05 - Interview with Daniel Skaven Ruben - How we gonna nourish 10bn people in a sustainable way?

SustainNOW Podcast - Learn from entrepreneurs & scientists about climate solutions

More information and all links: www.sustainnow.ch
Daniel Skaven Ruben is Head of Strategy & Special Projects at Swedish plant-based cheese startup Stockeld Dreamery

Prior to that, he was a consultant to The Rockefeller Foundation Food Initiative during 2017-2021, supporting the Foundation’s work to advance a more nourishing and sustainable food system. Daniel has also worked as an expert for the World Bank in Washington D.C. (2015-2016) on issues around technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Daniel is a mentor for several FoodTech accelerators, a venture partner to four foodtech VC firms, and is an advisor to a number of AgTech and FoodTech startups. He curates the newsletter FoodTech Weekly and co-hosts The Appetizer podcast.

In this episode we will talk about:

How do we nourish people [10bn] in a sustainable way in the future?

1. The feeding GAP - how to feed 10bn people in 2050 by not using more agriculture land, not emitting more carbon and less water.
2. The history of nourishment of an increasing population.
3. Food is responsible for 25% of annual greenhouse emissions, 70% freshwater use, 50% of all land use.
4. We discuss 3 solutions and existing companies for reducing GHG emission while feeding the world:
   1. Increase productivity in agriculture (crops, animals, fertilizers, etc.) by using technology such as sensors, Satellit, robotics, vertical farming, cold chain optimization in Africa, etc.
   2. Reduce food waste in developed countries (we throw 1/3 away) by increasing awareness, alarm systems for due dates, dynamic pricing, sustainable packaging, circular solutions, fair pricing by total cost accounting, etc.
   3. Shift diets from animal based protein, sugar, sodium to more fruit and vegetable, nuts, omega 3 based food, etc.
5. Why is it so difficult to implement these solutions? We talk about the missing true cost accounting in the food chain.
6. How your plate should look like to nourish you well.
7. We are looking into the future and the challenges to scale them: Personalized nutrition, AI based nutrition analysis, increasing consumer demand towards origin, components and nutrition levels of food, plant-based protein, lab-grown protein, precision fermentation food.
8. Where would Daniel invest into the next 5 years?
9. Potential book title about himself: Incurable Optimist.

Please check out show notes and background information: www.sustainnow.ch
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