Sustainable food systems: food production & security in a changing climate

Do you know where your food comes from and how it got to your plate? The world’s food system is complex and includes production, transport, processing, packaging, storage, retail, consumption, loss and waste. It supports the livelihoods of over 1 billion people while also contributing one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, it continues to elude leading sustainability forums as an area for urgent action, including the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference, representing a lost opportunity for coordinated action.

The food system is under pressure from climate change and other factors like population and income growth, and demand for animal-sourced products. These challenges in turn perpetuate food insecurity in the form of unequal access to healthy, affordable, convenient, and appropriate meals for all. In promoting a green and just transition to net-zero emissions, the food system must be integrated into Australia’s climate change response across all levels of governance.

Focusing on food production and waste, this event will focus on one key problem of the food system: food security. In the face of climate change, land degradation, current land management practices, and a doubling population by 2050, Western Australia’s agriculture sector and food security will be affected. Our panel will discuss the steps needed to mitigate against and adapt to these challenges.

Panel line-up:

Dr Ben Cole, Managing Director of Wide Open Agriculture
Ronni Kahn AO, CEO and Founder of OzHarvest
I-Lyn Loo, Director Regional Development, Wheatbelt Development Commission
Dr Caitlin Moore, UWA School of Agriculture and Environment