IWSN Director Prof Chad Staddon was one of the keynote speakers at a Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) event on ‘The Future of Food’ on 20 February 2020, attended by more than 300 people.
Panellists discussed food security and the potential mitigating role of new technologies, as well as how we can be more mindful of seasonality, production processes, waste and consumption.
Chad’s presentation started with the observation that discussions of food often neglect to acknowledge the food value of water – in a world where more than a million people die from lack of drinking water each year, it is important to recognise that water is essential for hydration and for the preparation of many of the foods we eat. Water is therefore very much a ‘future of food’ issue. Chad’s presentation went on to touch on activities towards achieving SDG 6.1 (Universal drinking water access), and also global virtual water exports through the water footprint of the food and drink we consume.
Other speakers were Prof Peter Jackson (Co-Director of the University of Sheffield Institute for Sustainable Food), Carolyn Steel (architect, lecturer and writer) and Tristram Stuart (award-winning author, campaigner and expert on the environmental and social impacts of food). The event was chaired by the BBC’s Martine Croxall.