Most of us rarely think about how our food appears on supermarket shelves, but that all changed with Covid-19. Travel restrictions and labour absences led to the shortage of some foodstuffs across the world. Suddenly, we were all forced to sit up and take notice of where our food comes from and how it reaches our plates. So how does our food supply chain work? How has it developed into today's sophisticated international system? How is new technology transforming the journey from farm to fork? And might the current crisis lead us to reset the food chain in a new and better way? Scientist James Wong presents this special programme.
As we race towards a global population of nine then ten billion how are we going to feed the planet in a sustainable way that doesn't exhaust the earth's resources? We're on a journey from field to fork to explore whether technological innovation and modern agriculture can rise to this challenge. Welcome to "Follow the Food."
Water is our most precious commodity. Every drop counts. With agriculture accounting for an incredible 70% of all water withdrawals globally, it's down to food producers to help spearhead advances in protecting our supplies. This week's episode of Follow the Food meets the farmers, engineers and scientists attempting to rise to this challenge.
The average age of the global farmer is over 60 and increasing numbers of younger rural workers are flocking to the cities, so the future of our farming communities is looking uncertain. However, a new unexpected generation of farmer is emerging.
Technology plays an increasingly important role in maximising farm and food production, from AI enabled machines to robotics, super pollinators to satellite surveillance. But can these innovations meet the food challenges of the future?
We currently produce enough food globally to feed everyone on the planet. Unfortunately though, we waste too much. In this episode we meet those food innovators who are trying to reduce food waste from the moment a seed is planted to when it arrives on our plate.
The key challenge across the developed and developing world is to make sure that our food is healthy, tasty, nutritious and affordable. This episode explores all aspects of creating a nutritious diet for all - from producing alternative mega crops to discovering different types of protein.
With an estimated 60 years of top soil left, this episode explores revolutionary methods of soil enrichment plus ways to farm without it altogether.
Some aspects of food production have a negative environmental impact. But fortunately, agricultural pioneers have started to find solutions. By blending expertise from science and business, farming is beginning to clean up its act, without costing farmers a fortune.
Many of us rarely think about how food reaches our plate, but that all changed with the pandemic. Travel restrictions and labour absences led to food shortages across the world. It was a timely warning of the dangers of the food crisis we are all threatened with. Because by 2050 the global population is estimated to rise to 10 billion, and to feed ourselves we will need to greatly increase food production, but how can we do this in a sustainable way that doesn't harm the environment? In Follow the Food, renowned Botanist, James Wong, will explore how farming, science, technology and the consumer can overcome this profound challenge. In this episode, James Wong considers the biggest challenge facing us all - the climate crisis.
Many of us rarely think about how food reaches our plate, but that all changed with the pandemic. Travel restrictions and labour absences led to food shortages across the world. It was a timely warning of the dangers of the food crisis we are all threatened with. Because by 2050 the global population is estimated to rise to 10 billion, and to feed ourselves we will need to greatly increase food production, but how can we do this in a sustainable way that doesn't harm the environment? In Follow the Food, renowned Botanist, James Wong, will explore how farming, science, technology and the consumer can overcome this profound challenge. In this episode, James Wong examines how we can become less reliant on a small number of crops to feed us.
Many of us rarely think about how food reaches our plate, but that all changed with the pandemic. Travel restrictions and labour absences led to food shortages across the world. It was a timely warning of the dangers of the food crisis we are all threatened with. Because by 2050 the global population is estimated to rise to 10 billion, and to feed ourselves we will need to greatly increase food production, but how can we do this in a sustainable way that doesn't harm the environment? In a new series of Follow the Food, renowned botanist James Wong will explore how farming, science, technology and the consumer can overcome this profound challenge. In this episode, James Wong considers how we can produce a new generation of farmers to stop the world going hungry.
Many of us rarely think about how food reaches our plate, but that all changed with the pandemic. Travel restrictions and labour absences led to food shortages across the world. It was a timely warning of the dangers of the food crisis we are all threatened with. Because by 2050 the global population is estimated to rise to 10 billion, and to feed ourselves we will need to greatly increase food production, but how can we do this in a sustainable way that doesn't harm the environment? In a new series of Follow the Food, renowned Botanist, James Wong, will explore how farming, science, technology and the consumer can overcome this profound challenge. In this episode, James Wong examines how agriculture can solve its water problems.
Many of us rarely think about how food reaches our plate, but that all changed with the pandemic. Travel restrictions and labour absences led to food shortages across the world. It was a timely warning of the dangers of the food crisis we are all threatened with. Because by 2050 the global population is estimated to rise to 10 billion, and to feed ourselves we will need to greatly increase food production, but how can we do this in a sustainable way that doesn't harm the environment? In Follow the Food, renowned Botanist, James Wong, will explore how farming, science, technology and the consumer can overcome this profound challenge. In this episode, James Wong considers the very foundation of the food chain, the earth itself.
Many of us rarely think about how food reaches our plate, but that all changed with the pandemic. Travel restrictions and labour absences led to food shortages across the world. It was a timely warning of the dangers of the food crisis we are all threatened with. Because by 2050 the global population is estimated to rise to 10 billion, and to feed ourselves we will need to greatly increase food production, but how can we do this in a sustainable way that doesn't harm the environment? In a new series of Follow the Food, renowned Botanist, James Wong, will explore how farming, science, technology and the consumer can overcome this profound challenge. In this episode, James Wong examines whether cities can produce more of their own food, to help reduce food miles and waste.
Many of us rarely think about how food reaches our plate, but that all changed with the pandemic. Travel restrictions and labour absences led to food shortages across the world. It was a timely warning of the dangers of the food crisis we are all threatened with. Because by 2050 the global population is estimated to rise to 10 billion, and to feed ourselves we will need to greatly increase food production, but how can we do this in a sustainable way that doesn't harm the environment? In a new series of Follow the Food, renowned Botanist, James Wong, will explore how farming, science, technology and the consumer can overcome this profound challenge. In this episode, James Wong reveals how big data has transformed food production.
Many of us rarely think about how food reaches our plate, but that all changed with the pandemic. Travel restrictions and labour absences led to food shortages across the world. It was a timely warning of the dangers of the food crisis we are all threatened with. Because by 2050 the global population is estimated to rise to 10 billion, and to feed ourselves we will need to greatly increase food production, but how can we do this in a sustainable way that doesn't harm the environment? In a new series of Follow the Food, renowned Botanist, James Wong, will explore how farming, science, technology and the consumer can overcome this profound challenge. In this episode, James Wong examines how we can all transform the food system simply through the choices we make as consumers.