Beyond the Pandemic: Harnessing the Digital Revolution to Set Food Systems on a Better Course by Lampietti, El Abed, and Schroeder establishes the need for a sustainable food supply model. The article draws parallels between areas with an excessive food supply that farmers dump milk and plow back produce into the soil with areas where customers are forced to queue only to find empty shelves. The authors fault large-scale food production and just-in-time supply chain for this asymmetry in the supply of produce. The Digital revolution could help this problem especially if it is integrated into small-scale and flexible production systems. This idea is quite feasible considering that every person in the world participates in the food system since individuals make consumption decisions. Moreover, most of the agricultural products are produced on small, family-run local farms most of which are located in developing countries.
The globalization of food production through trade and sophisticated insurance and financial markets contribute to complexity in supply. These processes introduce high transaction costs and information asymmetries that in turn plagues the system. Lampietti, El Abed & Schroeder (2020) establish that these asymmetries have derailed the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals considering that there has been a steady rise in the number of malnourished children. Moreover, modern agriculture translates to rising obesity, green gas emissions, and unprecedented consumption of freshwater, which threatens biodiversity. These challenges point to the need for setting a new food system that reduces hunger while at the same time improves health, economy, and preserve the planet.
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Deployment of digital networks and technologies would be the solution to overcome persistent policy and market failures. The authors note that digital technologies collect, use, and analyze data on aspects related to food systems at no cost. This capacity means that these technologies could help to de-concentrate supply chains and increase the number of markets to enhance equitable distribution. A de-concentration means that the customers and producers will be linked in real-time, which will not only reduce wastage but also will lead to a reduction in prices. In the end, the integration of digital technologies will shift the global food system towards more sustainability.
Reference
Lampietti, J., El Abed., &Schroeder, K. (2020, August 6). Beyond the pandemic: Harnessing the digital revolution to set food systems on a better course. The World Bank . https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/immersive-story/2020/08/06/beyond-the-pandemic-harnessing-the-digital-revolution-to-set-food-systems-on-a-better-course
