CSIRO releases new food system report

CSIRO has released Reshaping Australia’s Food System, which it describes as a new roadmap for “a more sustainable, productive, and resilient future for [Australia’s] food, environment, and people.”

It defines food systems as “the entire food pipeline from production to consumption and waste management” plus the societal, cultural and governance systems related to these. The report used input from 120 stakeholders.

It identifies five areas of opportunity for R&D, and targets and goals for each of these for 2030 and 2050. These areas are given as:

• Enabling equitable access to healthy and sustainable diets
• Minimising waste and improving circularity
• Facilitating Australia’s transition to net zero emissions
• Aligning resilience with socioeconomic and environmental sustainability
• Increasing value and productivity.

“This roadmap represents a collective approach to tackling some of the biggest challenges facing the security and health of our food,” said Kirsten Rose, CSIRO’s Executive Director, Future Industries.

According to the report, Australia’s food system supported approximately 70 million people here and in export markets. 

“Recent climate extremes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical uncertainties show that we need to prepare our food systems for a shifting risk landscape in our interdependent world,” said the scientific agency’s Director of Agriculture and Food, Dr Michael Robertson.

The report can be accessed here.

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