems.

CSA is distinct from conventional agriculture in several ways. First, it has an explicit focus on addressing the climate crisis. Second, it considers the synergies and trade-offs that exist between productivity, adaptation and mitigation. Finally, it helps farmers access new funding opportunities to close the deficit in investment.

It produces triple-win outcomes by sustainably producing more and better food, reducing vulnerability and enhancing resilience to shocks. CSA can also remove or reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Increasing support for climate action In Malawi, the World Bank is helping enhance farmers’ resilience to droughts and improve soil

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The impacts of the climate crisis are being felt worldwide, resulting in a decline in yields, livelihoods and natural resources including soil, air and water. health. In Uzbekistan, we are helping the country shift away from cotton and wheat monoculture toward a farming system that is more resilient to climate shocks, like horticulture. Across West Africa, we are also helping develop climate-smart varieties of staple crops such as rice, plantains and maize.

Making a difference worldwide The World Bank’s new Climate Change Action Plan helps countries fully integrate their climate and development goals, maximising the impact of climate finance. It focuses on transformational investments in key systems, including agriculture and food, that are the greatest contributors to emissions. They face the greatest challenges from the climate crisis through increasing adaption and mitigation.

In 2020, 59% of World Bank financing in agriculture already targets these measures. This is critical if we are to build a climate-smart food system that sustainably delivers improved livelihoods and safe, affordable and nutritious diets for all.

The World Bank Group is the world’s biggest multilateral financier of agriculture and works with countries and private companies in their efforts to deliver on and scale up CSA.

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Why we must advance regenerative food systems at scale The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time. There is no longer a choice about whether to act, only how we do it.

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ore extreme weather conditions and increases in temperatures will directly impact food production and influence the supply-demand chain.

While the food system is a significant contributor to climate change, it also has a unique opportunity to be a significant part of the solution.

first generation to experience the impacts of climate change and the last generation who can do anything about it.

“How we grow, process, transport, consume and waste food is hurting both people and the planet. But we know it doesn’t have to be this way.

We have to shift our approach from doing no harm, to having a positive impact on the food system at scale.

We must protect, renew and restore.

“This is why we are committed to advancing regenerative food systems at scale – collaborating with our suppliers and farmers to implement more regenerative practices that protect and restore nature, working with the communities we source from and provide to.”

INTERVIEW WITH Stefano Agostini CEO, Nestlé UK & Ireland WRITTEN BY Kirsty Elliott

How we grow, process, transport, consume and waste food is hurting both people and the planet. But we know it doesn’t have to be this way.

Nestlé has been partnering with social initiative WildHearts, running its Micro Tyco programme for its apprentices and graduates and taking part in the WildHearts Sustainable Leaders Award for more than two years. The Micro Tyco programme is a series of lessons developed in partnership with industry experts, introducing secondary school students to the topic of sustainability and how they as young people can play their part in making the world a more sustainable place.

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Fixing the global food system Stefano Agostini, CEO Nestlé UK & Ireland, explains how the company is taking positive action to tackle the climate crisis. “Our current global food system is broken. It’s responsible for a quarter of all human-induced emissions fuelling climate change and driving nature loss. While it’s damaging the health of our planet it’s also not supporting the health of the global population. More than two billion of us are overweight or obese, nearly 800 million of us go to bed hungry every night and food-related diseases like diabetes and heart disease are on the rise.”

Nestlé is the world’s largest food and beverage business. Last year, it published its global climate roadmap to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050 – even as the company continues to grow.

“As the world’s largest food manufacturer, we have a role to play in reducing our impact on the environment while helping to feed a growing global population with food to enhance their quality of life,” he says.

Agostini continues “We are the

Creating a more sustainable supply chain One initiative Nestlé has implemented as part of its regenerative agriculture work is the Milk Plan.

As part of its long-term partnership with First Milk, the company works closely with dairy farmers in Cumbria and Scotland who supply fresh milk for its confectionery and beverage products.

