In the face of the global population surge, climate change, and industrialisation, amongst several other drivers, food security has become increasingly threatened. Given that the conventional methods of protein production strain the environment and the sustainability of our food system, alternative proteins offer a viable solution to the problem of food insecurity.
What exactly is food security?
Food security is only said to be achieved when safe, healthy and nutritious foods are available for human consumption and are efficiently produced while maintaining environmental resources and reducing the effect of climate change. Therefore, as foods are produced for human consumption, the well-being of the entire ecosystem system should be considered to ensure a sustainable environment for current and future generations.
It is not gainsaying that animal agriculture has made some contributions to food availability in developed and developing countries. However, considering all the different aspects of food security, alternatives to animal agriculture should be the focal point of food system discussion. This is so because the existing food system has posed a number of challenges ranging from resource to environmental-related issues, amongst others.
Alternative proteins are substitutes for animal-sourced proteins and are considered environmentally friendly. They have shown to be a viable solution to address the problem of food security globally and the urgent need for sustainable agricultural practices.
Alternative proteins have been identified as a major game changer in the food production scene. According to the World Economic Forum, the alternative protein industry “will increase to more than seven times its current size over the next decade and a half, from a current 13 million metric tons a year to 97 million metric tons by 2035, when it will make up 11% of the overall protein market.” Therefore, it is necessary that the role of alternative proteins in combating food insecurity is judiciously and extensively considered.
What role do alternative proteins play in the global food security landscape?
From plant-based, fermentation-enabled, and cultivated meat, alternative proteins introduce variety and diversity in the sources of proteins. These varieties are expected to reduce the over-dependence on animals as sources of proteins. As it is often said, “Variety is the spice of life.” Consumers will gradually drift into these substitutes as alternative proteins scale and meet their desires and expectations.
Additionally, one major challenge contributing to food insecurity is limited resources. Animal agriculture depends greatly on large amounts of resources such as land and water. Our World in Data opined that a shift to a plant-based diet by everyone will reduce agricultural land use by 75%. From statistics, the production of these alternatives is less resource-intensive when compared to conventional protein farming. Indeed, this is an excellent contribution to food security.
Similarly, animal agriculture utilises a larger portion of plant-based materials as feed. Why is this worthy of consideration? The reason is not far-fetched. Of the nearly 36% of the world’s crop calories used in feeding animals, only about one-third of these feed calories ultimately contribute to the human diet as meat or some other animal products. These items ordinarily would have gone into the food supply chain. Adopting alternative protein sources in place of animal farming would enable us to utilise these crops efficiently.
Furthermore, drought is another major factor contributing to food insecurity, especially in East Africa, affecting over 40 million people. The region is reportedly faced with various challenges emanating from water scarcity. These challenges include but are not limited to malnutrition and food shortage. Plant-based alternative protein sources such as legumes and some grains have been established and enhanced to resist water scarcity.
Fortunately, Africa is home to most of these crops, making access easier. These crops include millet, soybeans, cowpeas, groundnuts, wheat, sorghum, etc. Their drought tolerance ability is vital in regions prone to water scarcity. This guarantees higher crop yield and, consequently, food security in this region.
Among several other interventions that have been and are being deployed to address food insecurity, alternative protein sources make available a potent solution to addressing food insecurity. They significantly improve food security by providing more effective and sustainable alternatives to protein production. These alternatives ensure protein shortages due to resource constraints and scarcity are addressed while ensuring that unsustainable protein production methods like intensive agriculture are efficiently substituted.