Globally, the food system is failing to meet the needs of people and the planet. Industrial and globalised food production and processing is not producing nutritional food that supports cultures and traditions, protects natural resources and environments, and sustains livelihoods.
A human health crisis
Over 30% of the world’s population are moderately or severely food-insecure, globally 22% of under 5s are suffering from stunting, a third of women of reproductive age are anaemic due to micronutrient definiciens and the number of people facing food insecurity has been increasing since 2014. At the same time overweight and obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, with 39% of adults being overweight, one third of whom are obese . It is estimated that at least 2.8 million people are dying each year as a result of being overweight or obese , and that a quarter of all adult deaths are related to poor nutrition.
Fuelling ecosystem collapse and climate change
In addition to providing inadequate human nutrition, current food systems are unsustainable. They are a major contributor to climate change, producing between a quarter and a third of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, and food production is the major driver of biodiversity loss. It is clear the food system is broken and not serving people or the planet. Transitioning to a sustainable food system that is good for human and environmental health will require changes to diets, food production methods, and reductions in food waste.
Damaging resilience of small island countries
We have gathered and analysed data on food systems in the Caribbean and Pacific and have observed the impact of the broken food system to be especially damaging in small island countries, particularly when global supply chains are challenged during extreme weather events, volcanic eruptions, pandemics and political or social unrest. Many of these countries now face the double burden of undernutrition and obesity.
A more sustainable future through research
We are exploring how local food production can become more sustainable and resilient while also supporting improved population nutrition. We are particularly interested in investigating how the application of agroecological approaches can support these outcomes.
To date we’ve completed four research projects and we’re currently delivering two projects, ICoFaN and Global CFaH. We invite you to explore our projects and outputs, and welcome any questions you have about our work.
