HGCA

Food Research in DefraThe Future of Food and FarmingEuropean Commission workshop ‘Feeding the planet sustainably’, 19-20 November 2012, Brussels

Lucy FosterDepartment of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK

Overview

• The grand challenges –

• Foresight Report ‘Future of Food and Farming’

• UK initiatives – ‘sustainable intensification’

• Role of industry, retailers and consumers

• Summary

Global Context

Increased demand 50% by 2030 (IEA)

Energy

Water Increased demand

30% by 2030(IFPRI)

FoodIncreased demand

50% by 2030(FAO)

Climate Change

UK’s impact:•Expertise, knowledge and science•Manufacturing competitiveness•Comparative advantage for growing certain types of food•Strong international leadership and willingness to act•Environmental performance and protection of threatened species

Globally 30% of food is wastedDiets are also changing...

Hunger• ~1Billion hungry, most in

Africa and Asia1

½Bill

ion

1970 1985 2000 2015

30%

20%

10%8%

World Hungry

Source: FAO (2010)

Asia & Pacific

Africa

Rest of theWorld

Hunger2010

• Physical, economic & social access to food

• Hidden hunger (~1B)

• Over-nourished (~1B)

Increased recent food price volatility

2002199819941990 2006 2010

Jan 2011

• FAO Food Price Index currently at highest value since its inception in Jan 2011

The food system is not sustainable

• Uses ~70% of global water, much non-renewable

• ~24% of vegetated land suffers soil degradation

• ~30% greenhouse gas emissions come directly or indirectly from food system

• Nitrogen and other pollution

• Many fisheries over-exploited

Five ChallengesFive Challenges

ABalancing future demand and supply sustainably

C Ending Hunger

D Meeting the challenges of a low emissions world

BAddressing the threat of future volatility in the food system

Maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services while feeding the world

EE

Balancing future demand and production sustainably – ‘sustainable intensification’

• Growing more food at less

cost to the environment

• Better Technology and knowledge

transfer

• Action on waste and food demand

• Stimulate consumption debate

• Investing for the future – skills

Addressing the threat of future price volatility in the food system

• Building trust and co-operation

• Increasing transparency about

food stocks

• Open markets

• Boosting trade

• Actions needed on international trade rules,

targeted food reserves, safety nets, farmers’ insurance

Ending Hunger and under-nutrition

• New focus on food production (infrastucture)

• Better monitoring and evaluation

• Making agriculture work harder to

reduce hunger

Targeting hunger and right to food

Food system contributes to climate change

• 10-12% GHG emissions

• 30% including land conversion

• CH4 from ruminants and irrigated rice

• N2 O from fertilisers

Include in climate change negotiations

Maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services while feeding the world

• Land and aquatic ecosystems management

• Strengthening links between food and environment policy

• Understanding environmental consequences of different food production practices

• Role of Biodiversity in food security – valuing ecosystems services

Foresight – key priorities for action

• Spread best practice and Invest in new knowledge.

• Make sustainable food production central in policy development.

• Assume that there is little new land for agriculture.

• Ensure long-term sustainability of fish stocks.

• Promote sustainable intensification.

• Include the environment in food system economics.

• Reduce waste – both in high- and low-income countries.

• Improve the evidence base for decision-making and develop metrics to assess

progress.

• Anticipate major issues with water availability for food production.

• Work to change consumption patterns.

• Empower citizens.

The Green Food Project: Context

‘We will bring together government, industry and environmental partners to reconcile how we will achieve our goals of improving the environment and increasing food production. We will publish

our conclusions within the next 12 months.’(NEWP pg 24, paragraph 2.46)

The Foresight Report on the Future of Food and

Farming had three key messages;

• A radical redesign of the global food system is needed

• Doing nothing is not an option

• Food must move much more centre stage in global policy

development

The UK intends to lead the way on the sustainable intensification of agriculture to meet this challenge

What can we do in the UK?

• Utilised Agricultural Area is 17.2 million hectares, accounting for 70% of land in the UK in 2011.

• Food and drink is the UK’s largest manufacturing sector – contributes 7% of UK GVA, 3.7 million jobs.

• Exports – 6% of all exports, valued over £18bn.

• Consumption – total expenditure on food, drink and catering services £174bn in 2010.

• Natural Environment White Paper

Science and knowledge transfer supporting Science and knowledge transfer supporting sustainable intensificationsustainable intensification

Estimated total spend in 09/10 = £415m(from £408m in in FY07/08)

Science objectives – Global Food Security Programme research themes

Economic resilience - global trade, food market economics,

economic impact of food safety issues, competitiveness of farming and food businesses, authenticity, traceability

Resource Efficiency - water, energy, nutrients, pesticides and

other inputs, improving efficiency and reducing waste throughout the supply chain. (technological innovation)

Sustainable Production - soils, farming systems (pests,

disease, breeding), food production from crops and animals (including fish), food processing and manufacture.

Sustainable, safe, healthy diets - food safety

throughout the supply chain, nutrition, accessibility and consumer behaviour.

Crop Productivity

Livestock Productivity

Waste Reduction

Innovation supporting sustainable intensification

Good sustainability is good business

“Business is the force of change. Business is essential to solving the climate crisis, because this is what business is best at: innovating, changing, addressing risks, searching for opportunities. There is no more vital task.”

Richard Branson

Future workforce

FDF and Sheffield University are offering the country’s first dedicated food and drink engineering degree.

IGD launched first industry-wide Skills Week for 10,000 young people in September.

Opportunities in resource efficiency

Resource efficiency savings - waste

WRAP’s Courtauld Commitment has led to savings of around 670 thousand tonnes of food waste and 520 thousand tonnes of packaging waste between 2006 and 2009.

That’s enough to fill Wembley Stadium or equivalent to stopping half a million around the world flights.

Valuing ecosystem services

• Value of pollinators to UK agriculture estimated at conservative £430 million per annum.

• Net carbon sequestration by UK forests valued at £680 million per annum.

• Wetlands in the UK: estimated value of services delivered of £4.7 billion per annum (flood control, water quality improvements, amenity).

• Recreation: 2.86 billion outdoor recreational visits in England each year with a direct expenditure of over £20 billion per annum.

Don’t forget the consumer

Conclusion

• These issues are difficult: success will need genuine partnership working from all those with an interest.

• Governments needs to be commissioning the right science and evidence, setting the right policy framework to encourage innovation and supporting businesses to improve their sustainability performance.

• Businesses need to be working out how they can adapt and thrive in a resource-constrained world and seize new opportunities.

• There is further work needed to explore how consumers can be supported to make informed choices – a role for businesses, civil society and Governments together.