How investing in sustainable food and agriculture made a difference in 2019

Our current food and agriculture systems exceed planetary boundaries. They deplete soils, contribute to climate change through relatively high greenhouse gas emissions, cause a decrease in biodiversity, contribute to malnutrition and support inequality due to power concentration.

Agriculture must work with nature rather than against it. At the same time, a balanced and resilient food system should promote healthy diets and deliver fair pay for farmers. This will require a thorough redesign, a renewed connection between consumers and the food they eat and a revaluation of our food and ecosystems.

Triodos' conceptual model of sustainable food systems

The holistic view forms the base of our investment strategy and is further explained in the Triodos Bank’s vision paper on food and agriculture systems ‘Towards ecologically and socially resilient food and agriculture systems’ (PDF).

Our vision encompasses the following three pillars:

Balanced ecosystems

Modern farming systems cause severe soil degradation: over 50% over global arable land is degraded. Biodiversity loss is a major issue and water depletion occurs with agriculture accounting for 70% of global freshwater withdrawals. And farming has high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. They threaten the very ecosystems they depend on. It is essential that farming practices return to an approach of working with nature rather than against it. The Principles of Organic Agriculture of health, ecology, fairness and care should be guiding. Also, about a third of global food production is wasted at some point in the value chain. Resilient food and agriculture systems reduce food waste throughout the supply chain and serve local markets with seasonal products wherever possible.

Healthy society

About 800 million people still suffer from chronic hunger while 1.9 billion people are either overweight or obese. Simultaneously, more than 2 billion people suffer from the hidden hunger of micronutrient deficiencies (lack of vitamins and minerals). The challenge is not only about producing food in sufficient quantities, but rather about achieving sufficient quality. This means that food and agriculture systems should transition towards sustainable diets; diets with a low environmental impact, that are nutritious, safe and healthy as well as culturally accepted, accessible and affordable. More specifically diets that focus on quality, not only quantity, that are diverse, and preferably local.

Inclusive prosperity

In emerging economies, 500 million small-scale farmers supply 70% of the world’s food. They represent the poorest and hungriest people in the world. In western economies, the continued pressure on farmers to produce large quantities of homogenous products for low prices has led to upscaling and intensification of farming practices. All parties in the value chain should receive a proper proportion of the prosperity generated. Smallholder farmers should receive access to assets, capital, education, infrastructure and information to intensify and scale up their production. Industrialised farmers should be given the opportunity to transition away from monocultures and intensive farming. Lastly, farmers should be rewarded for their capital investments and labour as well as their societal roles, promoting sustainable farming practices integrated in the local landscape.

23.8M organic meals served

90% sourced sustainably or recycled

185M organic food turnover in EUR

99,000 small-scale farmers reached

Find out in more detail how two of our funds – Triodos Organic Growth Fund and Hivos-Triodos Fund – contribute to the food transition.

Read the interview and case studies to find out more how our investment contribute to the acceleration of the food transition.

Accelerating the food transition

Why do we invest in the food transition?

How do we invest for impact in Sustainable Food and Agriculture?

Impact highlights

Organic meals

Sustainably sourced or recycled

Organic food turnover

Small-scale farmers

The impact of our funds

Triodos Food Transition Europe Fund

Accelerating the food transition

Hivos-Triodos Fund

Catalaysing green, inclusive growth in emerging economies

In stories: interview and case studies

How we make agriculture in developing countries more sustainable

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