Food sustainability is not much of a priority in our minds when selecting our favorite food product from the market. There may be various factors that shape up our decision, but mostly it is the price and the sensory attributes of the food. However, with changing times, a third factor is rapidly gaining popularity- SUSTAINABILITY. Although having heard about this term, most of us are unclear as to what it means, and why should we be moving towards sustainability in the near future. The food sector accounts for about 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 70% of the freshwater is used for agriculture (3). These figures are just the tip of the iceberg. With the expanding population, it is almost impossible to continue food production in a similar manner that will keep destroying the earth until we find out better alternatives.
Sustainable food production is the key to the solution of these issues. It means producing food with a holistic approach, such that it does not have major environmental impacts or in other words, be healthy for our planet. The major implication of this is in the agriculture sector. Since times immemorial, farmers have played a key role as environmentalists. Sustainable agriculture focuses on using fewer natural resources, reducing non-essential antibiotics or growth supplements, looking out for hygienic work practices for the environment, and so on.
We cannot turn a blind eye to the atrocity caused to animals during meat production. Hence, more and more people are now turning to vegan options. Even for farmers going for livestock production have shifted to animal welfare techniques. They allow the grazing of animals in the open and do not prohibit them in a confinement. The respect of the animals is taken into consideration, to reduce the pain and suffering of the animals.
IKEA launched its Better Food Programmes to encourage sustainable agriculture. The sourcing of their produce is primarily based on farmed animal welfare, antibiotics use, and environmental footprint at the farm level. It aims to implement it to all its eggs, chicken, pork, beef, dairy, and salmon by 2025. Better Chicken Programme was one of its first programs to be launched in January 2018. The company listed down criteria for its suppliers, which were addressed at the farm level supported by a few transportation and slaughter criteria as well. Maximum stocking density of 30 kg/m2, minimum of 8 hours continuous daylight and 6 hours continuous darkness, Improved environmental conditions including dry and friable litter, improved air quality, and a focus on thermal comfort were some of the guidelines mentioned in this program.
All of these practices are not new to our culture. Small-scale industries have all been following them for a long time, probably due to a lack of resources. However, it is time that big-scale companies also realize the importance of the concern. With the agriculture sector fast moving towards sustainability, other sectors are not far behind. Industries are shifting towards recyclable packaging materials, alternatives for meat products, efficient energy, and water use for production and innovative approaches towards manufacturing. In the long run, even a small change for one industry will make a huge difference.
Taking up a new initiative, Tyson Foods has united with multi-stakeholders to “advance the future of sustainable protein.” It aims to reduce the loss of food and water, and increasing access to sustainable protein options for the wide population. It will identify solutions for the same and activate those through pilot programs. This is not the first time, Tyson Foods has joined hands towards sustainability. Its earlier approaches such as improved land stewardship, partnership with the World Resources Institute to set Science-Based greenhouse gas reduction targets, reduction in water use intensity 12% by 2020, and working with Proforest to identify deforestation risks across the company’s global supply chain sets an example for the food industry.
The Sustainable Food Awards, organized by Ecovia Intelligence, encourages operators that are building up a sustainable food environment. It grants awards for five categories namely New Sustainable Product, Sustainable Packaging, Sustainable Ingredient, Sustainability Pioneer, and Sustainability Leadership. In 2019, the award for New sustainable product was given to IBIS Rice, Cambodia (for its organic, wildlife-friendly jasmine rice made by 1,000 Cambodian rice farmers, protecting 500,000 hectares of forest and wetlands, and conserving over 50 animal species), Sustainable packaging to VegWare, UK (FoodService bowls that are plant-based and compostable), Sustainable Ingredient to Barilla, Italy (Mulino Bianco Soft wheat produced according to sustainable agriculture, and used in the Mulino Bianco Buongrano biscuit), Sustainability Pioneer to Alara Wholefoods, UK (for organic breakfast cereal company that has pioneered many initiatives, including zero-waste and carbon-neutral facilities, as well as adopting compostable packaging.) and lastly the Sustainable Leadership jointly to ABP Food Group, Ireland(for introducing a raft of initiatives to reduce its environmental impacts) and Cà Colonna, Italy( for integrating biodiversity into agri-food supply chains.)
With companies and agriculturalists fast moving towards sustainability, it is now the job at our end to pick products that have been nurtured keeping its environmental impact in mind.
References
1. What does food sustainability really mean? Article by Eco & Beyond.
6. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-57078-5_2
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