Many argue that the food industry is wholly responsible for driving change in the global food and agriculture system, while others say that governments and individual consumers need to do more to act on issues like food security and rising rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Speaking to delegates and industry experts at the recent Food Vision event, FoodNavigator asked who is really responsible for battling against the world’s biggest food-related challenges.
Experts reacted with a mixed bag of comments, with Virpi Varjonen of Invenire Market Intelligence suggesting that since it is business ‘that makes the world go round’ … “it is the businesses that should take the responsibility to solve all of these problems.”
Francios Scheffler, vice president and head of BASF’s Human Nutrition business added that with nine billion people to feed on the planet very soon, it is vital that the industry learns to ‘do more for them with less’.
Meanwhile Jens Bleiel, CEO of Food For Health Ireland suggested that when it comes to obesity, the industry has already failed, and will continue to ‘surrender’ to the condition.