Food Tank’s Post

#WeekendDataRead: Did you know 65% of food-insecure people live in conflict zones, with 1.9 million on the brink of famine? Read CRAF'd partner World Food Programme 2025 Global Outlook and see state of global food insecurity and their ambitious 2025 plan to assist 123 million people across the world. 📖 Read the full report to learn how World Food Programme plans to Save lives and change lives amidst unprecedented challenges.

This week, Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the European Commission’s competitiveness compass, outlining its plans to steer Europe towards growth and innovation. In a recent FEAST Policy Chat we hosted along with open science for open societies - os4os, Samuele Tonello linked this drive for competitiveness to a crucial question: how did it gain so much momentum in Europe, and why is it vital for health sector representatives to resist surrendering to it?   Experts including Professor Tim Lang (City, University of London), Anant Jani (Heidelberg University), and Molly D. Anderson (Middlebury College) pointed out the potential challenges of this narrow focus—especially for Europe’s fragile food systems.   So, what were our key takeaways? 🗨️ Tim Lang: climate change and geopolitical conflict increasingly turn food into a tool of control. Fragile global chokepoints for essentials such as soy, wheat, and maize put Europe at constant risk. 🗨 Anant Jani: sustainable, healthy food must be accessible to everyone—not just privileged consumers. 🗨 Molly Anderson: Europe must rethink urbanisation and strengthen rural producer-consumer connections.   This fixation on market competition with the US and China distracts from more pressing issues:   🥕 Alternatives matter. Should resilience, not competitiveness, guide our future? 🌱 Food democracy goes beyond consumer choice—it requires active citizenship and community engagement. 🥗 Future-proofing food systems demands decentralisation, reduced corporate dominance, and stronger local ties.   👉We weren’t part of the Draghi process—but it’s time we claimed a seat at the table. Europe’s future should prioritise feeding all people well, fostering resilient systems, and safeguarding democracy—not just chasing global competitiveness.   Missed it? No problem. Catch up on the chat here: https://lnkd.in/eeNsqs_d   #PublicHealth #EU #Europe #FoodSystems #Sustainability #FoodDemocracy #EconomyofWellbeing #Economics #Competitiveness #CompetitiveCompass #HealthInequalities #HealthEquity

It's encouraging to see this new paper in Nature Food. I like the graphic that validates diverse sources of knowledge, particularly stemming from lived experience... The paper talks about co-creating knowledge and advocates for "Intercultural co-creation: diverse ways of knowing and being are grounded in different geographical, institutional and epistemic cultures. Thus, intercultural co-creation enables different ways of learning, constructing and passing on knowledge (for example, scientific and Indigenous) to coexist and enrich each other."

Today is World Food Day, please take time to help those in need. The statistics are staggering but as cited below from the FAO the worlds farmers produce enough food for all! "The world's farmers produce enough food to feed more than the global population yet, hunger persists. Around 733 million people are facing hunger in the world due to repeated weather shocks, conflicts, economic downturns, inequality, and the pandemic. This impacts the poor and vulnerable most severely, many of whom are agricultural households, reflecting widening inequalities across and within countries." "Food is the third most basic human need after air and water – everyone should have the right to adequate food. Human rights such as the right to food, life and liberty, work and education are recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and two legally binding international covenants." #worldfoodday #hunger #farmers #globaleffort #dignity

Food security has far-reaching implications for economic stability, public health, social equity, environmental sustainability, and global interdependence. Read more about policies to secure food systems: adbi.me/49OnG13

A thought provoking article from JAFSCD - "In Indigenous cultures, these food systems go hand in hand with health and healing, and it is about time that these knowledge systems be nurtured because of their potential to have positive effects on Indigenous health, well-being, and food security. We argue that weaving local and Indigenous food systems and associated knowledges and perspectives in the development of a food guide can have many positive effects at local, national, and international scales for protecting food environments, restoring Indigenous foodways and cultures, improving food security and accessibility, and promoting local economies through community-based social enterprises." Read the commentary for free: https://lnkd.in/gGFdGvvx

Here’s a short article I wrote for EU4Advice on local food economies. Let me know if you’re interested in joining the Irish Living Lab, which explores the role of short food supply chain advisors or local food facilitators, as well as the training and supports they need. "Local food economies are emerging as a vital response, offering pathways to stronger, self-reliant and resilient communities. By transforming local food systems, we can contribute to protecting and restoring ecosystems while building resilience to the vulnerabilities of long and fragile food supply chains. Beyond addressing crises, this food system transformation represents an opportunity to move from an extractive economy fueled by debt and endless growth to one rooted in wellbeing, cooperation, and regeneration."

Happy World Food Day! 🍉🥑 🥕 Let’s whip up some kindness and serve up smiles, because every bite counts in making our world a tastier place! 🌍 Read more: https://lnkd.in/g2aUuh4v h/t: FOA, UN The world's farmers produce enough food to feed more than the global population yet, hunger persists. Around 733 million people are facing hunger in the world due to repeated weather shocks, conflicts, economic downturns, inequality, and the pandemic. This impacts the poor and vulnerable most severely, many of whom are agricultural households, reflecting widening inequalities across and within countries. Food is the third most basic human need after air and water – everyone should have the right to adequate food. Human rights such as the right to food, life and liberty, work and education are recognised by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and two legally binding international covenants.  United Nations #WorldFoodDay #EndHunger #BetterPlanet #BasicHumanRights #StandSupportCare

🥣 Which are the world's hungriest countries? What are the drivers of global hunger? How can you help? Explore our in-depth Food Insecurity Report, which details the challenges and effective solutions our partners have implemented. Inside, you'll discover the courageous stories of three people — each affected by, yet bravely overcoming, these challenges. Download the report - https://ow.ly/Koii50RTImg #ActOnHunger #NourishedForLife

The right to food is a universal human right protected by international law. To achieve the #RighttoFood means that all people should have access to adequate food. 🌾🌾 Further, the personal right to be free from hunger, and to have adequate food of acceptable quantity is enshrined in the #ConstitutionofKenya 2010, Chapter 4: The Bill of Rights, Part 2: Rights and fundamental freedoms, Article 43: Economic and social rights, (1) (c). Despite these provisions, food insecurity and malnourishment plagues millions of people around the #world.🌐 We therefore need to rethink whether the cause of food insecurity is only a consequence of #climatechange or whether we should be looking at the underlying systemic issues that lead to hunger, such as cultural barriers that undermine the role of women and their contribution to food and nutrition security.🌿🌿 We need to improve how we do agriculture by adopting #foodsystems that enhance the environment, and good for humans. We need to know our farmers, and learn about how they grow our food. We need to support local #supplychains.🍒🍒 As active citizens, we can change the perception that there is nothing we can do about hunger, in any part of the #world.🌎 #Change starts with us!!