Cargill: Three ways to create a food secure world

He explained his company’s position at the first day of the Provimi Animal Nutrition Seminar, held in Barcelona, Spain, 13 and 14 November. Provimi is a Cargill company.

He spoke of this in a market orientated story, stating that even in 2012 the world made plenty of food to feed all people, despite 1 billion people being undernourised. Seeing it as a matter of economics and distribution, he said: “We just didn’t share it with the outside world. In a ‘food secure world, people have access to safe and affordable food.“

He pointed to three things we can all do to create this food secure world.

He mentioned yield increase, just like other speakers did at this seminar. Sensitive in this respect, is his conviction that genetically modified organisms (GMO) will be adopted in the European Union in the long run. “If technology and culture collide, technology will win. GMO crops will have a smaller footprint. We simply need to reach out and explain the benefits of these technologies. We need to gain society’s permission to use proven science.”

Secondly, he pointed to the feed vs fuel debate. Although feedstuffs used for biofuel production did not swallow up all production, being able to use them for feed would considerably help to alleviate the feed shortage, he said, calling for a balancing of food and fuel. Hall said, “We need to be lifting some mandates. If there is a drought, prices will go extremely high. We need to have flexible policies so that crops destined for biofuels can be converted into food.”

Thirdly, Hall pointed to Africa, as in this continent is a world to win, he said. “Cargill can help develop Africa by teaming up with governments, NGOs and public-private partnerships.”