All parties are dedicated to developing a more sustainable and efficient supply chain that has a positive environmental impact. This means adopting nature-friendly farming practices that protect and restore the natural resources such as soil, water and biodiversity.

Farmer Alistair Cumming comments: “After attending the First Milk and Nestlé workshop, I now feel I have some good options for regenerative farming.”

John Barrowman, also a farmer, adds: “First Milk and Nestlé have helped me feel more equipped to explore regenerative farming practices, the recent workshop gave me a good foundation learning about soil health and practical solutions I can use on farm.”

In the UK, Nestlé is aiming to reduce the carbon footprint of its fresh milk supply by 50% by 2025. To achieve this, it needs to work with the farmers to improve soil, grazing and feeding practices.

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Powering the green revolution with digital innovations to help farmers In recent years, the climate crisis has taken its toll on agricultural production.

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n today’s world, pressing concerns for farmers include a growing demand for food, diminishing arable land and water scarcity. For the 475 million smallholder farms across low- and middleincome countries, the combination of increased global food demand and declining natural resources presents a unique set of opportunities and challenges.

Limited access to improved technologies, formal markets and finance hinders the resilience of smallholder farmers and their ability and willingness to invest in their plots. This often results in agricultural yields that fall far short of their potential, while limiting their ability to take advantage of growing opportunities.

Only by making agricultural value chains more productive, cost-efficient, transparent and agile can we ensure we continue to feed the world.

Increasing agritech solutions With smallholder farmers managing 25% of the world’s cropland and producing around a third of the world’s food, increasing access to agritech solutions can transform how farmers grow their crops and manage their business. Ultimately this will create a positive impact on individual livelihoods as well as food security.

The good news is that the agritech revolution is already well underway.

Growing investment in agritech is being hailed as the third Green Revolution.

Currently, some 90% of the population in low- and middle-income countries have access to a mobile phone. Evidence already shows that mobile devices are delivering life-changing digital services like healthcare. Now they are also transforming rural communities by helping to build resilience and transform current food systems. Only by making agricultural value chains more productive, cost-efficient, transparent and agile can we ensure we continue to feed the world.

Find out more at gsma.com

WRITTEN BY

Ashley Olson Onyango Head of Financial Inclusion and Agritech, GSMA

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The impacts of the climate crisis are being felt worldwide, resulting in a decline in yields, livelihoods and natural resources including soil, air and water.

Investing in One Health to prevent the next pandemic

y r d b n ge e vid u ro n s t H p e ai ag g m on A I © ti Ac

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has already cost the world millions of lives and trillions of dollars. It did not have to be this way.

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uture pandemics can be prevented by recognising that animal and human health are interconnected and bound to the health of the ecosystems they share.

One Health needs to be the foundation for health security because it considers the interdependence of human, animal and environment health all at once, providing added value over other solutions that are implemented independently.

Five of the six last public health emergencies of international concern link back to animals, One Health brings a potent solution to health security.

Along with forestry and land use, agriculture produces between 19-29% of global greenhouse emissions.

Ensuring everyone is protected Health security is about protecting people from threats to their health, not only because it is an equitable thing to do, but because with infectious diseases true health security can only be achieved if everyone is protected. Diseases know no borders.

The bottom line is that One Health is a global public good. All countries must adopt a One Health approach to pandemic prevention. It’s not a “nice to have”, but a “must have”. However, it is not reasonable to expect that individual countries – especially lowerincome countries – will prioritise their own resources for this purpose. The current country demand-driven model falls short on delivering critical global public goods such as One Health.

Finding a solution A financing mechanism for One Health could provide countries with a dedicated source of additional resources to protect biodiversity, limit environmental degradation, improve animal health management, support healthy food systems, integrate surveillance and enhance coordination to prevent and prepare for emerging infectious diseases.

Lower-income countries would be eligible, provided that their specific situation, risks and vulnerabilities are assessed and they have a credible costed prevention and preparedness plan.

