The document discusses the need to create more sustainable global food systems to feed a growing population. It notes that while nitrogen fertilizers have helped increase food production, many people still go hungry and food systems stress farms, farmers, and the environment. The Sustainable Food Lab is a multi-continent initiative working to develop mainstream food systems that can sustainably and equitably nourish the world's nearly 10 billion people by 2050.

1. The Sustainable Food Lab
a multi-continent initiative
to create mainstream, sustainable
food systems

3. 2000: 6 billion people

4. 2050: 9.2 billion people

5. Nitrogenous fertilizer has allowed
food production to keep pace
with population growth.

6. But....

7. 825 million people are seriously underfed.

8. 825 million people are seriously underfed.
Every five seconds,
a child dies of hunger.
source: FAO

9. We produce inexpensive food for the rich
and expensive food for the poor.

10. We produce inexpensive food for the rich
and expensive food for the poor.
Food Consumption to Total Consumption
Ethiopia 53%
Mexico 34%
France 15%
US 14%
source: FAO

11. Falling commodity prices put stress on farms and
farmers.

12. Falling commodity prices put stress on farms and
farmers.
Global Fertilizer Use
1950 2000

13. We’re losing large
numbers of farms.

14. We’re losing large
numbers of farms.
% change in number of farm enterprises, European Union, 1982-1993
0
UK
Denmark
Austria
France
Ireland
NL
Spain
Belgium
Germany
Greece
Luxemborg
Finland
Italy
Sweden
-5
-9
-10 -10
-10 -13
-15
-16
-18
-20 -23
-22
-25
-26
-30
-30
-37
source: FAO
-40

15. And critical amounts of soil.

16. And critical amounts of soil.
Land area the size of China and
India combined has been severely
degraded in the last 60 years.

17. The journey from farm to fork is
contributing to global warming.

18. How do we turn things around?

24. www.sustainablefood.org