Sustainable diets fit for Asia

Bioversity’s Bruce Cogill sheds light on food sustainability, in this report by CRISTINA DOUTHWAITE.

CONSUMER outlook on food has been changing considerably in recent years. Growing awareness of the benefits of organic foods, fair trade and low carbon costs is pushing demand for ‘green’ products and environmentally sound production. Political will to improve nutrition is emerging, with efforts to restrict production of ‘obesogenic’ foods, or edibles that contribute to weight gain, gaining ground. Hence, manufacturers are better off to produce nutritious food that respects sustainability; to create markets for this; to ensure its supply, and to expand distribution.

The concept of sustainable diets has therefore come of age. These are defined as cost-effective, easily accessible diets, culturally acceptable and have little impact on the environment. More importantly, sustainable diets consider biodiversity and are nutritionally adequate and safe. They are economically fair and do not adversely affect food security.

Dr Bruce Cogill, programme leader of Nutrition and Marketing for Diversity at research-for-development organisation Bioversity International, said consumers are leading the way in this concept.

According to Dr Cogill, consumers are articulating their needs and concerns about the environmental impact of food to policy makers. At the same time they are asking companies to ensure that the food they sell are safe, nutritious, and of good value. Government and industry are translating these into guidelines, standards, and information that people can understand so they can have informed choices.

“In Europe we are seeing sustainability in metrics – measurements around what we mean by sustainable. There are things like food miles that answer questions like – Where is this food coming from? Where is the ingredient being sourced? Is it safe? Is it nutritious? Is it worthwhile? Is there value in the product?”

“It is the same for a mother of five or for a minister of agriculture considering whether he should lease forest land for oil palm production,” said Dr Cogill. “We all make trade-offs, manage risks, and make choices for the best interest of our family or our country, to get people out of poverty, improve livelihood and food security...in the short term, the important thing is to get this discussion going on what we mean by healthy, sustainable, nutritious diets.”

He said the nutrition picture has changed dramatically in the last three decades. “What we have seen in Asia, and to a lesser extent in Africa, is that improved market structures are changing the way people access food... changes throughout the whole chain, such as supermarkets keeping produce fresher through refrigeration, are changing what consumers eat, when they eat and how they eat. About 60% of people in East Asia get their food in supermarkets and in Southeast Asia it is 30% – this is triple what it was 20 years ago.”

Recent statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) show a striking decline in malnutrition numbers in Asia with marked improvements in countries like China, Viet Nam, Thailand, and Indonesia. However, stubborn poverty still persists in many countries like India and sub-Saharan Africa, and millions of people globally are struggling with the triple burden of malnutrition: undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and obesity.

This triple burden, alongside absolute poverty and changing production and marketing structures, are important factors to consider when looking at sustainability in food systems.

A challenging issue
Sustainability is an interplay of many different elementsOff White X Max 98