As the G20 focuses on ways to prevent and better prepare for future pandemics, now is the time to bring such a mechanism to life.

Ahead of future pandemics We are today in the position to finish the job that was left unfinished during the SARS and Avian Influenza crises, break the cycle of panic and neglect and start building an infrastructure for One Health.

As for food systems, which host so many drivers of emerging infectious diseases, One Health offers a concrete step toward reducing their footprint so that the way we raise food, use land and feed ourselves contributes to global health, rather than harming it.

One Health is core to the food systems transformation that so many are calling for and will be critical to building a food system that is better for people, economies and the planet.

WRITTEN BY Franck Berthe Senior Livestock Specialist, Agriculture Global Practice, The World Bank

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How our food choices can help contribute to sustainability targets Targets can be ignored, or feel arbitrary, but they are also vital when it comes to corralling multiple countries, organisations and people together to tackle issues that seem difficult to deal with individually.

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n 2015, UN member states adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - social and environmental targets to bring the world together to work towards a better and more sustainable future for all.

The SDGs are helping tackle these global challenges: they comprise 169 targets that cover a wide range of issues, including poverty, inequality and climate change.

WRITTEN BY Chris Ninnes CEO, Aquaculture Stewardship Council

Interconnectivity of SDGs At the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) we wanted to know how many SDGs our work in responsible fish farming was contributing towards. SDG 14 is Life Below Water, so is of course very relevant to our work. This work is ongoing and will result in a full benchmarking report, but what we have found so far is that we are contributing towards a surprisingly high number of other SDGs. In fact, every single SDG includes at least two targets within the scope of our work, with 93 relevant targets altogether.

Why so many? The other SDGs are not just about food, after all – in fact, only one is explicitly about food (Zero Hunger), with two others closely related (Good Health and Wellbeing; Responsible Consumption and Production).

Promoting responsible aquaculture How we produce our food is interconnected with so many other issues, meaning responsible aquaculture can contribute to SDGs that on the face of it have nothing to do with seafood. For example, SDGs like Gender Equality (the seafood sector employs a high proportion of women,

directly and indirectly), or Decent Work and Economic Growth (aquaculture is a vital part of the economy of many developing countries).

How we produce our food is interconnected with so many other issues, meaning responsible aquaculture can contribute to SDGs that on the face of it have nothing to do with seafood.

This is encouraging as it shows that even something as seemingly small as what food we choose to buy and eat can have far-reaching impacts.

It should also sound a note of caution: because while responsible aquaculture can contribute to the SDGs, irresponsible aquaculture can harm them. If farms don’t have strong anti-discrimination policies in place, gender equality will not improve. Life below water cannot thrive if irresponsible farms are degrading oceans and rivers.

The SDGs are targets for the future, but ASC certification requires farms to make improvements right now. Only farms that demonstrate they meet hundreds of requirements for responsible production can use the ASC logo. Choosing their seafood helps to accelerate the reaching of these critical targets. Aligning with the SDGs shows that the little choices we make can have wide-ranging impacts – it’s up to us whether they’re positive or negative.

and resilience strategies will address future shocks and stresses to the food system. Community volunteers in the Philippines have been working with women farmers and young people to produce food more sustainably, as well as preserve the environment.

Whilst food systems are heavily disrupted by the effects of the pandemic and the conflict, community volunteers are calling for urgency in the transformation of food systems – moving away from capital-intensive ‘industrial agriculture’ towards greater support for community-based agroecological farming systems.

Marginalised communities must be at the heart of the response to the food crisis The current food system is broken and is not delivering for producers nor consumers, with one in 10 people around the world going to bed hungry every day.

T WRITTEN BY Ruchi Tripathi Global Practice Lead Resilient Livelihoods, VSO International

ransforming our food systems to support rural livelihoods, care for our environment and produce nutritious food is achievable if we put small scale food producers, particularly women and young people, at the centre of our efforts and support them to produce and sell sustainably.

