Food insecurity, famine, hunger and nutrient deficiency sit side-by-side with obesity, over-consumption, food loss & waste, and rising food-related lifestyle diseases including diabetes.
While a child dies from hunger every six seconds, the global weight-loss industry generates $200 billion in revenue every year.
Current food systems contribute to – and suffer from – climate change, water stress, desertification, deforestation and many other inter-related issues. Agriculture and food production are vast climate ‘makers’ that contribute to climate change and global emissions. In addition, good agricultural and food systems can also be climate ‘takers’.
Climate change-related natural disasters will put 1.3 billion people and $158tn of assets at risk by 2020, according to the World Bank.
Poverty, income inequality, job insecurity and sub-standard working conditions are only some of the issues that the agricultural and food industry are facing.
Improving efficiency of smallholder farmers presents a 100 bUSD opportunity (Business for Sustainable Development Commission)
We need change now
In June 2016, EAT and WBCSD joined forces to build a collaboration that aims to transform the global food system. We share a vision of a world where everyone can choose to enjoy food that is healthy, affordable & sustainable.
Achieving a goal this complex needs all the related stakeholders at the table. No expert, government or individual can single-handedly change the way the world eats. So we are jointly creating a global platform that brings together science, business, civil society and academia to work together.