The current state of our food system has been a source of heated debate in recent times, with farmers, environmentalists, and health campaigners at odds. However, Britain and the rest of the world have started embracing new ideas to fix our broken food system. Despite the constant stream of negative news around food and farming, several hopeful signs suggest a brighter future for the industry.
Founder of Riverford Organic Farms in Devon, Guy Singh-Watson believes sustainable farming can feed 10 billion people globally using agriculture practices that sequester carbon, and increase biodiversity. He advocates the need for complexity in farming and reducing monoculture farming practices. His Riverford farms are the embodiment of that complexity with various crops and wildlife habitats. Currently, he is exploring silvopasture, which involves grazing beef cattle under hazelnut and walnut trees to increase protein yield by four times while sequestering carbon and promoting biodiversity.
According to Henry Dimbleby, author of the book “Ravenous,” a significant shift in our dietary habits will be key to improving our food system. We need to reduce our reliance on meat and dairy while moving toward less processed foods. Although there are signs of progress, meat consumption in the UK only decreased by 17% between 2009 and 2018, whereas climate groups believe it must fall further.
Several farming solutions that can aid in reducing our environmental footprint are emerging from technology. Innovative techniques like robotic weed control and remote monitoring of soil productivity are poised to transform how farmers cultivate crops. By using remote monitoring, farmers can analyse soil productivity and identify crop problems on a minute scale. This allows farmers to look at how to maximise productivity and yield using techniques like intercropping, which encourage a virtuous circle and enable the growth of wild plants.
Regenerative agriculture is getting traction with several estates and farmers backing it. At Groundswell Festival, which promotes agricultural reform, almost every exhibit seemed to have embraced this change. They believe that regenerative agriculture has to be the way forward as it promotes soil conservation and boosts biodiversity. Furthermore, new crops like chickpeas and lentils are proving effective due to their usefulness in crop rotation systems, need for less fertiliser, and intercropping capabilities.
A revolutionary change in food production could come from lab-grown meat or precision fermentation. These could put an end to the demand for beef and dairy, according to RethinkX thinktank, reducing the environmental impact of the food system by up to 70%. However, the long-term health issues caused by such changes require further scrutiny, warns Dimbleby.
Despite the challenges ahead, there is a sense of optimism that the situation is changing, and that the younger generation is leading the way in forging a sustainable future
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