Food systems 'not sustainable' UN group says

Friday, May 1, 2015

The Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says that our current global food systems are not sustainable in the face of the challenges of the 21st century, The Cattle Site reports.

At the International Forum on Agriculture and Climate Change (IFACC) in Paris last February, José Graziano da Silva said that the current food systems "cannot prevent the degradation of soils and the loss of biodiversity."

Although worldwide there are 100 million fewer chronically hungry people compared to a decade ago, The Cattle Site reports that 805 million people still face chronic hunger. This is despite the fact that current global food production is enough to feed everyone. According to the Huffington Post, since 1945 food production has tripled, with the average per capita supply up 40 per cent. "Since food production is not a sufficient condition for food security, it means that the way we are producing is no longer acceptable," Graziano da Silva told IFACC delegates.

Graziano da Silva advised that food systems need to become more "sustainable, inclusive and resilient." The Cattle Site says the Director-General recommends "climate-smart agriculture," which involves changing farming practices to make them more adaptive and resilient to environmental pressures while also decreasing the environmental impacts of farming.

Throughout 2015 (the UN-designated International Year of Soils) FAO will be in charge of co-ordinating activities to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of soil for food security and the ecosystem, The Cattle Site reports. BF