Feeding 9 billion people by 2050

With the world population predicted to grow to 9 billion people, can local food help feed the world?

We are told that to feed the world, as we do now, food production must double by 2050. This means continuing to waste 20-30% of food and feeding grain to animals, to produce meat, that could feed 5 billion people instead.

This very good video explains this problem and includes local food production as one of the four strands in the answer to how to feed 9 billion people. As a passionate local food advocate I am disappointed that more is not made of the other benefits of a local food systems, mainly, the benefits of reconnecting people with food producers so encouraging trade and communication leading to better food knowledge.

This knowledge can be hugely beneficial including; using cheap seasonal products, how to cook, eating less meat, how to store over produced foods. All helping reduce waste, and consumption, in the shorter supply chain, as well as from each household.

In addition local reconnection can support schemes like BigBarn’s Crop for the Shop initiative, or as covered in a previous blog, the Chinese authorities giving seeds and compost to people living in blocks of flats. Suddenly local people can go from net consumers, to producers, as they grow their own and join the local food supply chain.

So don’t delay, join the local food industry!