Food transitions 2030
This policy document (PDF), by Wageningen University and Research (WUR), provides a vision on the required transition from the current unsustainable food system to a healthy, circular and resource-efficient paradigm. This is a hugely complex transition since the multiple aspects of food production and consumption are closely interconnected and changing one aspect can easily have major unintended consequences. Therefore an integrated vision is proposed characterized by four objectives, which are to be pursued through eight scientific approaches combined within a matrix, always aiming for societal acceptance and citizen appreciation. The four challenges that need to be solved to secure a sustainable, high-quality food production system are: 1) nutrition for sustainable and healthy diets, 2) climate smart and environmentally sustainable food systems, 3) circularity and resource efficiency of food systems and 4) innovation and empowerment of communities. There are eight developments in modern science that are particularly relevant to addressing the objectives: Smart animal and plant breeding; next-level agriculture; blue growth; protein transitions; innovations in post-harvest food production and processing; digital societies; food practice; and public and global one health and well-being. More than ever, agriculture and food cannot be perceived as isolated sectors that require separate policies. Only a large-scale cooperation between private partners, knowledge partners, consumer organisations, NGOs, investors and governments can generate the momentum required to shift the paradigms and develop components of the system to new states.