What we already know
We all know that the global population is estimated to increase up to 9 billion people by 2050 and, as we must achieve food security at the global level, it is understood the food production should increase, but in a context of climate change. We also know that important amounts of food are wasted or lost (about 30% of our global food production according to FAO's estimates); that rates of obesity are increasing while there are still people undernourished; that crops diversification are extremely reduced (only 3 main crops varieties are responsible for about 50 % of the global caloric intake*); that the demand for meat is increasing and that some industries grow intensively with any consideration to animal welfare or environmental issues! Well, to resume, we are all aware that our food system is messed up!
How can we deal with this context and what are the clues?
However, we have some innovations and initiatives that could better organize this context! There are so many alternatives that could have been taken into consideration by the researchers. Studying how to scale up these solutions or to adapt them to a specific context are an inclusive and efficient way to address our future issues! It is important that researchers go towards the right direction! So, it seems important that GCARD3 discuss some of these topics under the ¨Keeping science relevant and future-focused¨ theme:
- How the food production is likely to be encouraged?
- Which is the place of agroecology in the researches, development projects and policies?
- How to make rural are more interesting in order to raise interest of youth to stay in the field?
- How empower women?
- How can biodiversity be developed to improve sustainable farming models and healthy diets?
- Which countries are probable to receive rural investments?
- What kind of processing food are likely to suffer?
- How food is going to be trade? Which regulations are about to be established?
- How consumers can have a transparent information of what their are eating and well educated to act as actors of the change?
The youth community
It is crucial to youth to participate into this discussion so they can make part of the decisions process and understand how these topics are discussed. They can also bring different points of views as many of them promote sustainable agriculture development in their local level and can share their experiences with the scientific community. From a personal perspective I can say that I have been participated in the Brazilian YPARD Community, trying to engage Brazilian youth people to discuss the agriculture context and sustainable development; I have also participated in Disco Soups organization, where we communicate about the importance of food waste; volunteering in urban agriculture in urban permaculture gardens and in the Slow Food Youth Network and in a Frenchfairtrade association to increase consumers’ awareness of their choices.
As youth will be the future responsible for managing the decisions taken now, it is fundamental they start being engaged since at the very beginning! Youth play a very important role not only in the field but also at the research and policy makers level.
My participation
Having the chance to participate to the GCARD3 would be a great opportunity to have an insight of how those issues are discussed at a global forum and also to bring the youth voice to the discussion! In addition it would be really interesting and motivating to report the outcomes of the conference to our Brazilian youth network and make all the Brazilian YPARD community be more enrolled to the new proposals! Indeed, I always use social media to inform myself and I really think this is an important tool to spread information! I would be very glad to participate on the reporting training and, being a YPARD member, I believe that this could be a great opportunity to improve the discussion among the Brazilian Ypard members level.
This blog post is part of the GCARD3 Youth blogpost applications. The content, structure and grammar is at the discretion of the author only.