Shows
Feed: a food systems podcastAgroecology and Sustainable Intensification: the values beneath the scienceWhat does “sustainable agriculture” actually mean, and why do scientists disagree about it? This episode explores how two influential scientific discourses - Agroecology and Sustainable Intensification - start from different values, ask different questions, and often talk past each other. Drawing on an interdisciplinary study at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, ecologist Riccardo Bommarco and ethicist Helena Rocklinsberg examine how those different approaches shape research, priorities, and solutions. The conversation turns to what might change when scientists begin to listen to each other across divides.For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabl...
2026-01-1426 minFeed: a food systems podcastThe future of food retail, made simpleMost industries have a clear roadmap for transformation. The power sector goes renewable. Cars go electric. But food and agriculture? The world’s most impactful—and most damaging—industry still has no shared path to transformation. Food sustainability consultant and retail expert Mike Barry argues that the future of food hinges on one counterintuitive idea: simplification. And he explains how AI, smarter data, and design can potentially speed up change.For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode93Want to share your reflections on the episode? Send us an ema...
2025-12-1134 minFeed: a food systems podcastCan we eat better without paying more?Instead of tell people what to eat, what if we changed what food costs? With Jörgen Larsson (researcher from Chalmers University), we explore a cost-neutral tax reform, one that makes healthier and climate-friendly food cheaper without raising the overall grocery bill. We break down how it works, why it matters, and how to frame it in ways that avoid predictable backlash.For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode92Want to share your reflections on the episode? Send us an email or voice memo to podcast@ta...
2025-11-2027 minFeed: a food systems podcastA three course meal in 2050We invite you to a three course meal in 2050, where climate breakdown has reshaped what and how we eat. Each of the courses is designed to provoke questions about the future of food through taste, visuals, and a bit of discomfort. It’s a story about eating possible futures — and noticing which ones feel delicious, or unsettling. In this episode, we take you behind the scenes of how the meal came together. Bon appétit.For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode91Want to share your reflections on th...
2025-10-3034 minFeed: a food systems podcastHunger on our doorstop (Part 2)Hunger on our Doorstep is a two part podcast about food poverty in the UK. It explores the issues and potential solutions through the eyes of three food campaigners with firsthand experience of food poverty in urban communities, as well as others working to tackle the problem. The often bleak picture of poverty, inequality and exclusion painted in episode one contrasts with inspiring stories of the solutions being put into practice across the country in episode two. This podcast is produced by TABLE with the support and contribution of the Food Foundation, a charity focused on changing f...
2025-10-0936 minFeed: a food systems podcastCan we change what a society eats? (with Sarah Lake)What if changing what we eat wasn’t about persuasion, but about reshaping everyday food choices? With Sarah Lake, CEO of Tilt Collective, we explore how meat and ultra-processed foods came to dominate U.S. diets – and how Tilt Collective is building a future where healthy and sustainable foods compete on convenience, price, and accessibility.For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode89Want to share your reflections on the episode? Send us an email or voice memo to podcast@tabledebates.org
2025-09-1832 minFeed: a food systems podcastWhy food needs a systems approach (with Corinna Hawkes)What do Yorkshire beaches, Sierra Leone’s new food strategy, and New York City school lunches have in common? For Corinna Hawkes, they all shaped her journey toward understanding how systems shape food. In this episode, we trace her path from a childhood fascination with shifting sands to her current role at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. Along the way, we ask: what does it actually mean to ‘take a systems approach’ to food? What type of leadership skills are needed to fix food systems today? And why do the best solutions sometimes require slowing down, not speeding...
2025-09-0424 minFeed: a food systems podcastHunger on our doorstep (Part 1)"Hunger on our Doorstep" is a two part podcast about food poverty in the UK. It explores the issues and potential solutions through the eyes of three food campaigners with firsthand experience of food poverty in urban communities, as well as others working to tackle the problem. The often bleak picture of poverty, inequality and exclusion painted in episode one contrasts with inspiring stories of the solutions being put into practice across the country in episode two. This podcast is produced by TABLE with the support and contribution of the Food Foundation, a charity focused on changing f...
2025-07-3138 minFeed: a food systems podcastWhat is food solutionism? And why does it limit usWhy are we drawn to simple fixes for the complex challenge of feeding the world sustainably? Researchers Colin Sage (formerly Cork University) and Garrett Broad (Rowan University) unpack what we're calling "food solutionism"—the tendency to promote single, sweeping solutions, whether high-tech or agroecological, while ignoring context and complexity. They argue for "complicating the narrative early and often", so we can move beyond binary thinking and better understand the trade-offs, limits, and realities behind competing visions for the future of food.For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode86...
