Feed and fuel
Luscombe, Belinda. 2024 Jan 11. How to Feed the World Sustainably. TIME.
It is possible to produce the food needed to feed the planet in a way that does not cause irreversible harm to the environment. At the production level, some places like Africa could do better by increasing production using fertilizer and crop genetics whereas areas like northeastern China can scale back and get similar yield with less fertilizer runoff. Physical infrastructure including roads, refrigeration and political infrastructure that allows movement of food across boundaries could more efficiently move food from production to consumption. Additionally, there is a substantial food waste problem in which a third of the food produced is lost in transportation or otherwise wasted. Finally, in order to sustainably feed and the fuel the planet, changing the way people eat to address micronutrient deficiencies would be essential for social stability and food security as undernourishment can stunt growth/development, cognition, and educational capabilities.
Can we sustainably feed and fuel the planet?
Market and policy tools can be used to address issues in the current food system to sustainably feed and fuel the planet. To promote more environmentally conscious food production techniques, labor and capital investments could be made in research and development to maximize crop yield and minimize environmental harm by fertilizer runoff or deforestation. For low income areas, financial assistance to develop modern technology for better storage systems could help prevent large crop losses due to improper storage. Adequate nutrition, which is the basis of a population with strong cognitive skills and educational capabilities, can be addressed using public education campaigns and policies that regulate ingredients in processed food in the interest of public health rather than profit.