Charting a course for food system innovation
(Photo: Olga Rukovits)
as part of New York Climate WeekExperts, policymakers, educators and students came together for a day of discussions on a wide range of food systems issues and ways to create a more resilient future.this Innovative diet Sessions include interdisciplinary presentations, discussions and interactive games.
In his opening speech, Colombia Climate School Interim Dean Jeffrey Samman A sobering reminder that the global food system is currently under threat. He told attendees that three billion people cannot afford to eat healthy. “Food system transformation provides a clear entry point into addressing some of these challenges,” he said.
Dhanush Dinesh, founder of non-profit organization climate diet, asking viewers to think back not only on their career successes, but also on their previous failures. He asked, who here has learned from a major setback? Who wants to talk about this publicly? Almost everyone in attendance stood up. Dinesh says embracing failure and discussing it honestly is necessary to create lasting solutions. He added that in order to achieve change on a global scale, we need to acknowledge that access to food exists as a system.
“Everything we’re doing in the Anthropocene is causing more climate variability and climate change, which has a huge impact on food,” said Jessica Fanzoprofessor and director of climatology Food for Humanity Initiative at the Columbia University Climatology Institute.
Fanzo said long-term climate projections point to declining food production and impacts on the nutritional value of some foods, especially in parts of the world already vulnerable to economic instability.
With 10% of the world’s population currently undernourished and more fires, floods, heat waves and other extreme events occurring, more people will be at risk of food and water insecurity in the near future – this is a must The problem solved, Fanzo said, is at the level of the entire system.
“How do we hold ourselves accountable to make a change?” she asked. “Our government is not doing enough. We all need to play a role. We need to make big, bold changes.”
True to its name, the campaign continues “Innovation Showdown” Interactive game show hosted by director Andy Jarvis The future of food at the Bezos Earth Fund. Competitors showcase novel products and technologies that have the potential to revolutionize the food industry. (After a fierce competition, Jarvis revealed that the participants, all Columbia University students, had a short period of time to work on the most promising proposals in three areas: plant nutrition, sustainable livestock, and next-generation crops. .)
There are two more sessions in the afternoon, focusing on expanding innovation and The future of food systemsINNOV-EAT ends with Geeta Sethi’s keynote speech, Food Systems Advisor and Global Lead, World Bank.
“The huge amount of activity and energy focused on food systems at the New York and Columbia Climate Schools this week shows that there is a very urgent interest in scaling up evidence-based solutions,” said Jessica Fanzo.
