Global Nutrition and Planetary Health
These slides were generously donated to the SOPHEA project by
Given Moonga
November 2023
You may use these slides under the following Creative Commons license:
Overview: In this presentation
The global food system
Food systems encompass the production, processing, packaging, distribution, marketing, purchasing, consumption, and waste of food
Food systems worldwide are becoming more and more aligned
Globally, the consumption of energy- dense, processed foods and animal products is on the rise
One third of food worldwide is wasted
Undernutrition
811 million people worldwide are chronically hungry
1 in 5 children worldwide is stunted
3,1 billion people are unable to afford a healthy diet
Food prices have increased over the last years
FAO 2020
Because of structural inequalities, indigenous people are more affected
Food insecurity is 10% higher in women than in men (up from 6% before the pandemic)
FAO 2022
Overnutrition
2,6 billion people worldwide are obese
If current trends continue, 50 % of the world population will be obese by 2050
Double burden – obesity and malnutrition
Bodirsky et al, 2020
Dietary habits threaten human health
Globally, 20% of premature deaths are attributable to unhealthy diets
Non-communicable diseases are on the rise globally
Global Burden of Disease Study 2020
Environmental effects of our food system
Climate Crisis
Food systems contribute ~30% of global � greenhouse gases
14,5% of global GHGs are attributable to the production of animal-sourced foods
UN Emissions Gap Report 2021
Ivanovich et al., 2023
Carbon footprint of food
(Bio)diversity loss in agriculture
Just 1% of farms control 70% of global farmland
There are probably around 10.000 edible plant species on earth, humans have cultivated ~6.000
Today, the world mostly grows 9 species
Rice, potatoes, corn and wheat account for 2/3 of food-energy� intake
Soil health and biodiversity below ground are the source of� almost all of our food calories
Land degradation, mostly through intensive agriculture, now affects 20-40 % of global land area
Guardian graphic
Planetary Health and Food Security
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johndrake/2021/04/22/what-
is-planetary-health/
Animal and human health are interlinked
Three quarters of human infections are of zoonotic origin
The destruction of natural habitats and the intensive livestock industry increase the risk of pandemics
The excessive use of antibiotics in animal husbandry is a major reason for the emergence of antibiotic microbial resistances
GAO Biosurveillance 2011
Future food security
Climate crisis, soil degradation and biodiversity loss are� major threats to food security
By 2100, 30 % of agricultural land might be unsuitable for cultivation
Livestock cultivation will be impaired, as will the output of fisheries
In addition, rising CO2- levels cause reductions in nutrient contents
Mora et al. 2017
Feedback loops in the food system
Fanzo et al., 2020
Costs of the food system for our society
The hidden costs of our food system – environmental, health and poverty-related amounts to approximately 12 trillion USD/Year
700 billion USD are paid in agricultural subsidies, yet only 15% positively impact nature
Rice, sugar and meat are the foods most incentivized worldwide, while fruits and vegetables are less supported, sometimes even penalized
Hendriks et al. 2021
Our current food system is..
Unequal
Unhealthy
The biggest driver of the transgression of planetary boundaries
A threat to future food security
Not shock-resistant!
Without a food system transformation, most of the SDGs will be out of reach
Stockholm Resilience Center
Time for change: A food system transformation
EAT Lancet 2019
Reducing food loss and waste
Cutting food loss and waste by 50% is crucial to reach environmental goals and SDGs
Shafijee-Jood et al. 2016
Transforming agriculture
Agroecological methods include
cover cropping
Intercropping
crop rotation and
agroforestry
Implementing them can
Reduce reliance on fertilizers and pesticides
Help restore nature and biodiversity
Regenerate soils
Help store carbon
Improve nutritional status
Make food systems more resilient to pests and extreme weather events
The potential of a food system transformation
Cut GHG emissions by
>20 %
Halt biodiversity loss
Restore soil health and
soil carbon storage
Reduce inequality and malnutrition
Prevent 11 million premature deaths per year
IPCC 2022
Action points