Sustainability in many industries has been a goal for the past few decades. Renewable energy to reduce dependency on fossil fuels has given rise to solar, wind, and conservation efforts. The push to making products and procedures more efficient improves constantly. Recycling is increasing in global popularity at a steady rate, and efforts to clean oceans are showing signs of success in some places.
Sustainable food production is crucial to meet the demands of a growing population. It is no longer a matter of distributing an abundance of food to the hungry. It is a matter of being able to actually produce enough food to go around. Instead of an unequally distributed amount of food, the world is facing food shortages in the near future.
Successes
Plant-based foods to replace dairy and eggs are already used in many products that are typically introduced by independent food processing companies. The success has lead major food processing corporations into the fray. There is still a long way to go, but success stories are increasing. Natural grains, peas, and other plants are less expensive to produce and take up less land, water, and energy than producing dairy products and eggs.
Aquaculture is an industry that is striving for sustainability as well. ASC certification for businesses is rising. The Aquaculture Stewardship Council, ASC, is an international non-profit organization that works to move all sectors in the industry closer to being environmentally sustainable and socially responsible. 150 performance indicators are used for certification assessments. Company leaders are trained on how to comply and are given support and guidance throughout the process, which can take several months or a few years.
Salmon
The sector of farmed salmon is leading the way in the industry through the Global Salmon Initiative (GSI). This non-profit was launched in 2013 by three salmon farm executives. It has expanded to seventeen members who operate over half of all salmon farms in eight countries. The group has identified four main areas for improvement to expedite the move toward sustainability.
This is a major worldwide success because fish, salmon in particular, is one of the most nutritious foods consumed on the planet. High in protein, vitamins, antioxidants, and Omega-3 fats. It is also naturally low in fat. Proper nutrition can be provided for billions of people if other farmers participate in the Initiative. Go to this site to learn more about GSI. The only way to avoid food shortages within the next ten to twenty years is to begin preparing now.