There is probably nothing more fundamental in our lives than the food we eat.

Today on World Food Day, we celebrate the value and diversity of food cultures across the globe – but we also remember that our current food systems are far from being inclusive, resilient, or sustainable. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that around 2.8 billion people do not have access to healthy diets and around 733 million suffer from hunger (2022 figures). Food systems are also responsible for about a third of global greenhouse gas emissions and are a leading driver of deforestation and resource use. The FAO therefore calls upon governments to promote the ‘right to foods for a better life and a better future’. However, what global leaders need to realize is that without a shift towards more plant-rich diets and production – especially in the Global North – it will be impossible to create truly inclusive and sustainable food systems. In fact, our current animal-centric, resource-intensive modes of food production are one of the main reasons why so many people are still left behind.

How the Global South is left behind

Our intensified food system marginalizes many people in the Global South because of the excessive appetite and push for higher profits in the Global North. The overconsumption of animal-based products in the North is facilitated by current industrialized, animal-centric food systems that exploit the South as a source of animal feed, while swamping local markets with incredibly cheap products.

Despite this overproduction, food is still very unevenly distributed across the globe, which exacerbates food insecurity in many parts of the world. One of the reasons for this is that instead of growing crops for direct human consumption, we are growing feed for animals. About 40% of global cropland is used for this purpose, and intensive animal farming uses around a third of the world’s grain, and two-thirds of soy, maize, and barley crops.

This is not to suggest that communities in the Global South should completely abandon animal farming. But what we need to realize is that the exporting of Western-style diets and intensified modes of production often trap local farmers in unsustainable profit cycles rather than empowering them. Many of the feed crops used in the North are not adapted to the climate of countries in the South, and need a staggering amount of water, as well as being more vulnerable to changes in temperature and weather patterns. This creates insecurity for small-scale farmers and threatens their independence.

Why small-scale farmers in the Global North are also struggling

It’s not only the farmers and people from the Global South who are being left behind by the current food system. The intensification of agriculture, and above all animal agriculture, has also put a considerable strain on many small-scale farmers in the Western world, with today’s heavily export-oriented agro-economies having driven many smaller farmers out of business.

The data shows that markets in the Global North have become much more concentrated in recent years, with average farm sizes steadily increasing and the total number of farms decreasing. As a consequence, excessively cheap agricultural output, particularly animal-based products, is swamping markets in the Global South – without improving the economic situation of most farmers in the Global North. According to the European Commission, the average family income for EU farmers in 2022 was just 64% of the average EU income.

Why plant-rich diets contribute to a fairer food system

Shifting towards plant-rich production and more plant-based diets, especially in the Global North, will be key to creating more inclusive and sustainable food systems. Plant-based foods have been shown to be much less resource-intensive and to emit much lower levels of greenhouse gasses than animal-based products. And, because they can be directly consumed by humans instead of going through the stomach of an animal first, plant-based staples can feed far more people using far fewer resources.

Last but not least, there are plenty of indigenous crops that are better adapted to local environments and climates, and are much more drought-resilient than the crops grown for animal feed. Preserving and promoting knowledge about these crops and traditional farming techniques can be an important contribution to creating more food security for those who currently rely on water-intensive feed crops that are more vulnerable to climate change.

Promoting systemic change

If we want to create truly inclusive and sustainable food systems that allow for a better life and a better future, a holistic, global approach is needed to create systematic change. While individual action is laudable, above all, we need political commitment. This is why ProVeg is actively advocating for global food systems transformation at the UN level.

Unfortunately, the role of food has mostly been neglected in global climate negotiations. Since the COP27 climate conference in 2022, ProVeg has been working hard to change this and to bring the topic to the highest-level negotiations. And last year, thanks to extensive campaigning by ProVeg and our collaborators, two-thirds of the catering at COP28 was plant-based – for the first time.

This year, together with our partners, we will organize the ActionOnFood Hub at COP29, providing a vital space for discussing a just transition away from harmful resource-intensive agriculture and towards fair, healthy, humane and resilient food systems.

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