Kellogg Just Shared New Strategies To Combat Food Insecurity
Kellogg's senior vice president of global R&D and innovation, Dr. Nigel Hughes, took to the Kellogg's blog this week to publish strategies that tackle some of the world's pressing food challenges. His announcement cites the United Nations' goal to eradicate hunger and promote sustainable agricultural systems, linking to a 2021 report estimating that more than 700 million people were undernourished in the year 2020, while 2.37 billion regularly faced some level of food insecurity.
Founded over 100 years ago, the multinational Kellogg Company first became known for breakfast cereals. Consumers may know that the brand's portfolio includes an assortment of snacks and treats ranging from Pringles and Pop-Tarts to Morningstar Farms vegetarian meals. They may not be aware that in 2020, Kellogg was listed by Newsweek as 24th out of 300 companies on "America's Most Responsible" list, earning a 100% "social score." This may have been due to the company's Better Days commitment, which pledges to feed 3 billion people in need before the end of the decade and advocates for ethical food supply chains. Here's how Dr. Hughes proposes incorporating these efforts to address world hunger.
Improving existing food systems
First on Dr. Hughes' list of recommendations is a return to history: By examining our past, he says, we can find keys to current dilemmas. He emphasizes the need to source local ingredients to make "culturally relevant foods," while incorporating a holistic approach when making decisions about the creation of sustainable food systems. This approach, he says, citing the Food & Business Knowledge Platform, would "balance the tradeoffs of nutrition, sustainability, access, and taste."
Next, Dr. Hughes highlights the need for "collective solutions," meaning that in order to solve problems, people from around the world must work together. "To transform our food system and its impact on climate, we must bring farmers, suppliers, consumers, policymakers and NGOs to the table and create a shared vision with a shared responsibility to benefit all," he writes, adding that Kellogg's has implemented a $2 million program supporting agricultural workers and rewarding their sustainability efforts. Finally, Dr. Hughes encourages the shift from the current food system focused on economic growth to one that is regenerative for both producers and the planet. His suggestions appear to align with parts of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda, which calls for better conditions for small-scale food producers and regenerative agricultural practices.