The Sustainable Food Lab
bringing more sustainability into
mainstream food systems

2000: 6 billion people

2050: 9.2 billion people

Nitrogenous fertilizer has allowed
food production to keep pace
with population growth.

But....

825 million people are seriously underfed.

825 million people are seriously underfed.
Every five seconds,
a child dies of hunger.
source: FAO

825 million people are seriously underfed.
1970
2002
Per capita food production has increased
everywhere -- except in sub-Saharan Africa.
source: FAO

We produce inexpensive food for the
rich and expensive food for the poor.
photo: swiatek wojtkowiak

We produce inexpensive food for the
rich and expensive food for the poor.
Food Consumption to Total Consumption
Ethiopia 53%
Mexico 34%
France 15%
US 14%
source: FAO
photo: swiatek wojtkowiak

Falling commodity prices put stress
on farms and farmers.

Falling commodity prices put stress
on farms and farmers.
Global Fertilizer Use
2000
1950

We’re losing large
numbers of farms.

We’re losing large
numbers of farms.
% change in number of farm enterprises, European Union, 1982-1993
0
UK
NL
Spain
Italy
Ireland
Greece
France
Germany
Denmark
Finland
Austria
Belgium
Luxemborg
Sweden
-5
-9
-10 -10
-10 -13
-15
-16
-18
-20 -22
-23
-25
-26
-30
-30
-37
source: FAO
-40

And critical amounts of soil.

And critical amounts of soil.
Land area the size of China
and India combined has
been severely degraded in
the last 60 years.

The journey from farm to fork is
contributing to global warming.

some questions

How will we manage the commons?

How do we balance food mile
concerns with poverty goals?
UK
9.3
Kenya
0.2
Per Capita
Carbon Emissions
(tons/year)

How will we allocate cropland to meet
our food, feed, fuel, and fiber needs?

How do we keep market forces from
squeezing out the small producers?

How do we make public food service a driver
of sustainability and health?

How do we make public food service a driver
of sustainability and health?
every
One of
three American children
born in 2000 is expected
diabetes in
to develop
their lifetime.
source: CDC

Is there a place for family farms
in a world of globalization?

How do we tackle these questions?

together

vision

Enough food toto feedthe world.
Enough food feed the world.

Fair returns for farmers and farm workers.

Increasing soil fertility.

Abundant, clean water.

Preservation of biodiversity.

Protection of fragile fisheries.

Energy production, consumption, and
emissions that the world can sustain forever.

Profitable businesses.

process

Food Lab members are encouraged to go
deep to look for new solutions.
let go U Theory act with new
and Senge
understanding
observe Scharmer
Jaworski
Flowers
retreat and reflect:
allow inner knowing to emerge

The U theory posits a new understanding of the
world that no longer fragments the wisdom
of the head, heart, and hand.
Senge, Scharmer, Jaworski, Flowers, Presence

Try to love the questions themselves....
Rilke

a few initiatives

Green Mountain Coffee and the International Center for
Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) are measuring the impact of
procurement specifications on poverty.

Rome officials are sharing food
purchasing guidelines with
US schools.

SYSCO and the IPM Institute have developed new
standards for suppliers that are reducing the use of
chemicals and natural resources.

Standards and labeling of fish from Lake Victoria
will improve lives in fishing villages around the lake.

A Biofuels Team is developing standards for
use by policy makers and investors.

A coalition of large cities has agreed to work
together on strategies for sustainability.

The goal: find ways of working
together so we can....

turn small change....

....into big change.

now blogging!
www.sustainablefood.org