Crisis over food sustainability ‘can be solved by technology’
TECHNOLOGY will provide the best solution to the problem of food sustainability, experts told an audience at the Evening Standard food debate.
Industry bosses gathered at Somerset House last night at a forum on technology and food, hosted by the Evening Standard in conjunction with Syngenta, a leading agriculture company.
Editor Sarah Sands chaired the panel, which included a senior Syngenta representative and the co-owner of natural fast food chain Leon.
The group discussed problems such as food waste, famine, the obesity crisis and genetically modified foods. Talk even turned to the ethics of longer-lasting mushrooms, super-sized salmon and best-by and use-by dates.
Alex Steel, the territory head of Europe North at Syngenta, spoke of the problems facing farmers, such as globalised markets, diseases and pests. He suggested that British consumers were “over-serviced”, leading them to expect the produce they desire to always be available in supermarkets.
He told the audience: “There is no single technology that solves all these problems that farmers face. It’s really important for all of us to understand what we consume and how that connects down the value chain.
“This is not about right or wrong or black or white, it’s about trying to have an open dialogue. It’s about trying to produce the right food in a sustainable manner.”
Henry Dimbleby, the co-founder of Leon Restaurants, said: “I disagree with Alex when he said it’s not a question of right or wrong. I think it fundamentally is, and ethics are right at the centre of this debate. We are talking about people’s lives, who live a long way away from us. It’s not us who die when there are famines, because we are eating their food. I’m very optimistic that technology is going to solve our food problems, but I think there will be massive tension between government and private companies about what’s good for society and what’s good for massive corporations.” Peter Sargeant, chief operating officer of vegetable growers G’s Fresh Salads and Mushrooms, said: “We are planting every day of the year and constantly adjusting what we plant to weather predictions. We are using all technolo-