2025-06-1240 minFeed: a food systems podcastFood Systems, Rice and Power in Southeast Asia (with Thin Lei Win)Why does Myanmar, often called the "rice bowl of Southeast Asia," continue to struggle with high rates of malnutrition? In this episode, journalist Thin Lei Win helps us unpack how political decisions, land ownership, and regional power dynamics shape food systems in Myanmar and beyond. We explore how issues like palm oil expansion and rice production connect to wider challenges around climate and biodiversity—and why lasting change remains difficult without addressing structural inequalities. Still, there are reasons for cautious optimism. Thin shares why she’s inspired by a new generation of journalists and activists working toward more just and...
2025-05-2230 minFeed: a food systems podcastIs this the future of food? (with Michael Grunwald)Can humanity feed nearly 10 billion people without frying the planet? That question is at the heart of journalist Michael Grunwald’s provocative argument in Sorry, This Is the Future of Food, his recent New York Times essay and the basis of his forthcoming book, We Are Eating the Earth. He warns that we’re clearing an acre of rainforest every six seconds to grow more food — and even if we quit fossil fuels, we won’t avert climate chaos unless we fix how we use land. In this episode, Grunwald makes the case that high-yield industrial agriculture, for all its flaw...
2025-04-1047 minFeed: a food systems podcastPerils of Populism and Precarious Promise of Regenerative Agriculture (with Ken Giller)Can we have more honest conversations about the future of food and agriculture? That’s the plea from Ken Giller, recently retired professor at Wageningen University, after four decades of witnessing both progress and setbacks in supporting farmers worldwide. We discuss the dangers of populist narratives that oversimplify agricultural challenges, how to reshape research incentives to embrace complexity and nuance, why he opposes carbon credit schemes for farmers, and more.For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode83GuestsKen Giller, Wa...
2025-03-2025 minFeed: a food systems podcastTikTok masculinity and the Tradwife (with Feminist Food Journal)What else should we consider when shifting to natural, whole foods—beyond just their health benefits? Feminist Food Journal co-founders Isabela Bonnevera and Zoë Johnson explore the deeper questions: whose labor makes these diets possible, who can afford them, and how culture and experience shape our food choices. We dive into these issues and uncover how a simple "natural foods" search on TikTok exposes striking gender dynamics.For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode82GuestsIsabela Bonnevera, FFJ + ICTA-UABZoë Johnson, FFJ + GPPi
2025-02-2739 min
Feed: a food systems podcastWhat biodiversity do you care about?Are food systems allies or enemies in the fight to save biodiversity? With our planet facing a biodiversity crisis, the answer depends on who you ask and what forms of life we prioritize. We speak with farmers, biophysical modelers, and biologists to explore whether producing food and conserving biodiversity can be achieved at the same time. We also discuss how our diets impact biodiversity, whether farming without soil can be better for biodiversity at large, and what it would take to effectively "shrink" the food system.For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org...
2024-10-1034 min
Feed: a food systems podcastAnimal welfare and ethics (with Tamsin Blaxter)How do philosophers, animal welfare scientists, and farmers differ in their understanding of what a good future for farmed animals looks like? TABLE researcher Tamsin Blaxter discusses the complex relationships between humans and non-human animals and how these connections shape our food choices. We talk about who gets to speak with authority on these topics, the connections between scientific research and animal welfare regulations, and our own experiences with eating and not eating meat. Read TABLE explainer: Animal welfare and ethics in food and agriculture (2024)Register/watch TABLE event Rethinking animals in a...
2024-09-0549 min
Feed: a food systems podcastValuing nature in our economies (with Adan Martinez Cruz)Environmental economist Adan L. Martinez-Cruz (Senior Lecturer at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences), argues that markets are a fundamental aspect of human society. He suggests that assigning a monetary value to natural resources can provide environmental benefits and create economic incentives to achieve them. In this episode, we discuss concept of non-market valuation, consider whether nature has inherent value, and examine whether markets are the best way to ensure fairness in the cost of food for both consumers and producers.For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode69
2024-08-2228 min
Feed: a food systems podcastThere is no master metric for biodiversity (with Ville Lähde)Philosopher and environmental researcher Ville Lähde (with the Finnish BIOS Research Unit) argues that we need to understand biodiversity differently at a fundamental level in order to preserve it. Biodiversity loss is much more than the list of extinct and endangered species. In our conversation, we talk about the myriad food systems and their different relationships with biodiversity, what are the hidden costs of simplifying biodiversity, and why Ville feels closest to biodiversity when working with his compost pile.Read the Life Matters Everywhere essayFor more info, transcript a...
2024-08-1540 min
Feed: a food systems podcastPresenting "Less And Better?: Ep 1: Its Complicated"It feels like one of the biggest questions of our time: what do we do about meat? Rather than choosing either extreme – business as usual, or ruling out meat altogether – some people suggest the best approach is one of ‘less and better meat’. But how much less is ‘less’? And which meat is ‘better’? How do we even begin to answer these questions?"Less and Better?" is an eight-part podcast series co-hosted by Katie Revell and Olivia Oldham at Farmerama Radio. Listen to the rest of the series here or wherever you get your podcasts.More info, resou...
