Opening Academic Year 2022-2023 | From linear to circular food systems

The opening of the 2022/2023 academic year had the theme 'Planetary Boundaries’'. The opening took place on September 5, 2022.
This is one of three presentations:
Hannah van Zanten has a clear aim: to redesign today’s linear food system to a circular one. Although the food system currently faces many challenges, Van Zanten is optimistic about the future. Research results show that a circular food system could reduce agricultural land use by a third, and greenhouse gases by half. This redesign can even be achieved without new technologies – but it will require both production and consumption changes.

#OAY #WUR #Circularfoodsystem

[saaHort]

Dear Professor Zanten,

Thank you for introducing the concept of circular food systems. I would like to share an interesting practice in Taiwan where farmers utilize kitchen waste to feed pigs.

In our communities and schools, we have designated containers for collecting leftover food, which are then collected and delivered to pig growers. The growers process the waste by chopping and reheating it before feeding it to the pigs.

However, with the emergence of African swine fever, there have been discussions about the necessity of using commercial feeds to raise pigs. This is done to mitigate the risks of diseases and illnesses that can result from contaminated or spoiled food. Additionally, commercial feeds provide stable nutrition components, ensuring consistent and uniform quality of pork.

While we have a history of recycling food waste for animal rearing, the industry is now transitioning towards a more precise and standardized production system. The increasing cost of commercial feeds may hinder the progress of this transition, as food waste is generally more affordable. However, there remain concerns regarding the quality and consistency of waste food as a feed source that need to be addressed.

[mariocontrerasfleury]

I'm curious to know what Portugal did wrong to be excluded of these maps 😅