In Nepal, VSO volunteers supported the localisation of the Right to Food Act; VSO volunteers were placed with 4 municipal governments to support consultations with stakeholders which helped localise the Act. In early 2020, VSO carried out a wellbeing survey in Nepal, in the context of COVID-19, which showed 80% of respondents found food shortages to be one of the biggest

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challenges. Based on the findings, the organisation supported the supply of food items to 1,025 families. A key demand from VSO’s partner, National Farmers Group Federation (NFGF), is to ensure greater support for landless and smallholder farmers, including through the identification, categorisation and registration of farmers and entitlement to social security for them.

Building community resilience To fight the climate crisis, building community resilience is key. VSO is supporting those most at-risk – including farmers, entrepreneurs and small business owners through investing in agroecology and promotion of local markets.

Developing stronger risk reduction

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Providing real impact If the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit is to have any real impact in people’s lives and on the planet, they must firstly disinvest from industrial agriculture and invest in agroecology.

They must move away from public funding of agribusiness and large farms to supporting smallholder farmers and micro small and medium enterprises.

Finally, it must put the responsibility of delivery of the right to food onto the state. It must strengthen the voices and power of female food producers and marginalised communities who are at the forefront of the food and climate crisis.

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Celebrating our global food heroes Behind all our food, there is always someone who produced, planted, harvested, fished or transported it. In the run up to World Food Day on October 16, the FAO thanks these #FoodHeroes who, no matter the circumstances, continue to provide food for their communities and beyond.

I INTERVIEW WITH Irina Vasilyeva Farmer, Western Georgia WRITTEN BY FAO

rina Vasilyeva, a female farmer from Western Georgia, is a living example of how access to technical knowledge and innovation can empower smallholder farmers to become agents of change.

Entire families in Irina’s ancient village of Vartsikhe, Bagdati municipality have been involved in farming for centuries. As COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on tourism and restaurant businesses increased last year, Irina struggled in vain to sell her produce at a market in Kutaisi, the main city in Western Georgia.

Things have changed thanks to FAO’s and the EU’s support and new Farmer Field Schools and demonstration plots in the area have brought innovative farming methods to Irina’s village.

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e Ming’er, an assistant professor of horticulture at Zhejiang University, has been promoting fruit tree technology for 35 years. His innovative approach has boosted citrus and Yang Mei fruit growth and yield, producing high-quality fruits and increasing farmers’ income in Zhejiang Province, East China.

Protected cultivation reduces the use of pesticides by shielding crops from pests and disease. It also limits weed growth, which in turn improves root nutrient uptake, meaning the trees need less water.

Improving farmer livelihoods Ye Ming’er has effectively combined traditional cultivation of Huangyan Miju - a famous local variety of citrus with resource-friendly and innovative techniques. He employs intelligent temperature control and water savingirrigation to reduces oil salinity, a side effect of greenhouse cultivation. This protects both the soil and fruits, as well as the farmers’ livelihoods that depend on them.

Ye Ming’er has had similar success with Yang Mei which have grown in China for over 2,000 years. His new efficient cultivation techniques for the Dongkui variety bred by Zhejiang University have produced trees that bear fruit earlier, with superior quality and higher yields.

INTERVIEW WITH Ye Ming’er Assistant Professor of Horticulture, Zhejiang University WRITTEN BY FAO

Image provided by FAO

Learning how to improve crops “I heard that FAO agronomists were visiting a seedling production facility nearby, so I attended the meeting and showed them my records. I always record what I do on my farm and I told them that I wanted to learn how to improve the quality of my crops,” Irina says, describing how she first got involved with FAO. Irina learnt that modern agricultural practices – drip irrigation, mulching and beds formation - could greatly improve the production of cucumbers, tomatoes and salad herbs in her three greenhouses.

