Can We Fix Our Broken Food System? The Solutions Explained

The Impact of Food Systems on the Planet and Potential Solutions

Our food systems have a profound impact on the planet, contributing significantly to climate change and various environmental problems. Transforming these systems is crucial to meeting international climate targets and ensuring a sustainable future.

The Environmental Impact of Food Production

Food production touches on nearly every environmental problem. It is a leading driver of:

• Deforestation

• Biodiversity loss

• Freshwater use

• Water pollution

These issues contribute to the loss of species and ecosystems, put pressure on freshwater systems, and pollute water sources, making them less suitable for life. Approximately a quarter of global emissions come from food production, stemming from land use changes (like deforestation) and emissions on farms. On-farm emissions include potent greenhouse gasses like methane (from cows) and nitrous oxide (from fertilizers and manure). Even if fossil fuel use ceased immediately, emissions from our food systems would exceed targets for limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The current food system is unsustainable, and without changes in production and consumption, the problem will worsen.

Goals for a Sustainable Food System

Two key goals for a sustainable food system are:

1. Providing everyone with a sufficient and nutritious diet.
2. Achieving this with a very low environmental impact.

The central challenge is how to feed a growing global population (8-10 billion people) while minimizing environmental harm.

Addressing Inefficiencies in the Food System

While global crop production is about 5,000 kilocalories per person per day, the average person needs around 2,500. Major losses occur between crop production and actual food consumption due to:

• Meat Production: Converting crops to meat and dairy is inefficient, with most calories fed to animals lost in the process.

• Biofuel Production: A significant amount of crops are diverted to biofuel production rather than food.

• Food Waste: This includes consumer waste and losses along the supply chain due to lack of storage, transportation, or refrigeration. Addressing this "Tupperware problem" is a solvable way to reduce environmental impacts and increase farmers' incomes.

Key Strategies for a More Sustainable Food System

There are two main aspects to building a more sustainable food system: investing in more productive agriculture and changing our diets.

Investing in More Productive Agriculture

Producing more food using less land is essential. Progress has been made in this area, with yields doubling, tripling, or even quadrupling in some countries over the last 50 years. Further increasing crop yields is possible by closing the gap between current yields and attainable yields (yields achievable with best practices and technologies). Providing farmers with access to improved seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation can help close this gap, particularly in regions like Africa where yields are significantly lower.

This investment not only benefits the environment but also improves farmers' incomes, especially for those living near the poverty line. It also helps to feed growing populations.

Changing Our Diets

Shifting away from meat and dairy is another critical component.

It's important to provide people with good information so they can make informed decisions about their diets without being preached to. Reducing meat and dairy consumption is recommended because animal-based products generally have a higher environmental footprint (carbon, land, water, and biodiversity impact) compared to plant-based foods. Plant-based proteins can have 10 to 50 times less of a carbon impact than beef or lamb.

The type of meat consumed also matters, with beef and lamb having the highest carbon footprints, followed by pork, chicken, and fish. Calorie and protein efficiency are low for most livestock. For example, cows provide only about 2 calories of meat for every 100 calories they consume.

A well-planned plant-based diet can meet most nutritional needs, although vitamin B12 supplementation may be necessary. Better meat substitutes are crucial to facilitating the transition away from animal products. Small changes in individual diets, such as reducing meat consumption by 10-20%, can have a significant collective impact.

Looking Forward: Avoiding Misguided Solutions

It's crucial to avoid the misconception that reverting to older farming methods is the solution. These methods simply cannot scale to feed a population of 8-10 billion people. We need forward-thinking solutions that can sustainably feed billions.

Vertical farming, while promising, faces economic challenges due to high energy costs. While advancements in LED lighting could improve efficiency, it's unlikely to be a silver bullet, especially for staple crops like wheat.

The Path to a Sustainable Future

Despite producing enough food to feed everyone, nearly 1 in 10 people worldwide do not get enough calories. This requires our attention and we do have the means to fix it. By closing yield gaps, changing diets, and developing efficient meat substitutes, we can feed a population of 10 billion people in 2060. We can do it with a lower environmental impact. This would:

• Reduce agricultural land use

• End deforestation

• Reduce pressure on freshwater resources

Moreover, a more productive agricultural system would significantly increase the incomes of farmers around the world. While the challenge is significant, the solutions are within reach.