Food
Overview
It’s time to reconsider food.
Around the globe, food production, distribution, management and waste threaten wildlife, wild places and the planet itself.
Today, 7.2 billion people consume 1.5 times what the earth’s natural resources can supply. By 2050, the world’s population will reach 9 billion and the demand for food will double.
So how do we produce more food for more people without expanding the land and water already in use? We can’t double the amount of food. Fortunately we don’t have to—we have to double the amount of food available instead. In short, we must freeze the footprint of food.
In the near-term, food production is sufficient to provide for all, but it doesn’t reach everyone who needs it. About 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted each year—four times the amount needed to feed the more than 800+ million people who are malnourished.
By improving efficiency and productivity while reducing waste and shifting consumption patterns, we can produce enough food for everyone by 2050 on roughly the same amount of land we use now. Feeding all sustainably and protecting our natural resources.
WWF works to secure a living planet that will sustain a more affluent population. From refining production and distribution to combating waste and environmental impacts, we want to improve how the world grows, transports and consumes this precious fuel.
Priority Commodities
Beef
Dairy
Farmed Salmon
Farmed Seafood
Farmed Shrimp
Other Farmed Seafood
Palm Oil
Soy
Sugarcane
Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable Seafood
Tropical Shrimp
Tuna
Whitefish
Wild-Caught Seafood
Small Steps to Reduce Food Waste
Food waste is thoughtless. Most of us aren’t even aware of it. When we don’t use what we have, we not only waste food, but we negatively impact precious resources including biodiversity and animal habitats.
On Balance
Dairy's Sustainability Journey: Marshik Dairy
On Balance
Dairy's Sustainability Journey: Sensenig Dairy
On Balance
This and No More: Freezing the Footprint of Food
Why It Matters
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In the next 40 years, increased demand for food will put pressure on agricultural, aquaculture and fishing resources that are already strained. The strain to produce crops and sell food at affordable levels will impact the planet and the world’s poor. Local communities, industry leaders, governments, and non-governmental organizations must work together to produce better and consume more wisely.
What WWF Is Doing
WWF works with partners to feed the world while conserving the earth’s precious natural resources.
Certification Standards
One of the biggest threats to biodiversity and ecosystems is where and how we produce food. WWF is working with retailers, buyers and producers responsible for key food commodities to establish credible, certification standards. These standards—including those already established for aquaculture, beef, soy, cotton, sugar and palm oil—measurably reduce key environmental impacts.
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Increase Supply of More Sustainably Sourced Food
WWF is dedicated to building innovations for sustainability. We support producer improvement projects for priority food crops and promote sustainable supply chain solutions for food companies. These business solutions help companies reduce environmental impacts, become more profitable and provide cases to shape the way we think about becoming more sustainable in the future.
Increase Demand of More Sustainably Sourced Food
WWF is engages companies, platforms, sectors and governments to reduce key impacts of food production. This includes convincing priority companies and sectors to use purchases and investments to drive more sustainable food production.
Education and Action
Produce better and consume more wisely. That’s the message but it will take entire sectors, platforms or even countries to move the needle on sustainability. WWF encourages enabling conditions and enforcement of policies that encourage more sustainable and efficient food production and consumption. We help businesses understand how they can contribute to a more sustainable brand. And we create awareness of the issue for US consumers, from shopping wisely to reducing food waste.
WWF In The News
- Change 100 Businesses, and the World’s Food System Will Change With Them January 12, 2015 – Grist
