The unsustainable practices of our current agricultural system, coupled with climate change and population growth, will lead to a future in which nutritious high-quality food becomes increasingly scarce and inaccessible, especially for the most vulnerable populations.

According to the latest 2023 UN studies, the number of people facing hunger and food insecurity has risen since 2015, as the pandemic, climate change in conflict and growing inequality have exacerbated the situation. In 2015, 589 million people were hungry, and by 2021, that number had risen to 768 million. Projections indicate that by 2030, nearly 670 million people will still face hunger – 8% of the world’s population. That’s the same number as in 2015. To achieve this reduction, immediate and intensified efforts are needed to transform food systems, ensure food security, and invest in sustainable agricultural practices.

In 2021, the proportion of countries facing a rise in food prices reached 21.5%, a significant drop from a record high of 48% in 2020, when the easing of COVID-19-related restrictive measures increased demand. This reflects the continued price increases for foodstuffs, with rising production and transportation costs. In addition, The percentage of food lost globally after harvest on farm, transport, storage, wholesale, and processing levels, usually attributed to structural inadequacies in the countries, is estimated at 13.2% in 2021, unchanged from 2016 and far from the target of halving post-harvest food losses by 2030.

Hence, we conclude that the food sector suffers globally from major challenges, which will lead to serious consequences for health, economy, and social stability, including: