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Global Trade Week: Panel discussion on the future of food

As part of the Economist Global Trade Week, a panel discussion will be broadcasted on July 1, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm CET

It is about high-tech, urbanism and local ecosystems: what can a global approach teach us about the future of food?

It will definitely be worth the watch. Not only because of the relevance of the topics, but also because it is moderated by Rem Koolhaas, world famous architect and founder of OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture) and his colleague Samir Bantal, director of the AMO research branch in the Netherlands. This guarantees an interesting point of view, which you can also expect from the persons partaking in the discussion. They are no one less than:

  • Carola Schouten: Deputy Prime Minister, Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Government of the Netherlands
  • Louise O. Fresco: President of the Executive Board, Wageningen University & Research
  • Essa Abdulla Al Ghurair: Founder and Chairman, Essa Al-Ghurair Investment, United Arab Emirates

They’ll be discussing the future of food! A very relevant and urgent topic because over 820 million people in the world are undernourished, according to the UN’s 2019 State of Food Security and Nutrition report. The global pandemic in 2020 is estimated to have increased the number further by up to 132 million. At the same time, a study from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization indicates that the cost of food waste, on the global environment, economy, and society, amounts to US$2.6 trillion annually — 3.3% of the global GDP.

Can the current model of food production, processing and consumption sustain? Do malnutrition, urbanization, and climate change render transformation of the global food system imminent? What should a diet for the planet look like? How would it affect the use of land? AgTech has enabled agriculture at unimagined locations. Does that offer a solution to food shortage? Do local food supply chains create more resilient food systems? What does food security truly mean?

Tune in on 1 July for an in-depth discussion on all these questions. Register here or click to read more.