ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS

Abstract

The article provides an analysis of modern domestic and international scientific sources on environmental aspects that can be used in the formation of efficient and sustainable food systems. The acute food problem is in a vicious circle — food surplus and hunger of millions of people on the planet. In a world where food is produced far more than consumed, the world’s population is smaller, and vice versa. According to UN forecasts, by 2050, the world’s population will reach 9.7 billion people, with the largest growth in regions that already face food insecurity. Therefore, one of the ways to solve the problem of providing humanity with enough quality and nutritious food is to move to sustainable food systems. It is known that the activities related to the food system include: growing, harvesting, processing, packaging, transporting, marketing, selling, cooking, consuming and disposing of food. It also includes other inputs (land, fertilisers, crop protection products, labour, water, machinery, knowledge, capital, etc.) and outputs other than food (greenhouse gas emissions, agricultural waste, municipal wastewater, etc.) at each stage of the chain. A schematic model of the food system can be represented by the following logical sequence of goals: “To feed → To feed all → To feed all with quality food that does not harm the human body → To feed all with quality food that does not harm the environment and future generations”. In addition, food systems have significant positive and negative impacts on human health and the environment. In order to move towards a sustainable food system, three main principles need to be followed: sustainable use of renewable resources, which means no degradation or depletion of renewable resources such as land and soil, water and biodiversity; efficient use of all resources; and neutral impact of the food system on the environment. Modern food systems are unsustainable, and it is probable that the pressure on natural resources will only increase. Food systems are directly dependent on natural resources. It is well known that environmental damage in ensuring food security is is generally inevitable, and the question of how they can be minimized is now very important. The research methods used in the study included a systematic approach, comparative analysis and generalisation