© WWF-Indonesia/Ismu Widjaja
The current food system has tremendous negative impact on the environment, biodiversity, water, soil and ecosystem resilience. It is also the cause of growing economic and social costs for small scale farmers and especially Indigenous peoples.
By 2050, the global population is predicted to reach 9 billion individuals and demand for food will increase to double the demand today. At the same time, agricultural and forest land needed to meet the growing food demand will not increase, and might even decrease due to trends in land conversion.
Moreover, the loss of biodiversity, including genetic diversity, and the disappearing of the related traditional knowledge of Indigenous and local communities, will undermine many agricultural systems at local level so that they will be more vulnerable to food and water crises. Fewer varieties of cultivated plants and animals are planted and raised in the world today to meet food needs. The reduced diversity of food crops results in the loss of resilience of agricultural ecosystems.
© WWF-Indonesia/Cristina Eghenter
How can we produce healthy and nutritious food for all while at the same time protect our food sources, nature and biodiversity?
Changes in food consumption, production and distribution are essential to ensure that food sources are available for us today and for the future generations. What kind of changes need to happen? All of us need to contribute change the ways we consume and produce to support local, healthy, fair and sustainable food systems.
Your action counts!
Local agricultural systems developed by Indigenous people and local communities, based on local wisdom best practices, diversification and traditional seed supply, have often proved food secure and able to maintain soil fertility.
Moreover, bio-diverse crops have played a major role. Men and women have been the custodians of local agro biodiversity. Agro biodiversity has been for centuries a way to build security, resilience, adaptability, and reduce vulnerability to climate change and other extreme weather events.
In many parts of rural Indonesia, daily food does not only come from the cultivated rice fields and home gardens. Forests, lakes, rivers and other ‘wild’ areas are equally important as food sources for many Indigenous and local communities.
Indonesia can be a food sufficient country in 2050 if we start changing NOW the ways we consume, produce and distribute food to be more sustainable and equitable, WISE FOODWAYS.
© WWF-Indonesia/Cristina Eghenter
Healthy
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Sustainable