our food system is vital
62%
of habitable land
is being used by the food system
2.4 billion
livelihoods depend on it
making the food system world’s largest employer
8 billion
lives are sustained by the food system
so it’s the single biggest driver of individual and collective health
70%
of fresh water
is used for food production
$8 trillion
is the global food system GDP
food underpins a productive & prosperous economy
our food system is in need of radical change
from all we consume, food is the
most environmentally destructive product
in 7 of the 8 major pollution categories, is responsible for 18% of GHG emissions and allows 30% of food to go to waste
workers are systematically underpaid and farmers take on
risk without reward
it is a failing economy dependent on billions of $’s of subsidies, with a chronic lack of talent entering the industry
instead of driving health, food has become a
driver of disease
where food is responsible for 6 of the 10 top causes of death, while 50% of the global population is malnourished
We are at the start of the 4th revolution in food
domesticating nature to provide food for the village
farming, irrigation, hand tools
lowering labor intensity per unit of agricultural output
tractors, grain stores, railways
Pursuing maximum yield per unit of land or genetic input, at the expense of the environment
fertilizer, pesticides, breeding, antibiotics, growth promoters
Moving to a resilient, regenerative food system that nourishes a healthy planet and population
data science, microbiology, precision everything, genetics, food as medicine