About the program
The Mistra Food Futures research program is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at promoting sustainability and innovation within the food system. Through collaboration between academia, industry, and public authorities, we are dedicated to addressing the complex challenges facing the food system and developing solutions for a more resilient and sustainable future.
Transforming food systems is central to the transition towards a more sustainable society. Today, food systems are estimated to account for 20-30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, one-third of all cultivated food is estimated to become food waste, while unequal access and inefficient management force 800 million people to live in hunger.
The world must solve the food issue to achieve the goals of Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement. It is that crucial. As researchers and partners in Mistra Food Futures, we contribute by working intensively towards a knowledge-based transformation of food systems.
The food issue must be viewed from a systems perspective, encompassing primary production, processing, distribution, trade, and consumption. Many factors must be considered and balanced against each other: sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, animal welfare, profitability, secure food supply, nutrition, public health, and planetary health.
Knowledge gaps and conflicting goals can lead to disagreements before solutions can be found, but we see that Sweden has the potential to be a leading example.
National research programs like Mistra Food Futures can lead the way in paving the path for sustainable solutions and development, provided that ongoing collaborations and results are picked up and scaled by decision-makers and industry, and translated into action plans, political decisions, policy instruments, and bold new business ideas.