System is not resilient
Meat consumption threatens global food supply
10/10/2022 8:16 am
The war in Ukraine causes food prices to rise. The current global food supply system is fragile. According to a study, this is mainly due to the high meat consumption and resource-intensive production.
According to a study by management consultancy PwC Strategy&, the current way of food production and above all the high consumption of meat are endangering the future global food supply. According to the PwC study “The Coming Sustainable Food Revolution” the food industry is now responsible for two thirds of global fresh water consumption, for three quarters of nutrient pollution in water and for a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions. ).
In view of the further increasing world population, a change of course in food production is urgently needed, the experts write. Because the current system is not resilient. The Ukraine war was enough to trigger a dramatic increase in global food prices. According to the PwC study, the sharp increase in global meat consumption over the past few decades plays a central role. Around 80 percent of agricultural land is currently used directly or indirectly for meat production. However, this would only cover 11 percent of global calorie consumption.
Changing eating habits is therefore a crucial step in order to continue to ensure that the world population is fed in the future. Even replacing beef with chicken could halve carbon emissions in meat production and reduce water consumption by around 30 percent. The effect is even greater when switching to a vegetarian or vegan diet.
At the same time, however, the harvest and the supply chains would have to be made more efficient so that fewer goods spoil on the way to the consumer. Around a third of all food still has to be disposed of as a result of delays and inefficiency in harvesting, logistics or retail. Digital technology could bring improvements here – for example by optimizing irrigation and fertilization and precisely tracking the goods upon delivery. Taken together, all of this can make a significant contribution to meeting growing food needs in a sustainable manner without significant price increases, the study says.