Future Food Systems
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Future Food Systems
Use the future to build the present
Future Food Systems
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5.5SyntheticBiology5.4Science ofthe Originsof Life5.3FutureEconomics5.2Future ofEducation5.1ComplexSystemsScience4.4Democracy-affirming Technologies4.1Science-basedDiplomacy4.2Advances inScience Diplomacy4.3Digital Technologiesand Conflict3.7InfectiousDiseases3.6Solar RadiationModification3.5OceanStewardship3.4SpaceResources3.3Future FoodSystems3.2WorldSimulation3.1Decarbonisation2.6FutureTherapeutics2.5Organoids2.4ConsciousnessAugmentation2.3RadicalHealthExtension2.2HumanApplicationsof GeneticEngineering2.1CognitiveEnhancement1.6CollectiveIntelligence1.5AugmentedReality1.4BiologicalComputing1.3Brain-inspiredComputing1.2QuantumTechnologies1.1AdvancedAIHIGHEST ANTICIPATIONPOTENTIAL
5.5SyntheticBiology5.4Science ofthe Originsof Life5.3FutureEconomics5.2Future ofEducation5.1ComplexSystemsScience4.4Democracy-affirming Technologies4.1Science-basedDiplomacy4.2Advances inScience Diplomacy4.3Digital Technologiesand Conflict3.7InfectiousDiseases3.6Solar RadiationModification3.5OceanStewardship3.4SpaceResources3.3Future FoodSystems3.2WorldSimulation3.1Decarbonisation2.6FutureTherapeutics2.5Organoids2.4ConsciousnessAugmentation2.3RadicalHealthExtension2.2HumanApplicationsof GeneticEngineering2.1CognitiveEnhancement1.6CollectiveIntelligence1.5AugmentedReality1.4BiologicalComputing1.3Brain-inspiredComputing1.2QuantumTechnologies1.1AdvancedAIHIGHEST ANTICIPATIONPOTENTIAL

Emerging Topic:

3.3Future Food Systems

    Associated Sub-Fields

    Food is fundamental to our existence, and the challenge before us is to build a resilient, sustainable system able to produce and distribute sufficient nutrition for a growing global population. By 2050 our planet will be home to around 10 billion people whose environment is increasingly affected by the vicissitudes of climate change. This task is complex and multifaceted at every level, and differs according to geography, socioeconomics, politics, and access to technology. It will take a multitude of approaches and technologies to meet this challenge.

    Show advancements in the past year

    There is reason for optimism, however. Over the last century, developments such as the Haber-Bosch nitrogen fixation process, advances in fertilisers, mechanisation and innovative breeding techniques have significantly improved agricultural yield. Developments in gene manipulation technologies have already transformed many aspects of agriculture, resulting in crops with genetic traits that boost yields, nutritional value, drought resistance and more. This technology is relatively young, and with the rise of gene-editing technologies, the stage is set for rapid advances in this arena.

    There are new issues to resolve. The daily consumption of calories is increasing globally, and a growing middle class — especially in developing countries — is increasing demand for animal protein, which is perceived as being of higher quality. However, there is also a growing awareness that we can find protein alternatives and reduce our consumption of meat to curb the greenhouse emissions of livestock. A growing range of alternative proteins have a role to play here, from plant-based sources to cell-cultured beef.

    Resolving issues with food waste will also help. Currently, around 40 per cent of globally produced food is wasted. This is enough to support a significant amount of the global population if we manage to prevent the loss and maintain this in the food chain through novel, innovative processes.

    We can also improve global health through food. Changes in food consumption — the increase in daily calories and the ways we process and prepare food, for example — have had a big impact on the state of metabolic health globally; these lifestyle and diet changes have driven obesity and diabetes to the level of a global pandemic. This can be turned around by moving from producing calories to producing valuable, healthy food using food as an important factor to maintain and improve health. For a significant proportion of the global population, basic access to nutrition is the priority. But for many lucky enough to live in wealthier nations, the emphasis will move towards personalised nutrition for increased health and quality of life, fuelled by advances in consumer technology.

    Selection of GESDA Best Reads and further key reports

    There are a number of extensive, well-researched overviews investigating the future of our food systems. The IPCC, for instance, included food security in its 2019 report “Climate Change and Land”.1 In 2020, the Global Panel on Agriculture for Food Systems and Nutrition issued “Future Food Systems: For people, our planet, and prosperity”, which lays out an extensive analysis of the issues for policymakers.2 The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services issued a “Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services” in 2019.3 More recently, the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (iPES Food) published a report on ways to transform food systems by 2045.4

    Emerging Topic:

    Anticipation Potential

    Future Food Systems

    Sub-Fields:

    Ecosystem-level Genetic Modification
    Alternative Proteins
    Resilient Farming
    Personalised Nutrition
    Re-imagining the future of our food systems will involve complex and interrelated developments in a host of disciplines and will be built on centuries worth of agricultural knowledge. Nowhere is this more obvious than with resilient farming, where respondents highlighted the high level of convergence between fields required to achieve breakthroughs. Nonetheless, the area highlighted as requiring the greatest anticipatory focus was ecosystem-level genetic modification, due largely to low awareness of its potential and the long road to the technology's maturity, with significant progress and deployment more than 15 years away.

    GESDA Best Reads and Key Resources

    Article

    Future Food Systems: For people, our planet, and prosperity - September 2020

    Published:

    8th Aug 2021
    This report includes important recommendations and advice for leaders at the most senior levels in countries and international organisations. It is also of direct relevance to decision makers, professionals, actors in the private sector, experts and researchers with interests in food systems and diets. Many of these individuals will be directly concerned with the production, processing, trade, regulation, supply and safety of food. However, others may work in wider areas of policy and business, for example relating to: public health and well-being, education, economic development and investment, urbanisation, globalisation and demography. This report and executive summary are necessarily technical due to the nature of the subject matter. However, they set out the practical steps which are essential for food systems transformation, and the process of change.