2024-07-1134 minFeed: a food systems podcastWomen Scientists from Global South on Food Security (Part 3)500 scientists from 60 countries gathered at the 5th Global Food Security Conference in Leuven, Belgium. Instead of saying, "you had to be there," we bring you voices and reflections from the conference. Host Matthew Kessler recorded dozens of interviews, asking experts what key messages they want to deliver to those with the power to change food systems, what are the economics of food systems transformation, and which solutions to make food systems more resilient deserve more attention. This is Part 3 of a 3-part series, featuring six of the seven women scientists from the Global South awarded the 2023 OWSD-Elsevier...
2024-06-2725 minFeed: a food systems podcastEconomics of Food System Transformation (Part 2)500 scientists from 60 countries gathered at the 5th Global Food Security Conference in Leuven, Belgium. Instead of saying, "you had to be there," we bring you voices and reflections from the conference. Host Matthew Kessler recorded dozens of interviews, asking experts what key messages they want to deliver to those with the power to change food systems, what are the economics of food systems transformation, and which solutions to make food systems more resilient deserve more attention. This is Part 2 of a 3-part series, made with the support from ‘shout it out’, an instrument of the Global Minds prog...
2024-06-1340 minFeed: a food systems podcastIs Global Food Security a Solvable Puzzle? (Part 1)500 scientists from 60 countries gathered at the 5th Global Food Security Conference in Leuven, Belgium. Instead of saying, "you had to be there," we bring you voices and reflections from the conference. Host Matthew Kessler recorded dozens of interviews, asking experts what key messages they want to deliver to those with the power to change food systems, what are the economics of food systems transformation, and which solutions to make food systems more resilient deserve more attention. This is Part 1 of a 3-part series, made with the support from ‘shout it out’, an instrument of the Global Minds prog...
2024-05-3032 min
Feed: a food systems podcastIs cultivated "meat" unnatural? Is meat today natural? (with Cor van der Weele)While many wonder about the technological hurdles preventing cultivated meat from entering commercial markets, fewer ask a more basic question: will people actually eat it, or will they find it too unnatural? In this episode, we're joined by Cor van der Weele, emeritus professor in philosophy from Wageningen University, who has had a front-row seat to the past 15 years of shifting perceptions of this technology. We'll dive into how a philosopher thinks about “naturalness”, what are the public concerns and the idealistic visions of a cultivated meat future, and why mixed feelings about this innovation could be a healthy sign...
2024-05-0936 min
Feed: a food systems podcastDoes CRISPR make our food unnatural? (with Lauren Crossland-Marr)If more and more gene-edited foods become common on our plates, is that a sign of a promising or worrying food future? With Dr. Lauren Crossland-Marr, food anthropologist and host of the podcast A CRISPR Bite, we unpack whether it’s fair to call CRISPR a natural way of "speeding up the breeding" process, whether technological innovations such as gene editing are addressing root causes of food systems challenges, and if there’s space for middle ground on such a polarizing issue.For more info and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode61G...
2024-05-0229 min
Feed: a food systems podcastWhat's a natural diet? (with Richard Tellström)What influences the meals we enjoy today? Meal historian and cultural researcher Richard Tellström from Stockholm University suggests that the surrounding natural environments and ecosystems only play a minimal role. Instead, he argues that our choices are primarily shaped by cultural, political and economic forces. This episode dives into the dramatic shifts in Swedish diets over the past century, highlighting how changes such as new food preservation methods in the 1970s, Sweden's entry into the European Union in the 1990s, and shifting cultural trends throughout have redefined what's fashionable, and therefore possible, to eat. This is th...
2024-04-2518 min
Feed: a food systems podcastWhat's a natural diet? (with Amy Styring)Around 6000 years ago in Northwest Europe, our ancestors transitioned from hunter-gatherer societies to sedentary farming. How did their diets change during this time? The field of archaeological sciences and chemistry teamed up to shed new light on this question. In this episode, we ask Amy Styring, archaeological chemist at the University of Oxford, what's her take on a natural diet, whether we overestimate the role of meat in our past diets, and what lessons can we learn today if we have a better understanding of how people produced and ate food in the past?This...
2024-04-1825 min
Feed: a food systems podcastCan we eat enough white-tailed deer to restore forest ecosystems?Is it possible to eat enough white-tailed deer to keep their populations low enough to restore ecosystems? We posed this question to Bernd Blossey, professor at Cornell University who specializes in the management of invasive species and the restoration of disrupted ecological relationships.In this episode, we look at the history of white-tailed deer in the eastern forests of the United States, how many we would need to harvest to keep the population in check, and whether the concept of ecosystem balance is scientific or a fantasy.This is the third and final part of...
