COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A LEARNING CURVE FOR FOOD SYSTEMS REFORM.

 Covid -19 pandemic disrupted the world system, the world was on lock-down leaving many people unable to meet nutritional needs, many more lost jobs and so many just barely survived on goodwill. The food supply chain was totally disrupted giving a glimpse into the needed reform in the food systems.

   The lock-down due to the Covid19 pandemic increased global food insecurity showing weak links in the current food systems resulting in various think -tanks on how to strengthen food systems by reforming the current strategy.

 The rapid response of government to cushion effect of pandemic by way of giving out palliatives to the vulnerable in the society as well as private companies supporting the government by way of cash donations and food items and logistic companies providing support during the lock down period has given insight into the pattern of food system reforms.

  The Covid 19 pandemic opened up opportunities to create more efficient food systems. The world food system changed immediately to digital approach leveraging technology. The food system changed to virtual markets and purchasing of variety of products that are easy to handle with longer shelf life.

 The reforms triggered  by the Covid 19 pandemic aligns with attributes of a functional food system which are: 1)Efficiency 2)Inclusion of small holder farmers , major players. 3)Vulnerable are targets 4)  Establishment of food banks 5) Functional distribution network.

  The revamping of the food systems arising from the Covid19 pandemic  shows reforms in the food system can be immediate while long term initiatives can be proffer solutions to  prevent future shock.

 Food system reforms..changing the narrative about food production,food processing and packaging distribution and marketing.

https://veterinarymedicineechbeebolanle-ojuri.blogspot.com/2020/04/food-security-and-safety-in-face-of.html

Could Taiwan become the Silicon Valley of Agriculture 4.0?.

Could Taiwan become the Silicon Valley of Agriculture 4.0? Taiwan has in the past been synonymous with toy manufacturing and electrical components, but a growing revolution in agriculture is set to give the sweet-potato-shaped island a new area of influence in the global economy. 

 With a Mandarin speaking populace and geographical location that is less than two hours from Shanghai, Taiwan is also the perfect base for companies looking to profit in the lucrative Chinese market. There is now an active push to promote Taiwan as a hub for Agriculture 4.0.

 There are few places in the world that are better suited for developing smart farming devices and large-scale precision agriculture projects than Taiwan.  

 Precision farming, or Agriculture 4.0, refers to systems that employ drones, robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), vertical farms, artificial intelligence (AI), and solar energy. Through the integration of digital technology into farming practices, companies are able to increase yields, reduce costs, experience less crop damage and minimize water, fuel and fertilizer usage. 

For the consumer this equals cheaper and better quality food. So, imagine a farm not unlike what exists across the world today, but with increased automation and smart technologies that are able to detect the needs of crops and deliver those necessities automatically.

 Nearly all of the skills and components needed for Agriculture 4.0 can be found in Taiwan, a place that although small in size, boasts the largest number of electrical engineers per capita in the world. Taiwan produces 25% of the world’s semiconductors, and is a manufacturer for most of the sensors used in IoT and smart farming projects. 

 It is also a major player in robotics, drones and the global leader in solar cells. The growth in indoor farming as a more productive alternative to traditional farms, is proving to be a boon for the LED industry in Taiwan, the second largest in the world. 

A number of indoor farming companies have branched out of the LED sector and can offer full intelligent indoor farming and hydroponic solution.

FARMERS ROLE IN REDUCING MALNUTRITION AND OBESITY.

obesity and malnutrition have become serious problems in the developing world.High calorific food and poor cuts of meat high in fat are more available, and people do not need to work physically as hard to produce it.Professor Jonathan Rushton, of the Royal Veterinary College at the University of London, called it a "wicked problem".You have significant numbers of people who are undernourished and an increasing number of people who are overweight...It's an indication that something is not right with our system.Professor Robyn Alders, University of Sydney "If we feed our pigs ad lib they will get too fat to stand up, but we are doing that to ourselves," he said at a conference at Sydney University, called Resetting the Australian Table: Adding Value and Adding Health.Professors of sociology, economics, veterinary science and foreign aid, paediatricians, soil scientists, and plant breeders, gathered to nut out the problem at interdisciplinary level. "You have ongoing significant numbers of people who are undernourished and an increasing and significant number of people who are overweight," she said."It's an indication that something is not right with our system."Global average meat consumption has nearly tripled in 50 years and people are increasingly disconnected from its production."It's probably been given a boost since the 1960s with increased productivity from grain based systems," said Professor Rushton."So our grain crops started to be more productive, which have gone into pigs, poultry and cattle systems."If you look at the growth in production of meat, we've gone from 25 kilos consumption of meat to 62 kilos per person per year globally. "There's a disconnect between the urbanised population and food systems."Professor Rushton said just as farmers care about what they feed their animals, they should care about how their food is processed."Food production is driven by powerful companies, driven by profit motives, which need to have more social responsibility," he said."Urbanised consumers are dependent on a food system they know very little about. Chicken has been marketed as a healthy, low fat meat, winning the National Heart Foundation's tick of approval and Australian consumption has doubled to 43 kilos per person a year.But Dr Dixon she told the conference that "we are contradictions" and are buying the wrong chicken.Coated in batter and deep fried, chicken's goodness was undone . Read more here;http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-20/obesity-and-malnutrition-need-joined-up-thinking/6710870