A fragile global food system
Canada can lead the change toward a sustainable future,
The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us some important lessons, reminding us that our health, economy and way of life are built on a fragile foundation that is far too often taken for granted.
Food security is a case in point. The pandemic effectively shuttered the global hospitality and restaurant sector, resulting in a staggering drop in the demand for potatoes and other food crops. Canadian farmers were left stranded with almost half of their inventories, risking financial ruin that would take farmland out of production for years.
Fortunately for Canadians, our farmers and front-line workers have been able to persevere through this shortterm crisis. But it is a stark reminder that our food supply is not nearly as secure as one might think.
The demographic challenge alone is daunting. Over the next 30 years, feeding the world’s growing population will require an increase in global food production of more than 60 per cent. A report published by Springer Nature estimates that 67 per cent more habitable land will need to be dedicated to agriculture if we don’t change the way we currently do things. If we remember that half of the Earth’s habitable land mass is dedicated to agriculture, this increase would drive deforestation at massive scale and further precipitate irreparable loss of biodiversity.
Can you imagine the impact on our climate if we don’t change how we do things? The food system is already responsible for about one third of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and, without meaningful change, we can expect those emissions to grow by an additional 87 per cent by 2050.
Climate change knows no borders, and as extreme weather events become more common, farmers face a generational threat from major disruption to growing seasons, soil erosion (not least from massive floods that repeat at an alarming rate in Canada) and pest behaviours. We need to confront the reality that the future of the global food supply is now in jeopardy.
The good news is that we have an improving understanding of what it will take to safeguard our food supply. It will require a combination of technological innovation, a heightened commitment to sustainable practices, and structural change to the agriculture economy. It will require a shared resolve to embrace transformation on a massive scale. And Canada can lead the way.
At McCain we recognize we have a special responsibility to embrace sustainability. One out of every four french fries sold around the world comes from one of our plants, supplied by one of our 3,500 farmers. If we want others to take the sustainability challenge seriously, we have to lead by example.
It starts with putting an end to endemic food waste. The numbers are staggering. One third of all global food produced goes to waste. This represents 28 per cent of all agricultural land globally — yes, you read this right, almost every third field we drive by is dedicated to producing waste. If food waste was a country, it would be the third largest emitter of GHG behind the U.S. and China. It is morally not acceptable to allow this systemic waste while so many go hungry.
The solution to food waste is multifaceted; it includes reducing waste on the farm and in storage, embracing new production methods, reducing food losses in retail, in food service and at home. It requires a broad-based collaboration among all actors of the food value chain. And in Canada, we can do much more.
Technology is a key part of the solution. Agriculture has always been a beneficiary of technological change. Today, the combination of satellite and drone imagery, large quantities of data and machine learning technologies are helping farmers increase their yield while consuming far fewer resources, deploying fewer chemicals and reducing their GHG emissions. One such promising technology solution is “vertical farming,” like GoodLeaf in Canada, that allows larger yields in small areas, with no pesticide use and 95 per cent recycled water.
Finally, it is essential that farming practices transform toward sustainable regenerative agriculture practices that protect soils, protect groundwater and restore biodiversity. Today, our reliance on chemicals to drive yield has left more than 30 per cent of all agricultural lands damaged. Rejuvenating this soil and finding ways to grow with less emissions will require a radical transformation in farming practices in Canada, and at a global scale.
To do our part, our company has been promoting these agricultural techniques for years. To further accelerate, we are building three global “Farms of the Future” to showcase the innovations, technology and regenerative farming practices that will define sustainable agriculture in the future. One of these farms will be right here at home in New Brunswick, where the McCain family founded our company more than 60 years ago.
Governments, families and businesses have shown a united resolve in facing the pandemic. We must all show the same resolve in protecting our food security and in transitioning to a truly sustainable food system. It will take meaningful support by Canadian food companies, retailers, food service players and governments to support the farmers who are at the forefront of the transition to a sustainable agriculture. All of our futures depend on it.