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