2024-04-1131 min
Feed: a food systems podcastEating invasive crayfish - a solution to our ecological mess?Are invasive species natural? If we introduced them, do we have some responsibility to manage them? What if we could reduce their numbers through the natural process of eating?In this episode, Jackie Turner (TABLE) joins crayfish trapper Bob Ring to see if we can eat our way out of one of the environmental problems we’ve created - the spread of invasive American Signal Crayfish into the river Thames. We ask if these invasive crayfish are ‘natural’, how they ended up in London’s iconic river in the first place, whether they offer a promising sustainable food sou...
2024-04-0421 min
Feed: a food systems podcastGrasshoppers - agricultural pest or sustainable food?What if we shifted our perspective from seeing some animal species as a problem to seeing them as an abundant and tasty source of food? Over the next few episodes, we’ll hear three "problems" in three regions: grasshoppers as pests in Mexico, invasive crayfish in London and overpopulated white-tailed deer in the United States. With a rising trend for traditional foods, demand for grasshoppers has exploded in Mexico in the last decade--but is it sustainable? We ask sociologist-biologist Elena Lazos Chavero about the environmental, political, cultural, and health consequences of Mexico's appetite for grasshoppers.Fo...
2024-03-2825 min
Feed: a food systems podcastShould food systems be more natural?“Is a microbe less natural than a cow?” This season we ask scientists, farmers, technologists and philosophers about how natural our food systems should be. In this age where industrial technology has profoundly transformed our eating habits and the landscapes around us, we explore whether we should let nature be our ultimate guide or fully lean into the technological innovations reshaping our world. From the traditional milpa systems of Mexico to the cutting edge laboratories of food scientists, we bring together voices across the spectrum: an economist, an indigenous leader, a food technologist and an agro...
2024-03-2144 minFeed: a food systems podcastSofia Wilhelmsson on pig transport and human-animal relations (rebroadcast)Sofia Wilhelmsson researches a very specific and stressful time for farmed pigs: the loading and transport of pigs on their way to slaughter. She not only considers the welfare of the animals, but also the well-being of the pig transport drivers. In our conversation we chat about the relationships that humans have with animals; what food systems actors have the most power in the pig production system; and whether we can add incentives for animal welfare and human well-being in our food systems.For more info, please visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode54
2024-02-2931 minFeed: a food systems podcastWhat is rewilding? (rebroadcast)Imagine a world where nature reclaims its place in the landscape. What would that mean for food systems? Walter Fraanje joins Feed co-hosts to talk about his new publication, "Rewilding and its implications for agriculture" co-authored with Tara Garnett. The explainer introduces the concept of rewilding, compares different rewilding strategies across the globe, explores their relationship with agriculture and unpacks some of the related controversies. We ask Walter how does rewilding differ from conservation, why might a farmer or fisher support or be against rewilding, and what does it mean to rewild your imagination?Re...
2024-02-1530 min
Feed: a food systems podcastNeena Prasad on the power of ultra-processed foodsPeople across the world are consuming more ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Will Latin American countries and elsewhere follow the path of the US and the UK, where over half of calories consumed now come from UPFs? Dr Neena Prasad, director of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Food Policy Program, joins us to talk about the power of and the power behind UPFs. We talk about the utility and harms of processing foods, the links between the tobacco industry and UPFs, and the public health measures advocated by the Food Policy Program. These include taxing UPFs, putting restrictions on marketing (especially to children), advancing publ...
2024-01-1841 minFeed: a food systems podcastJessica Duncan on COP28 and who shapes food policyFood systems are finally getting more attention at global climate conversations. But who is at the table shaping our food futures? We caught up with Jessica Duncan, Associate Professor on the Politics of Food Systems Transformations at Wageningen University, to hear her thoughts and concerns about COP 28.Then we re-air our conversation with Jessica Duncan from May 2021, where we talk about dialogue and participation in food policy, why we shouldn’t always be seeking consensus, and the importance of bringing local actors into global policy conversations. We unpack Jessica and Priscilla Claeys' 2020 report Covid19, Gender and Food sys...
2023-12-0754 min
Feed: a food systems podcastPresenting A CRISPR Bite: WineIs CRISPR the solution to controlling the pest plaguing California’s wine industry? In this episode of A CRISPR Bite, we take you to a lab where researchers are using CRISPR technology to genetically modify a frightening insect called the Glassy-winged sharpshooter responsible for spreading a bacteria and killing vines.CRISPR bites is five-part podcast series hosted by food anthropologist Dr Lauren Crossland-Marr. We're excited to share one episode from the series with you today.Listen to A CRISPR Bite, check out show notes, transcripts and more information on the podcast's website here....
