The (inter)national food transition (1)

Let's be honest. Do you know what you're eating? And do you know that about a third of all CO2 emissions come from our food system. How do we make more conscious choices? And what role can institutional investors and insurers play in this?

During a knowledge session of the IRBC covenant for the insurance sector, which will continue until 1 July, our food policy was central. At a historic location, in the heart of Rotterdam, some thirty insurers, asset managers, NGOs and pension funds discussed our food policy with the government. It is the Week of the circular economy and the place of action is therefore Blue City, a HUB for fifty circular companies that are all experimenting with the circular economy .

Global story

According to moderator and chairman of the steering committee of the IRBC covenant for the insurance sector Kees Vendrik, there is no doubt. "The food transition affects us all. It's not just a national or European, but a global story."

Revenue model

Marjolein Brasz, CEO at Food Valley (an organization that works on the transition of the food system), was the first speaker to focus on the action perspective. "We want to move to a different revenue model. That only works if everyone participates, even if you are only a very small cog in the whole."
She stressed that we all need to make more conscious choices. "Sixty percent of the Western population eats more meat than protein. If we want to motivate people to make different choices, we really have to do it together. As investors, you hold a big key. With investments, we can initiate change."

Marjolein Brasz (Photo: Mandy Ros)

More collaboration

Less meat and less waste. The realization that we need to change our eating habits is slowly starting to sink in. A lot is already happening, Brasz believes, but a lot is not happening either. She gave the reason herself: "Everyone stays in their own box, including insurers. That's a shame, because change can only be achieved if we work together more."

"Everyone stays in their own box. Too bad!"

Bean Deal

Among other things, she cited the Bean Deal as an example. A partnership of no fewer than 56 organizations to do more work on the Green Deal (Protein-rich crops). What is striking in the list of participants is that various ministries, various provinces, the agricultural sector, the WWF, a university and commercial parties such as Hak and Unilever are affiliated, but only one participant from the financial sector: Rabobank. A missed opportunity, according to Brasz, to think along and participate.

Highest return?

At the end of her speech, one of the insurers present raises his hand. The question is what financial institutions can concretely contribute to the international food transition. "Only invest in those companies that do the right things and make choices that lead us in the right direction," Brasz replies. "And don't just look at the highest return, but at the needs. Our food is dirt cheap. In some countries, seventy percent of income goes to food. We are not even reaching the ten percent. Moreover, profits and revenues are not distributed fairly. Of the price that the consumer pays for a field bean burger, only two to three percent ends up with the farmer. It is mainly other parties, including retail, that earn money from it. That has to change!"

In part 2 of our series on the (inter)national food transition, Jouke Knol of the Ministry of LNV speaks. He tells the factual story of the Farm-to-Fork strategy. The second part will appear in our newsletter that will be sent on 9 March. Not a subscriber yet? Sign up now!