Putterill, Hannah C D (2023) Identifying Inefficiencies in the Food System: How to Feed 9.7 Billion People in 2050. Bachelor thesis, Global Responsibility & Leadership (GRL).
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Abstract
The use of pesticides in agriculture is harmful to both human health and the environment. However, it is still argued that increasing the use of pesticides is required to feed the growing population. By 2050, 9.7 billion people will inhabit Earth, begging the question of how everyone will be fed despite 702 - 828 million people already suffering from food insecurity. This paper identifies two parts of the food system as inefficiencies: the meat industry and food waste. It suggests that if meat consumption is reduced by 5% and 50%, between 115 and 127 million people and between 1.15 and 1.27 billion more people could be fed, respectively. Similarly, if food waste were reduced by 5% and 50%, 169 million and 1.69 billion people would be fed, respectively. To feed the population in 2050 whilst simultaneously achieving a reduction in pesticides requires significant changes in meat consumption and food waste patterns. To achieve a 10%, 25% and 50% reduction in pesticides, meat consumption and food waste need to decrease by 57%, 66% and 82%, respectively. In light of these results, the paper suggests that, although reducing meat consumption and food waste will have positive impacts on feeding the population, it needs to be combined with shifts in the food system, such as moving toward a food sovereignty paradigm.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
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| Name supervisor: | Gallo, V. |
| Date Deposited: | 12 Sep 2023 09:52 |
| Last Modified: | 12 Sep 2023 09:52 |
| URI: | https://campus-fryslan.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/275 |
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