This paper criticises the narrative of technological solutionism. It argues that while technologies may have an important role in ensuring healthy and sustainable food systems, such efforts should be informed by a wider holistic vision and scrutinised carefully to ensure the social and cultural aspects of food are included and valued. 

Researchers explore the assumptions underlying the common farming view in England that you can only grow grass in certain regions, contributing to a limitation of livestock production. By unsettling this narrative, the article argues that policymakers can enable a transition to diverse and sustainable food production in England’s grasslands. 

The EAT-Lancet’s planetary health diet, particularly its meat reduction approach, received criticism for the plant-forward diet recommendations and potential micronutrient shortfalls. This study responds to this debate and provides recommendations that address the shortfalls. 

In early January, the TABLE team were out in force for two of the biggest farming events in the UK: the Oxford Farming Conference and the Oxford Real Farming Conference. Taking place at the same time, these two events represent very different perspectives, reflecting not only the divergence in food and farming debates, but the consensus, too. In this edition of FODDER, I talk to TABLE researchers, Ruth Mattock and Richard Kipling who attended the two conferences. 

In​ Land Power, political scientist Michael Albertus argues that modern history has been defined by land reallocation at scale. He claims that who owns the land determines whether a society will be equal or unequal, whether it will develop or decline, and whether it will safeguard or sacrifice its environment.

Food Economics provides a unified introduction to the economics of agricultural production, business decisions, consumer behavior, and the government policies that shape the food system.

This article Fertilizers Europe claims that the EU is financing Russia’s war in Ukraine by importing fertilizer and recommends domestic, low carbon domestic capacity in the EU. 

This report by the USDA outlines the economics of cell-cultured and precision fermentation foods and documents the growth in the sector. Areas of emphasis are market drivers, structural aspects of the industry, the U.S. regulatory environment, government research funding, and market challenges as of 2023.

This report by FAO, GAIN, Columbia and Cornell University tracks the changes since 2000 in key food system indicators. It reveals advancements such as significant increases in access to safe water and the availability of vegetables, and also setbacks in food price volatility, worsening government accountability, and decreased civil society participation.