Green & Fair Food: Mission (im)possible? Most citizens, businesses and organisations all over the world agree the need to transform the global food system, both from a quality and a quantity aspect. There are still more than one billion people who are starving or are undernourished, while there is an increase of food-related diseases and a fast growing obesity problem in both the West and East. Due to the fast growing world population, urbanisation, climate change, erosion and restricted resources, this situation is becoming even more urgent. We ask Henk Folkerts, Partner at Rijnconsult, to what extent is transformation even (im)possible.
Hopeful initiatives
Why we need to change and what to do is mostly understood. What’s so difficult is how to realise this, but fortunately there are many initiatives to discover this currently underway. Governments have started waste reduction programmes. Research institutes have increased their research on biodiversity, resource efficiency, soil and crop management. Food companies – both big and small – have introduced new strategies for sustainable food. The cooperation between the agrifood sector and the healthcare sector is increasing. And last but not least citizens, artists and designers have become more involved and active in speeding up the transformation to a sustainable food system. However, transformation will not be easy. Some countries still focus on an extractive policy rather than an inclusive one (Acemoglu and Robinson, 2012). Civil wars lead to disorder and asylum seekers. Natural disasters and erosion destroy land, water and soil. And finally, increased protectionism frustrates free flow of goods, knowledge, people and money. 20
Nevertheless, we are moving step by step in the direction of a more sustainable food system. But is this going fast and effectively enough? To help us go faster and further, we need an increased dialogue on, and the introduction of sustainable business models; the improvement of value chain cooperation; and, the development of regional public private clusters.
that is connected to and part of our bodies, society and culture. Discussing the essentials of this natural food system between citizens, politicians, business people, scientists, designers, artists etc., can contribute to a movement in which these principles are more incorporated in business models, policy measures and consumer behaviour. Value chain
Sustainable business models
The current ‘industrial’ food system is based on profit, monoculture, economies of scale and productivity maximisation. In a sustainable (‘natural’) food system it would not only be about competition but also about co-operation, co-creation, communication and above all, culture. It would focus (fig. 1) not only on tangible assets such as machinery, buildings and labour, but also on intangible assets like knowledge and passion and on ‘memorable’ assets like history, tradition, hospitality and experiences. (Folkerts and Bosman 2007). It would not only be about food quality but also food security, food safety, food experience and food ethics (fig. 2). Food is not an industrial product. It is a natural, living product
A second possibility is improved co-operation between the different linkages in the food chain ( fig. 3). This can help in tuning demand and supply, reducing waste and in improving logistics. And, it can speed up the introduction of new business models like full cost pricing, whereby added costs for keeping the soil clean, animal health, farmer labour and the conversion to sustainable energy sources are translated in added-value and yield for the farmer and the other links in the chain. In the last twenty years many food companies all over the world started with value chain co-operation. It can significantly contribute to a sustainable food system – but it is a long way off and asks leadership and perseverance.