Global food crisis needs joint private and public sector efforts

ADDRESSING the issue of food security, Nestlé CEO Paul Bulcke stressed the importance of public and private sector collaboration at the 'Feeding the World' Economist Conference in Geneva.

Mr Bulcke said increasing world population, food waste, worldwide water shortages and the issue of using food for biofuels, amongst others, all impact on food security. Despite the challenges, there are ways and solutions to address this, he emphasised. "With an estimated 70% of global poverty in rural areas, investment in building agricultural capacity is crucial," he added.

Explaining how Nestlé is working with nearly 600,000 farmers worldwide, he outlined how its 'farm to factory' initiative Sustainable Agriculture Initiative at Nestlé to supports farmers and promotes sustainable development in agriculture globally.

The 'Feeding the World' event is hosted by Economist Conferences – headed by The Economist newspaper. The summit brings together over 200 senior executives from around the world representing agribusiness, food manufacturing, policy, international agencies, science and the NGO community. It aims to provide action plans and new solutions to food security challenges.