2023-11-1623 minFeed: a food systems podcastWill you join the insect revolution?There are over 2,000 types of insects that people eat across the world. Some of these species could have the potential to be cultivated at scale using less land, less water, and fewer greenhouse gas emissions while supplying a nutritious protein source to many. But what does scaling insect production look like, and will people actually eat them?In this bonus episode, we dive deep into the world of insects as a potential food source. We visit a Swedish mealworm factory to understand the production process, and speak to researchers in Ethiopia and the Netherlands about the environmental...
2023-10-2627 min
Meat: the four futures9. Will you join the insect revolution?There are over 2,000 types of insects that people eat across the world. Some of these species could have the potential to be cultivated at scale using less land, less water, and fewer greenhouse gas emissions while supplying a nutritious protein source to many. But what does scaling insect production look like, and will people actually eat them?In this bonus episode, we dive deep into the world of insects as a potential food source. We visit a Swedish mealworm factory to understand the production process, and speak to researchers in Ethiopia and the Netherlands about the environmental...
2023-10-2627 minFeed: a food systems podcastNarrowing the yield gap in Sub-Saharan AfricaThe yield gap refers to the difference between the potential agricultural yield that could be achieved under ideal conditions and the actual yield that farmers harvest. In sub-Saharan Africa, the yield gap is in some cases 80% meaning that farmers have the potential to double, triple or even quadruple their harvests.The causes of the yield gap are debated and so are the solutions to narrow it. In this conversation with Martin van Ittersum, a professor at Wageningen University, and Klara Fischer, an associate professor and senior lecturer at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, we discuss if increasing...
2023-10-0539 minFeed: a food systems podcastPresenting M4F: Ep8. Looking back, looking forwardPresenting the Meat: the four futures series final episode.--Over the last few months, we explored what the future of meat and livestock could look like. We’ve talked about how our values, ethics and where we live in the world can impact our desired futures for meat. And we did a deep dive into four potential futures - efficient meat, alternative “meat”, less meat and no meat.To wrap up the series, we hear comments and thoughts from the listeners, and podcast host Matthew Kessler shares some personal reflections on what he lea...
2023-09-2136 minFeed: a food systems podcastPresenting M4F: Ep7. Health, biodiversity, animal ethicsWe continue featuring the Meat: the four futures series with episode 7.--We've heard four distinct visions for the future of meat and livestock. But realistically, won't they all play a role? As we wrap up the series in the next two episodes, we’re going to review what’s in conflict between the four futures and how parts of them might co-exist.In this episode we ask three experts to consider different arguments presented by the four futures as they relate to health, biodiversity and animal ethics. We ask a professor of diet...
2023-09-0753 minFeed: a food systems podcastPresenting M4F: Ep6. Plant basedWe continue featuring the Meat: the four futures series with our fourth and final exploration of four different futures for meat - Plant based no meat.--Should we remove animals from agriculture and our diets altogether? What if all the land that produces animal feed now could instead produce human food--or be rewilded? Would this be a planet friendly future--or impoverished and unnatural? In this fourth and final scenario: the plant-based no meat future, we explore the motivations, the evidence and the arguments for adopting a diet that centers and celebrates plants...
2023-08-251h 18Feed: a food systems podcastPresenting M4F: Ep5. Less meatWe continue featuring the Meat: the four futures series with our third exploration of four different futures for meat - Less meat.--What if we had a more compassionate approach to farming animals, where we raised and ate fewer animals - and so meat cost more? We speak with farmers, researchers and campaigners who don’t see farmed animals only as producers of meat and milk, but instead highlight their ability to manage landscapes and to recycle waste and nutrients. They cannot imagine sustainable cropping systems without livestock.Is this les...
2023-08-131h 09Feed: a food systems podcastPresenting M4F: Ep4. Alternative "meat"We continue featuring the Meat: the four futures series with our second exploration of four different futures for meat - Alternative "meat".--What do some entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, animal activists, and environmentalists have in common? They each envision a future where meat alternatives can tackle the environmental impacts and animal suffering caused by global livestock production.But in this futuristic vision of replacing livestock with plant-based substitutes and cultivating meat in labs from animal cells - are we living in a utopia or a dystopia? We speak with scientists, investors...
2023-07-2756 minMeat: the four futures8. Looking back, looking forwardOver the last few months, we explored what the future of meat and livestock could look like. We’ve talked about how our values, ethics and where we live in the world can impact our desired futures for meat. And we did a deep dive into four potential futures - efficient meat, alternative “meat”, less meat and no meat.To wrap up the series, we hear comments and thoughts from the listeners, and podcast host Matthew Kessler shares some personal reflections on what he learned about the future of meat and livestock after making this series....
2023-07-2035 minFeed: a food systems podcastPresenting M4F: Ep3. Efficient meatWe continue featuring the Meat: the four futures series with our first exploration of four different futures for meat - Efficient meat 2.0.--Today we farm and eat meat at a scale not matched in human history. We raise 80 billion animals a year for food at a really low cost to the consumer. Here we look at how technology, research, and innovation have made animal agriculture much more efficient. Do you see efficiency improvements in animal agriculture as essential for feeding a growing population? Or do you think we should eat less meat, swi...
