There are approximately 8 billion people on the planet, all of them need to eat to survive. Of course, the amount of food that can be produced on the planet is limited, there is likely to come to a point when the planet simply can’t produce enough food to feed all the inhabitants.
In fact, scientists estimate that the planet can only support 9 to 10 billion people, a figure that is likely to be reached in the next 20-30 years.
While these are all predictions and there are many variables that can change the outcome, the simple fact is that sustainability is becoming increasingly popular, it is now shaping the future of food.
An Increase In Understanding
More people are looking into growing their own foods, starting mini-farms, and even undertaking agricultural tours to increase their knowledge of farming procedures and sustainable practices.
This isn’t just a drive to produce food themselves. A better understanding of what is sustainable has become important as more people are aware of the damage that humans are doing to their environment.
Understanding sustainable food allows consumers to choose sustainable options in supermarkets and restaurants. Their purchases, the demand for food, drives what is supplied.
In short, the more interest the public has in sustainable food the greater the volume of sustainable food that is produced.
Local produce
Local food manufacturers are gaining publicity and customers simply because they are local. This is part of the sustainability drive as consumers are eager to understand the food production process, support local businesses, and verify sustainable techniques.
Again, the consumer approach is forcing local suppliers to adopt more sustainable approaches.
Sustainable Approaches
The awareness of food scarcity and the need to adopt new practices is driving people to try different things. There has been an increase in insect-eating over the past few years, a trend that has been popular in Asia for many years but is now starting to appear in western countries.
Alongside this, there is increased interest in the aquaponics system which can produce fish and crops without the need for traditional farmland.
This increase in sustainable approaches to food is increasing consumers’ consumption of sustainable food, creating a vicious circle that will support sustainable food trends into the foreseeable future.
Ecological Farming
In the same vein, consumers are becoming more discerning regarding which foods they purchased. Where possible many people prefer to choose food products that have been ecologically produced. That means without harm to the environment and by using animal-friendly farming measures.
Of course, there is still a place for factory faring as this produces cheaper foods that many people need to survive. But, given the available finance and the option, most consumers prefer to choose the ecological friendly option.
There is little doubt that this will drive the production and subsequent sales of sustainable food in the future.
Alongside this, it’s likely that new technologies and a willingness to try different foods will increase sustainable options.