The Polycrisis Calls for Polysolutions

The Polycrisis Calls for Polysolutions

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of attending the Food Planet Prize event in Båstad, Sweden. It was a great opportunity to celebrate ambitious food system work from across the globe, and connect with others who are also passionate about transforming the systems we operate and live in.  

We were invited to attend this year’s ceremony as an alumnus of the cohort, having previously been a finalist in 2023 for our work in Southeast Asia focusing on the protein system. You can read more about the project here: Protein Challenge Southeast Asia. 

The experience was incredibly refreshing, designed intentionally to encourage attendees to connect over (incredible!) food and nature.

It left us all feeling hopeful, and that it is indeed possible to simultaneously recognise the immense challenge we face with urgency and optimism.
So, what stood out to me? 

  • At Forum for the Future, we believe that systemic, holistic solutions are required to effectively address the challenges we face. So, you can imagine my glee when I listened to Dr Raj Patel exclaim to the room that “the polycrisis needs polysolutions”. The food system, like many other systems, is complex and not fit for purpose. If we’re to effectively address access to healthy and affordable diets, scale regenerative agriculture or create a system free of labour exploitation - it requires a systemic approach (‘polysolutions’). 

  • Food is currently framed as a commodity by many, and this is extremely problematic. It has contributed to rising prices, where profit is prioritised and many are still unable to afford food. Instead, food needs to be viewed as a basic, human right that is critical to functioning. We were prompted to think about what this could look like in reality: food as part of social security, or even connecting public service procurement to agroecological farms. 

  • The range of initiatives was nothing short of inspirational, with the current finalists focusing on: developing palm-like oils through fermentation as an alternative to traditional palm oil to reduce reliance; reshaping food procurement and replacing processed meals in schools with organic ingredients from local farms; and redesigning agricultural landscapes so they integrate agroforestry practices, supporting farmers and landowners through training.

What’s coming next?

Whilst the Food Planet Prize celebrated existing food system initiatives, it also gave us time to reflect on where next. What's coming down the line for the food system? 

  • This year, we’re facing a super El-Nino event which will affect crop yields and herd size, and impact our food security - making it more important for countries to implement climate adaptation measures to secure food production. 

  • The rise of weightloss drugs in the past year has (and continues to) shape our social behaviours and norms, and influencing dietary trends and preferences. Protein is climbing up the agenda again and consumers are noticeably purchasing smaller portions. Supermarkets, restaurants and others in the food sector will need to monitor how these behaviours develop and adjust their services accordingly. 

  • Recent geopolitical events have revealed a fragility in the food system, with certain regions being centres of power and “logistic hubs”. Could we see the supply chain reshaping, and a growing move to territorial markets in a bid to increase resilience?  

Despite these trends, it’s important to not lose hope and take time to recognise that people are addressing some of the biggest (food) systems challenges of today and the future. The Food Planet Prize was a great demonstration of that and reminds us to celebrate the work we’re doing - however big or small.

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