2023-07-1353 minFeed: a food systems podcastPresenting M4F: Ep2. A complicated relationship with meatToday we are presenting the second episode in the Meat: the four futures series.What are your first thoughts when you see a piece of steak on a plate or a big pot of chicken soup - healthy meal? piece of animal flesh? comfort food? In this episode we explore how our values, ethics and where we live impacts our relationship with meat and livestock.We dig into the history of the diet humans evolved to eat, visit Burkina Faso and India to hear two different solutions to meet the surging demand for me...
2023-06-2941 minMeat: the four futures7. Health, biodiversity, animal ethicsWe've heard four distinct visions for the future of meat and livestock. But realistically, won't they all play a role? As we wrap up the series in the next two episodes, we’re going to review what’s in conflict between the four futures and how parts of them might co-exist.In this episode we ask three experts to consider different arguments presented by the four futures as they relate to health, biodiversity and animal ethics. We ask a professor of diet and population health if it’s better to eat some, a lot, or no meat; we ask...
2023-06-2253 minMeat: the four futures6. Plant-based - Planet friendly or unnatural?Should we remove animals from agriculture and our diets altogether? What if all the land that produces animal feed now could instead produce human food--or be rewilded? Would this be a planet friendly future--or impoverished and unnatural? In this fourth and final scenario: the plant-based no meat future, we explore the motivations, the evidence and the arguments for adopting a diet that centers and celebrates plants. We visit a vegan restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden; a vegan food tech company in Lagos, Nigeria; and an animal free farm outside of Reading in the United Kingdom. But...
2023-06-081h 18Meat: the four futures5. Less meat - Win, win, win or elitist?What if we had a more compassionate approach to farming animals, where we raised and ate fewer animals - and so meat cost more? We speak with farmers, researchers and campaigners who don’t see farmed animals only as producers of meat and milk, but instead highlight their ability to manage landscapes and to recycle waste and nutrients. They cannot imagine sustainable cropping systems without livestock.In this less meat future, would this be a win-win-win for animals, people and the planet or is it an unrealistic and elitist vision? --Vi...
2023-06-011h 09Meat: the four futures4. Alternative 'meat' - Utopia or dystopia?What do some entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, animal activists, and environmentalists have in common? They each envision a future where meat alternatives can tackle the environmental impacts and animal suffering caused by global livestock production.But in this futuristic vision of replacing livestock with plant-based substitutes and cultivating meat in labs from animal cells - are we living in a utopia or a dystopia? We speak with scientists, investors, and CEOs from across the world to better understand the motivations, scientific basis, and evidence that either support or raise concerns about the future of alternative 'meat'.
2023-05-1856 minFeed: a food systems podcastPresenting M4F: Ep1. Meat the four futuresHere we present the first episode of a podcast that Feed co-host Matthew Kessler has been creating with TABLE and the SLU Future Food over the last year: Meat the four futuresFood has this incredible ability to bring people together. But it can also divide us. And how can it not? The same foods that some find so nutritious, that give us such a strong sense of who we are - are also believed by others to be at the center of so many existential concerns - global malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and inequality.
2023-05-1133 minMeat: the four futures3. Efficient meat - Problem or solution?Today we farm and eat meat at a scale not matched in human history. We raise 80 billion animals a year for food at a really low cost to the consumer. Here we look at how technology, research, and innovation have made animal agriculture much more efficient. Do you see efficiency improvements in animal agriculture as essential for feeding a growing population? Or do you think we should eat less meat, switch to plant-forward diets or create competitive meat alternatives?We speak with agriculture economists, pig farmers, poultry geneticists, and others who make the best case for...
2023-05-1152 minMeat: the four futures2. A complicated relationship with meatWhat are your first thoughts when you see a piece of steak on a plate or a big pot of chicken soup - healthy meal? piece of animal flesh? comfort food? In this episode we explore how our values, ethics and where we live impacts our relationship with meat and livestock.We dig into the history of the diet humans evolved to eat, visit Burkina Faso and India to hear two different solutions to meet the surging demand for meat across the global South, and talk about the ethics of eating animals in the West, wh...
2023-05-0441 minMeat: the four futures1. Meat the four futuresFood has this incredible ability to bring people together. But it can also divide us. And how can it not? The same foods that some find so nutritious, that give us such a strong sense of who we are - are also believed by others to be at the center of so many existential concerns - global malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and inequality. Meat sits at the center of this controversy. But is it the problem or the solution? Well, that’s complicated. Meat: The Four Futures aims to bring us together on a journey where we...