Now, Irina can produce lettuce in winter without greenhouse heating. Off-season production allows her to avoid competition, while high-quality produce and reduced costs has helped her to overcome the hardships of the pandemic.

More local women in the village are now moving into agriculture to supplement family income. FAO selected Irina’s plot as a demonstration plot for agricultural training and as a food hero, she is actively sharing her knowledge and experience.

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Dongkui is now the most popular variety of Myrica rubra used in China, representing roughly 60% of the Bayberry tree varieties grown over about 400,000 hectares. It has spread rapidly to underdeveloped mountainous areas becoming a symbol of wealth for farmers in both Eastern and Western China. In 2006, for example, income per capita for farmers in Kantou Village, Zhejiang Province was estimated at 8118 yuan (approximately USD 1,255), 74% of which came from Dongkui cultivation.

As a food hero, Ye Ming’er demonstrates how innovative and adaptable cultivation techniques can improve crop growth and yields, protect natural resources and improve farmers’ livelihoods.

The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO.

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Finding innovative and sustainable ways to feed the world With a growing global population and the climate crisis, time is ticking for the agriculture sector to find creative and sustainable ways to produce food and move it around the world.

T WRITTEN BY Pilar Cruz Chief Sustainability Officer, Cargill

he world will be home to 10 billion people by 2050. This puts pressure on our industry to increase food production to nourish the population, but that can’t be at the expense of our natural resources.

The industry must evolve. At Cargill, we are purposefully bringing sustainable innovation to farmers and customers alike. Together we can tackle climate and food supply challenges never seen before.

To foster a more sustainable approach, we are creating connections across the food system, transforming how food is grown, how it’s produced and how we move food to family tables around the world. We’re prioritising investments in innovations that have the greatest potential to build a stable global food system for future generations.

Farmers are environmental stewards The food system starts at the farm. We intend to build on the strong environmental stewardship work already led by farmers and ranchers When farmers adopt regenerative practices, like eliminating tillage or adding cover crops, we can mitigate climate change and improve the soil. With 10 million acres targeted by 2030, this regenerative agriculture commitment can have a meaningful impact on the environment. This is how we address the climate crisis, while bettering economic prospects for farmers, the true heroes of our food system.

Reducing the strain raising animals has on our climate is also a priority. Cargill and Zelp are joining forces to distribute wearable technology to catch cows’ burps. The innovation can potentially reduce livestock methane emissions by up to 53%.

When it comes to protecting our natural resources, we can’t forget to chart a course for more sustainable oceans. As seafood consumption rises globally, farmers are focused on ocean stewardship. With SeaFurther Sustainability, they are connected to novel ingredients, such as insect meal, to create more sustainable feed and improve fish welfare.

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Producing sustainable food options for customers and consumers Increasing demand for sustainable and nutritious foods and advancements in the alternative protein market are driving the need for innovations that align to consumer values.

Pea protein delivers a plant-based protein option while benefitting the land. As a cover crop, peas prevent weeds and erosion, control pests and improve soil fertility. Our Food Innovation teams are bringing pea protein to customers, while also

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While consumption of traditional protein also rises, farmers and ranchers are committed to making its production more sustainable. working on rapid development of other plant and cell-based options.

But we aren’t resting there. While consumption of traditional protein also rises, farmers and ranchers are committed to making its production more sustainable.

BeefUp Sustainability was created to reduce greenhouse gas by 30% by 2030. In partnership with customers including Burger King, McDonald’s, Sysco and Target and NGOs and community groups including the World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, The Walmart Foundation and Ducks Unlimited, we are bringing grazing, feed and food waste programs to farmers and ranchers around the world.

From farm to fork, moving food sustainably To complete a sustainable food system, there is an urgent need to efficiently move food from where it is produced to store shelves and family tables. There is an urgent need to make all forms of transportation more sustainable, from truck to rail to barge.

