The Food System

About this book

Food is a massive industry and the many key players involved have very different interests. In wealthy nations those interests can range from corporate survival and maintaining profitability in a market with limited demand to promoting a healthy diet and ensuring food safety. For the poor the emphasis is all too often on simply getting enough to eat. As information technology and biotechnology are set to revolutionize the food system it is essential to understand the broad context in which the different actors operate so that all the worlds people can enjoy a safe secure sufficient and sustainable food supply. This text provides an overview of todays dominant food system - one developed in and controlled by northern industrialized countries and one that is becoming increasingly globalized.