2023-04-2731 minFeed: a food systems podcastWhat did we learn about power? (with Tara Garnett and Sigrid Wertheim-Heck)For our last episode of the second season of Feed, we speak with TABLE director Tara Garnett of the University of Oxford, and TABLE strategic director Sigrid Wertheim-Heck of Wageningen University to reflect on our past 15 episodes. We talk about what surprised us, what we learned, and what we missed across the season. Our wide ranging conversation covered the power of language, the power of imagination, the power of narratives, non-human power and more.If you have any comments, questions or suggestions for the show, you can write us at podcast@tabledebates.org...
2023-04-0649 minFeed: a food systems podcastFood in prisons (with Lucy Vincent and Linda Kjær Minke)As this season on power in the food system comes to a close, we wanted to focus on how food is consumed in institutions - places where people typically have less agency over their own food choices. In this episode we’re focusing on food in prisons in the United Kingdom and Denmark. We're joined by Lucy Vincent, Chief Executive and Founder of the charity Food Behind Bars in the UK, and Linda Kjær Minke, a criminology professor at the University of Southern Denmark who researches food dynamics in Danish prisons. We discuss how food in prisons is pro...
2023-03-091h 05Feed: a food systems podcastKen Giller on the Food Security Conundrum (rebroadcast)Why does agricultural research often fall short of addressing food insecurity challenges in sub-Saharan Africa? In this conversation with Ken Giller, we explore this wicked problem from a systems perspective examining the diverse drivers and experiences of smallholder farmers and the socio-ecological systems in which they are embedded.Ken provides a nuanced look at agroecological solutions and argues that relying solely on nature-based solutions would be inadequate to address food security problems in Africa. We also talk about the huge diversity of farmers that can be found under the banner of smallholders, an in-depth examination of the “yi...
2023-02-2335 minFeed: a food systems podcastPhilip McMichael on the "Corporate Food Regime"What is the corporate food regime? And are we still living in it? We put these questions to our guest Phliip McMichael, emeritus professor at Cornell University who, alongside Harriet Friedman, coined the term Food Regime in 1989. In our conversation we talk about how a historical sociologist thinks about power, what voices were included and excluded in the dialogues leading up to the UN Food Systems Summit, and we flesh out Philip’s view of what a more relocalized food system would look like.For more info and transcript, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode37
2023-02-0251 minFeed: a food systems podcastJason Clay on "Building and flying the plane as we go"Jason Clay is the Executive Director of the Markets Institute at World Wildlife Fund. He comes with decades of unique experiences and a big picture view of global food systems. In our conversation we ask him how power needs to be shifted to transform the food system, what the future looks like for small farmers, and whether we should be intensifying agriculture and sparing land or extensifying agricultural production and sharing land with nature. Jason Clay also shares ideas around how to increase transparency for consumers, improve farmers livelihoods, and urgently scale up systems level solutions.For...
2023-01-1248 minFeed: a food systems podcastSofia Wilhelmsson on "Pig transport and human-animal relations"Sofia Wilhelmmson recently completed her PhD from in 2022 from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in the department of Animal Environment and Health. She researches a particular and especially stressful time for farmed pigs: the loading and transport of pigs on their way to slaughter. She not only considers the welfare of the animals, but also the well-being of the pig transport drivers. In our conversation we chat about the relationships that humans have with animals - both wild and domesticated; what food systems actors have the most power in the pig production system; and whether we can add inc...
2022-12-1536 minFeed: a food systems podcastReginaldo Haslett-Marroquin on "the power of regenerative movements"Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin is the founder and director the Regenerative Agriculture Alliance. He moved to the US from Guatemala in the 1990s. In our conversation we talk about the power of movements, why small-scale farmers in the United States are rarely successful, and the difference between ‘feeding’ the indigenous mindset versus the colonizer mindset. For more info and transcript, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode34
2022-12-0136 minFeed: a food systems podcastJeremy Brice on "Investment, Power and Protein in sub-Saharan Africa"Who is investing in the food system and what are they investing in? What should the future of food, specifically protein, look like in sub-Saharan Africa? These are questions that Jeremy Brice explores in his new report: Investment, Power and Protein in sub-Saharan Africa. They are also highly relevant to the food and climate discussions happening now at COP-27 in Sharm-el Sheikh, Egypt (November 2022).In our chat with Jeremy Brice, lecturer at Manchester University, we discuss why the issue of protein is important in sub-Saharan Africa; we unpack three different investor visions for this region; and we...
