Only Open Innovation Can Solve the Global Food Problem
The scale of the challenge has been reported on many times before. Can we feed a projected population of nine billion people by the year 2050?
According to Jeff Bellairs, senior director of the General Mills Worldwide Innovation Network (G-Win) it is critical for food companies to look outside their four walls and collaborate to solve the global food security challenge. He explained why in an exclusive article in Food Navigator USA.
The Earth’s population reached 7 billion in October 2012, and that 2 billion more will be added by 2050 is a projection that for the most part is uncontested. People are living longer, healthcare is getting better, but resources such as food and water are not infinite.
Big Solutions
Bellairs believes that big solutions are needed, and that bringing together the best brains from disparate academic fields will lead to disruptive technologies that will ultimately provide the answers.
In his article he cites the work of his own company in this endeavour. In particular, Field to Market, The Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Architecture. This is a pilot project with farmers in Idaho that teaches them about the imapct of their on-farm decisions on such things as soil loss, carbon emissions, yield efficiency, and water use.
Collaborations
Another project is Partners in Food Solutions, a non-profit organization that links technical and business expertise of volunteer employees at General Mills and other companies with small and medium-sized mills and food processors in the developing world.
To read the full Food navigator USA article click here.
Add your Comment
[LOGIN FIRST] if you're already a member.fields are required.