The industry is collectively working to reduce emissions in ocean transportation. There is potential in bringing wind propulsion technology to commercial shipping. One Cargill project will have BAR Technology’s large, solid wing sails fitted to the deck of bulk cargo ships to harness the power of the wind and reduce CO2 emissions. Our partnerships with leading organisations like Maersk Tankers and the Global Maritime Forum bring together the best minds to drive the decarbonisation of shipping.

Ultimately agriculture needs sustainable supply chains if we are to feed the world’s population and deliver on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Agriculture was humankind’s first and most important technology. We believe this is the industry’s opportunity to show that agricultural innovation is how we can feed the world responsibly while acting as the stewards of the earth.

Find out more at cargill.com/innovation -that-sustains

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Why climate adaptation for small-scale farmers is a critical investment Continued changes in weather patterns, ocean acidification and “agricultural and ecological droughts” mean that threats to global food supply and distribution will only intensify in the coming years.

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Three-quarters of the world’s poorest and most undernourished people live in rural areas in developing countries.

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1. Small-scale farmers produce 30–34% of the global food supply and are vital for food security.

2. Compared to large-scale farmers they can produce far more efficiently and in diversified ways. Not depending on a single crop for their livelihoods increases food security and income streams.

3. Unlike intensive agriculture, small farms can work within natural cycles and protect biodiversity.

4. Because small-scale producers also tend to grow food for their own household consumption, increased investments result in improved nutrition and farming practices with low-emission production patterns.

5. If people can earn a living producing food in rural areas, this helps stem the flow of migration to cities that are likely to suffer increasingly from over-heating and crowding.

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Impact of climate on poverty A changing climate is a risk multiplier especially for the poor – and poverty is still a rural problem.

Three-quarters of the world’s poorest and most undernourished people live in rural areas in developing countries. Most of them earn their incomes working in the food system.

Small-scale producers receive less than 2% of overall climate finance. Increased investments to ensure they can adapt to climate change are paramount. Here are five good reasons:

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Innovation opportunities Investing in rural food systems also presents an opportunity for innovation. For instance, mechanisms that aggregate and transport produce to market can increase market power for small producers and deliver more efficient transport and distribution systems. This helps private investors realise returns from economies of scale.

Similarly, innovating with financial instruments such as ‘resilience bonds’ can generate both financial returns and provide impacts related to social and environmental benefits. This can help bring in scaled-up private investments into adaptation.

Unless greater investments are focused on rural people and their ability to adapt to climate change, we will not be able to ensure food security or insure ourselves against increased climate-driven uncertainty. But we have to invest now.

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WRITTEN BY Dr Jyotsna Puri Director of IFAD’s Environment, Climate, Gender and Social Inclusion Division

ast month’s IPCC report indicates that sea level rise, heat waves and droughts are all “virtually certain” in the coming 50 years.

Climate change is already affecting food production and the livelihoods of people who make a living off the land and we are not doing enough to fight it.

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A changing climate is a risk multiplier especially for the poor – and poverty is still a rural problem. Three-quarters of the world’s poorest and most undernourished people live in rural areas in developing countries. Most of them earn their incomes working in the food system. ~ Dr Jyotsna Puri Director of IFAD’s Environment, Climate, Gender and Social Inclusion Division

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Urgent call to help take action and fix the global food system Fix the world’s flawed food system and we can make giant strides towards one of the biggest challenges of our times – securing the future wellbeing of both people and planet.

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he food system is stuck in a deadly cycle. Global food systems are responsible for 70% of freshwater extraction, around 70% of biodiversity loss and up to a third of human greenhouse gas emissions.

Action to deliver the changes that are needed has been a relatively low priority for policymakers.

• Decarbonise the entire supply chain and build in resilience.

To make the supply chain less vulnerable to external shocks such as water scarcity, extreme weather and global pandemics. The effective use of innovation and data-enabled technology could play a key role in reducing carbon emissions, increasing productivity, resource efficiency and the climate resilience of the food system.

