SEI report: Climate-resilient agriculture and plant-based shift key to addressing food crises

Extreme weather events and increasing geopolitical tensions have heightened food security concerns amid disruptions to global F&B supply chains, according to a new report by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). This has resulted in inflationary pressures and reduced food accessibility. 

The SEI and research program Mistra Geopolitics suggest that adopting climate-resilient agriculture practices, improving national food production, focusing on the uptake of plant-based diets and reducing food waste can help reduce dependency on international food markets.

“Climate-resilient agricultural practices at local, national and regional scales ensure a sufficient and stable domestic food supply and reduce dependency on global food markets, mitigating the transboundary effects of climate impacts and geopolitical turmoil on food security,” lead author and SEI research fellow Sara Talebian tells Food Ingredients First.

“While bolstering agricultural productivity, these practices minimize the adverse impacts of agriculture to ecological health and environment for the decades to come.”

The report, launched at the Food, Agriculture and Water Day at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, calls for a “paradigm shift” that moves away from ecologically harmful practices.

Talebian suggests that to facilitate this shift, F&B companies can fund agricultural research to drive the adoption of climate-resilient agricultural practices, guide crop diversification and optimize yields and resource use efficiency. Governments, too, can provide policy incentives for sustainable practices, the report stresses.

Supply chain challenge and opportunities

Geopolitical conflict is fuelling supply chain concerns about essential commodities like grains, coffee, sugar, citrus and other produce. Talebian says F&B businesses can secure supply chains by “sourcing locally and diversifying suppliers.”

“This way, they can build resilience to trade disruptions and price shocks. They can also invest in resilient logistics and transportation systems to withstand climate-related disruptions to infrastructure.”

Recent research by economic experts has confirmed that food production will continue to face sustainability and affordability challenges despite agricultural output continuing to grow at roughly the same rate in the last six decades.

Sara Talebian, research fellow at Stockholm Environment Institute. Additionally, stringent border checks in different regions pose significant difficulties for cross-border food trade, as about a quarter of the world’s food production passes through international checkpoints.

The SEI emphasizes plurilateral cooperation as vital to addressing transboundary food security risks amid these difficulties.

“Policymakers need to build trust through diplomatic alliances and engage in new forms of collaboration, e.g., cooperation among smaller groups of countries that share values, interests or risks,” says Talebian.

“We recommended reducing trade barriers and fostering agreements that enhance the flow of agricultural goods and resources, ensuring accessibility and affordability of food for citizens.”

The SEI report cites research that indicates lowering food waste at all stages of the supply chain can also lead to gains in food availability and security while tackling environmental losses.

For businesses, “cutting food loss at all stages of the supply chain can significantly improve food availability and resource efficiency,” she notes.

“Businesses should adopt technologies to manage inventory better and reduce spoilage and engage and participate in awareness raising efforts to affect consumer behavior positively.”

Pushing plant-based

Innovation in the plant-based space is escalating as consumer curiosity about their food’s source and environmental and nutritional footprint surges. While plant-based diets offer an eco-friendlier alternative to conventionally farmed meat, challenges remain.

“These include overcoming socio-cultural food preferences and norms, ensuring economic accessibility, enhancing the availability of plant-based options and equity considerations for the livelihoods of small-holder farms,” Talebian points out.

“We recommend businesses to play an active role in the transition to plant-based diets by raising awareness of health and environmental benefits, offering affordable plant-based alternatives and investing in research on alternative foods and sustainable diets.”