Food – a Key Issue
In 2050, around 9 billion people will be living on Earth. Limited arable land, climate change, and a fair distribution of resources are pressing problems that seem almost insoluble, especially during wars and epidemics. Feeding the world’s population is already a huge challenge, but it will become even more critical. When people can decide on the type of food they eat, they attach greater importance to safe and healthy food, animal welfare, and the preservation of biodiversity. How will sustainable food systems look in the future to meet these demands? Which changes are needed to improve the global food situation? How do we ensure that the “One Health” idea becomes part of a general health approach? How can we consider the requirements and needs of people, animals, plants, and our environment?
Finding reasonable solutions requires changes in the entire food network – from primary production to consumer behavior. Large-scale innovation is needed, but people who can shape it are scarce. Science – in close coordination with business and politics – is called upon to address these challenges.