WRITTEN BY Dr Richard Swannell International Director, WRAP

• Tackle food loss and waste.

Recent reports by United Nations Environment Programme (co-authored by WRAP) and the FAO suggest that at least a third of all food produced is wasted. It requires a farmland area the size of China to grow the food that is thrown away every year and it is valued at well over USD £1 trillion.

Globally, progress towards the UN SDG 12.3 target to halve food waste by 2030 is patchy and this needs to be addressed.

• Align health and sustainability.

There is a greater understanding of the synergies and trade-offs between dietary preferences and the environmental impacts of food supply chains. The FAO have argued that a global switch to healthy diets could help to reverse the slide into hunger, offset the healthcare costs from unhealthy eating and cut the diet-related social cost of greenhouse gas emissions by up to 75%. ©IFAD/MARCO SALUSTRO

All of this will require major shifts in our own lifestyle choices, but the benefits are transformational. If we work together to fix food, we can all play our part in restoring our planet to all its life-enhancing, nurturing potential.

WRAP is one of the globe’s leading sustainability charities.

Based in the UK and with projects around the world we work with businesses, governments, citizens and charities to make the planet a healthier, safer place.

For more information go to wrap.org.uk

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Our solution to the flawed food system We worked on our visionary Food Futures Report 10 years ago. Many of the solutions we offered are still relevant today:

©IFAD/PETTERIK WIGGERS

Global food systems are responsible for 70% of freshwater extraction, around 70% of biodiversity loss and up to a third of human greenhouse gas emissions.

The landscape is shifting though as recognition of the food system’s contribution to achieving net zero as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) gains momentum. We have shown through our internationally renowned Courtauld Commitment how policy, which drives systemic change across the supply chain and aligned with citizen action, can be a powerful force for change.

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Shelf life is key to reducing food waste Staggering amounts of food are wasted every year, with the developed nations the prime culprits. What can we do to find a more sustainable form of nutrition?

O INTERVIEW WITH Juan Aguiriano Head of Sustainability, Kerry Group

WRITTEN BY Virginia Blackburn

ne third of all food – 1.3 billion tonnes annually, at a cost of $940 billion dollars a year – is wasted and yet 690 million people globally are malnourished.

COVID-19 has only made matters worse, with countries such as the US never consuming 40 to 50% of the food produced. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, if we reversed current trends, we would preserve enough food to feed two billion people, more than twice the number of undernourished people across the globe.

“At Kerry we have a vision of Creating a World of Sustainable Nutrition which is about providing better nutrition with less impact on the earth’s resources and reducing food waste is key in this equation. One of the best ways to reduce food waste is preservation, one extra shelf life day can have a hugely positive impact,” says Juan Aguiriano, Head of Sustainability at Kerry Group. “A WRAP study estimates that each additional day of shelf life offers a financial saving of 3.6% on the annual waste cost for the sector in developed markets.”

Increasing shelf life of food Around 20% of meat produced globally goes to waste and 25% of consumers do not finish their bread before it goes off, the equivalent of 900,000 tons or 24 million slices. Bread is the biggest source of waste in volume: a third sold in the United States is wasted, although 33% of people who work in bakeries believe that a short shelf-life is the cause. “Kerry is the world’s leading taste and nutrition company and through

our portfolio of clean label solutions are making a difference in this space,” says Aguiriano. It is increasingly obvious that consumers want to know what goes into their food and are actively checking what they consume: “Research has shown that half of consumers are prepared to pay extra for food and beverage products that are devoted to solving food waste,” Aguiriano says.

Consumers are prepared to pay extra for food and beverage products that are devoted to solving food waste.

Circularity of food systems Food preservation is however not the only way forward.

“Circularity is the key to reducing food waste,” says Aguiriano, citing a culture in which foodstuffs will be made, consumed, collected, transformed and then reused.

The traditional model of ‘take-make-consume-waste’ is becoming redundant and a behavioural shift is needed to solve the issue. Food waste is a priority and one which weighs heavily on consumers and the food industry alike.

