A more diverse diet will help the global economy and health

 

A more diverse diet will help the global economy and health

 More than 75% of the food consumed worldwide today comes from just 12 plant and 5 animal species. Overreliance on this small number of cereals, including rice, corn and wheat, has negative impacts on the environment and human health and leaves our globalized food system vulnerable to shocks. In addition, this has negative economic consequences. We believe that a diversity-based system can provide many benefits to the health of people and the planet, and economic benefits can be distributed more equitably. Unlike industrial monocultures, farms that grow a variety of crops and trees are better for the environment because they increase unharvested species richness, improve nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration, and support farmers' livelihoods. A 2023 study on agroforestry in East Africa concluded that multi-crop systems, as opposed to monocultures that produce only  grains, ensure livelihoods by producing firewood, building materials, timber, medicinal plants and other non-woody forest products in addition to food. These farms also often support alternatives to conventional agriculture and employ agricultural practices including regenerative agriculture and permaculture (i.e. sustainable land use). A 2021 report on regenerative agriculture in Africa concluded that this form of agriculture could contribute more than $15 billion (£11.7 billion) annually to  African economies  by 2030 and up to $70 billion by 2040 (one-fifth of  current agricultural production to sub-Saharan Africa's GDP). The  report found that this could create more than one million full-time jobs by 2030 and nearly five million jobs by 2040. Currently, global trade in foods such as corn, rice, soybeans, sugarcane, and wheat is  controlled by a few large corporations. They affect all aspects of the food system, including production, processing, packaging and transportation. The perception of food as a profitable investment rather than a source of nutrition has led to serious inequalities. One consequence is that foreign direct investment in developing countries displaces smallholder farmers, thereby reinforcing inequalities in land ownership and exacerbating food insecurity.

 Diversity for health Food

 Food  and health are intimately linked, and modern medicine is increasingly recognising the relationship of the so-called gut-immune-brain axis. A study of British adults showed that eating highly processed foods is associated with an increased risk of metabolic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. However, two-thirds of  calories consumed by young people in the UK come from industrial and highly processed foods. If  food systems could provide real food made from a variety of minimally processed ingredients, this could lead to better health outcomes. This could have significant economic benefits as more diverse food sources improve the gut microbiome, promote improved physical and mental health, and reduce the burden on healthcare providers. Our research looks at how to transform food systems to prioritise environmental concerns, nutritional needs and cultural traditions. We propose that diversity needs to be introduced at all levels of the food system. Diversifying the plant and animal species from which our food comes is certainly a useful starting point, but diversity must become a key principle in organizing the entire food system. 

Production and Processing 

Land that grows a greater variety of crops  also supports a broader range of agricultural practices, such as agroforestry, permaculture, and regenerative agriculture. Such agricultural land supports habitat diversity and a greater diversity of non-agricultural species. These tend to bring economic benefits to a larger portion of the community.  

Trade and transportation 

Food diversity requires a variety of food processing and packaging techniques operated by local businesses. Storing, distributing and transporting a greater variety of crops, vegetables, fruits and meat products  also requires infrastructure that supports more local businesses as opposed to large supermarkets that rely on globalized supply chains. Global trade in quality food  needs to be better regulated, with particular attention to inequal land ownership, unequal market access  and industrial monopolies that marginalize small producers, processors and traders. Permaculture gardens where a variety of crops grow side by side Permaculture practices are a good example of more sustainable agriculture. 

Consumption and nutrition

 Food Production, processing and supplying food with an emphasis on local and regional economies  also benefits consumers. Increasing diversity of food sources increases gut microbiome diversity. In contrast, the industrialized food system  made food cheap and abundant, but this came at the expense of the environment and human health. Locally produced, seasonal foods can be more expensive, but with government support  to regulate prices and  promote local and regional food economies, food can remain affordable. Governments need to consider food as an integral part of the public economy alongside healthcare, environmental protection, and more. Ultimately, a  food system based on diversity has the potential to benefit the environment, reduce climate risks, and improve health and well-being. But it  also has the potential to transform local and regional food economies, providing safe access to nutritious products for the most food-insecure people in our society.