{"id":4342,"date":"2022-10-12T03:48:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-12T01:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ldc.com\/id\/stories-insights\/forging-a-better-food-system-together\/"},"modified":"2024-01-25T16:30:23","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T15:30:23","slug":"forging-a-better-food-system-together","status":"publish","type":"stories-insight","link":"https:\/\/www.ldc.com\/id\/en\/stories-insights\/forging-a-better-food-system-together\/","title":{"rendered":"Forging a better food system, together.\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Forging a better food system, together.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At LDC, we believe that we can have a greater impact by working with others and sharing wisdom to ensure that no one is left behind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a global merchant and processor of agricultural goods, we help provide sustenance for a growing population, working to create fair and sustainable value for the benefit of current and future generations. And this work puts us in a unique position to learn from, empower and create change with like-minded partners across food chains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of these partners is the United Nations<\/em><\/a> (UN), which has set 17 Sustainable Development Goals<\/a> (SDGs) for the year 2030 \u2013 one of which, is to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition<\/a>, and promote sustainable agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, food security is higher and higher up on the global agenda, driven by the adverse effects of an ongoing pandemic, geopolitical crises, a warming climate, trade tensions and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And meanwhile, the global population continues to grow exponentially. By 2050, the world must feed two billion more people, a 25% increase on today\u2019s population<\/a> that will translate to a 56% increase in demand for food compared to 2010<\/a>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how can we achieve this vital SDG target?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Action at the heart of the food chain.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At LDC, we recognize that broad systemic change is needed to advance the global food system toward more responsible production and consumption. From governments to corporations, civil society to academia, and financial institutions to individual consumers – we all need to be part of the change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a global community, we each have a role to play in bringing forward those who could be left behind, or left out, by making agrifood systems more inclusive and creating fair conditions for the production of healthy, nutritious and sustainable food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In particular, we strongly believe in the need to empower smallholder farmers, who produce more than a third of the world\u2019s food and represent 80% of the world’s producers. Although they are one of the foundations of global agrifood systems, smallholders are too often caught in cycles of poverty and food insecurity, and have limited access to market opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To ensure that no one is left behind, we must transform our current system to create fair opportunities for all producers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Collaboration for impact<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Testament to this is our work with the Louis Dreyfus Foundation<\/em><\/a>, expert organizations and local authorities around the world, to invest in the sustainable welfare of farming communities connected with our activities, as the basis for efficient and inclusive agrifood chains, and ultimately a strong and resilient food system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We support smallholder communities across three continents to rise out of poverty and achieve more sustainable food security, training them in good agricultural practices and empowering them to access financing, tools and technologies and markets for their products, improve their livelihoods and protect their environment.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sharing best practice is core to the Louis Dreyfus Foundation\u2019s mission to improve food security through sustainable micro-farming, as it is central to LDC\u2019s sustainability model. And it is already in action worldwide \u2013 for example, at the vocational agri-school in C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire<\/a> established by LDC, the Foundation and FERT<\/em><\/a>, through our work with coffee growing communities in Brazil<\/a>, Mexico<\/a>, Indonesia<\/a> and elsewhere, our support to women smallholders in India<\/a>, and ongoing efforts to promote sustainable agriculture in China<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All these projects, among others, have a common objective: to share knowledge and empower smallholders as a path to lasting change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So <\/strong>knowledge is power. And it\u2019s even more powerful when shared.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On #WorldFoodDay2022, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations<\/em><\/a> (FAO)<\/em> shines a light on those who risk being left behind: some 3.1 billion people who cannot afford healthy diets today<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite global and coordinated efforts to increase food security, much has yet to be done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to knowledge sharing, bring those who are excluded from food chains into the fold means creating more inclusive markets, business models that promote decent work, gender equality and accountability, as well as reinforced partnerships among all food and agricultural value chain stakeholders to drive the systemic changes that will ensure lasting positive impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What nature has to offer is our privilege to use, and we have a responsibility to use it with great respect and in fairness to all. This conviction is central to our company purpose<\/a> to create fair and sustainable value for the benefit of current and future generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And fairness means working hand in hand to find shared solutions to common challenges, and create value for all stakeholders \u2013 from farm to fork, and for the benefit of everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To mark World Food Day and the importance of leaving no one behind, we chose to tell three stories that demonstrate the power of collaboration and collective knowledge, and the great rewards that come from sharing it with others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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