Persistence and commitment to doing the right thing and accepting individual responsibility are important factors to continue striving for better.

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©Image provided by Action Against Hunger

The effective use of innovation and data-enabled technology could play a key role in reducing carbon emissions, increasing productivity, resource efficiency and the climate resilience of the food system. ~Dr Richard Swannell, International Director, WRAP

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Tackling the climate crisis through agriculture Asian smallholder farmers produce the bulk of the world’s food, yet most live in poverty. Access to improved agricultural technologies could alleviate poverty and reverse the climate crisis.

Agriculture can contribute to climate resilience. Tools and technologies exist today to reverse the effects of climate change, if we can get these in front of farmers, that will make a real difference.

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ccording to the UN, by 2050 the global population will exceed 9.7 billion. Given the anticipated growing impact of the climate crisis, feeding this increased population is the biggest challenge we face today.

But it can be done, according to Peter Ford, President Asia Pacific, Corteva Agriscience: “We can start to reverse the effects of climate change through agriculture. At the same time, increase food productivity, lift people out of poverty and safely produce more nutritious food.”

Enhancing sustainable practices An ecological crisis is fast emerging.

While food insecurity is on the rise globally, the climate crisis poses a formidable threat to food security for all of us. Ford argues that agriculture can be part of the solution in combating the climate crisis: “Agriculture can contribute to climate resilience.

Tools and technologies exist today to reverse the effects of climate change, if we can get these in front of farmers, that will make a real difference.”

Public private partnerships yielding greater food security Asia’s smallholder farmer community is fragmented and diverse, making access to finance, training and equipment difficult. To improve food security, Corteva is partnering with governments and NGOs to address the specific barriers farmers face, such as mechanisation or access to agricultural technologies which raise crop productivity and profitability. For example, in Indonesia, the company is training

farmers on the benefits and techniques of hybrid corn seed growing.

On Madura Island, off East Java alone, almost 20,000 farmers have switched from local seed varieties to hybrid corn seeds. These farmers have increased yields by 130% and incomes by 247%.

“In India, Corteva has joined forces with the Water Resources Group (backed by World Bank) to change the cropping system in Uttar Pradesh,” Ford continues. “Heavily water dependent flooded paddy rice farming produces significant greenhouse gas emissions, so we are helping farmers to move from paddy fields to a direct seeded system. This system will help reduce water consumption by 37% and greenhouse gases by 20 to 30%.”

Agriculture as a catalyst for socio- economic progress The inequalities are particularly acute in Asia Pacific. “Of the world’s 500 million smallholder farmers, 87% reside in Asia Pacific, producing 80% of the world’s food,” says Ford. “The majority of them are living on less than $2 a day.”

Ford holds the cause close to his heart. Brought up on a small farm in Australia he experienced first hand the calamitous effects of drought. “It was character building,” he says. “It made me realise transformational changes can be made for farmers and local communities, and at the same time enhance food security globally.”

He continues, “I once spent a day with an Indian farmer called Raj. He had a small but very well-run farm.

Late in the day, we were sipping tea in his two-room house. He told me the second room was actually an extension to the first, built from the extra income he gained after access to motorised transport, healthcare and rudimentary mechanised machines.

But by far the biggest change new technologies had bought for this family was when one of his children had the opportunity for university education, in Canada. And it was his daughter – something unimaginable just a generation ago.”

Indeed, the cause of helping women farmers is extremely important to Ford – although men still own most of the land, about 50% of the farmers are women. “It’s a tremendous challenge” he says. “But it’s crucial we address it.

Equitable access for women farmers would increase productivity up to 4% and lift 100 to 150 million people out of poverty. That’s got to be a good place to start.”

INTERVIEW WITH Peter Ford President Asia Pacific, Corteva Agriscience

WRITTEN BY Virginia Blackburn

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Find out more at corteva.com

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