2022-11-1049 minFeed: a food systems podcastBlain Snipstal on "Battling plantation agriculture today"Blain Snipstal, former youth advocate for La Via Campesina, has thought a lot about power. We talk about how Blain sees the legacy of the plantation model of agriculture still lingering today; how the dialogues and exchanges between peasant farmers can uncover a deep analysis of the food system; and he shares from his many experiences as a farmer, an activist, and an organizer. We also touch on the power of collaborating across grassroots movements and whose knowledge counts in food debates.For more info and resources, please visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode32
2022-10-2748 minFeed: a food systems podcastVincent Ricciardi on Challenging Assumptions (rebroadcast)In our discussion, data scientist Vincent "Vinny" Ricciardi challenges the assumptions and evidence that are built into food systems debates. We talk about a few of the recent papers that Vinny co-authored, including one that asks how much of the world’s food supply is produced by smallholder farmers, a 50-year meta-analysis that compares how do small and large farms size up in terms of yields and biodiversity impact, and whether smallholders actually have access to broadband to become part of a data driven farming future.This episode originally aired on 3 June 2021.Transcript available
2022-10-1341 minMeat: the four futuresM4F: TrailerJoin us as we explore four VERY different visions for what the future of meat and livestock could look like: No meat, more meat, alternative 'meat', and less meat. For more info, visit: https://tabledebates.org/meat
2022-10-0803 minFeed: a food systems podcastWhat is rewilding? (with Walter Fraanje)TABLE staff member Walter Fraanje joins Feed co-hosts to talk about his new publication, "Rewilding and its implications for agriculture" co-authored with Tara Garnett. The explainer introduces the concept of rewilding, compares different rewilding strategies across the globe, explores their relationship with agriculture and unpacks some of the related controversies. We ask Walter how does rewilding differ from conservation, why might a farmer or fisher support or be against rewilding, and what does it mean to rewild your imagination?Read the full explainerRegister for the Uppsala Health Summit
2022-09-1530 min2022-09-1529 minFeed: a food systems podcastGiuliana Furci on "Without fungi we wouldn't have food"This is not a typical conversation for Feed. We're still talking about food systems, and we're still talking about power, but we're focusing on the more-than-human world, specifically, mushrooms. Giuliana Furci, founder and executive director of the Fungi Foundation, joins us to talk about how fungi are as diverse as the animal and plant kingdom; what role fungi play in sustainable food systems; the contradicting lessons that you can learn from fungi; and what power do fungi have over humans and food systems?For more info and transcript, please visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode30
2022-08-2541 minFeed: a food systems podcastJoachim von Braun on an 'IP for Food'Joachim von Braun, former Chair of the Scientific Group for the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, lays out the importance of an inclusive process and multi-disciplinary scientific collaboration to meet the calls for food system transformation. Dr von Braun joins us to talk about his experience as Chair, what he sees as the successes of the summit, and what work remains to be done. We also discuss who should be involved in knowledge production and how, and we hear his thoughts on whether we should create an Intergovernmental Panel for Food (not unlike the IPCC) that would have the power...
2022-08-1140 minFeed: a food systems podcastBusiso Moyo on the Right to Food“Everyone has the right to have access to sufficient food” is written in the South African constitution. But how is that implemented, and who is responsible for making that a reality? Scholar-activist Busiso Moyo grapples with what ‘a right to food’ actually looks like in practice. In our conversation, he shares why he sees 'right to food as a valuable framework to build a just food system. We also cover various aspects of power in the food system including: agenda setting power; power of corporations; the power of paradigms; and who has power along the value chain. For more...
2022-07-2127 minFeed: a food systems podcastJayson Lusk on Markets and Consumer PowerIn this episode, Agricultural economist Jayson Lusk puts forward a vision of how science, technology and innovation are what we need for a sustainable food future, and what aspects of power he feels are getting in the way of this future. We discuss: whether having more information actually changes what food people buy; why Jayson is excited about venture capital flowing into the food system; and why he disagrees with some of the narratives and policy proposals put forward by the “food movement”. We also touch on some hotly debated topics like agricultural subsidies, GMOs, and true cost accounting....
2022-07-0747 min
Feed: a food systems podcastParsing Grindadráp (with Tamsin Blaxter)Tamsin Blaxter, researcher and writer at TABLE, joins Feed co-hosts to talk about her forthcoming publication: "Parsing Grindadráp". Grindadráp is a Faroese whaling practice that's understood both as important to local food cultures, and as barbaric, primitive and cruel. In this chat, we use grindadráp as a case study to explore: what is animal sentience? What's different about killing whales versus farmed animals? Where do older food traditions fit into the present? How does international media coverage impact local debates? And lastly, what does the evidence say about whether this is a sustainable practice?R...
2022-06-2331 minFeed: a food systems podcastWhat is Ecomodernism? (with Helen Breewood)In this mini-episode, TABLE staff member Helen Breewood joins Feed co-hosts to talk about her new publication, "What is ecomodernism?" The explainer describes the values, goals, and practical solutions promoted by ecomodernists; what they would mean for land use and the food system; the history of the ideas that underlie ecomodernism; and the main contestations around the values and evidence underpinning ecomodernism. We ask Helen about the explainer, the challenging review process, and how she changed her views on the topic.Read the full explainer here.Register for the online event here
2022-06-0915 minFeed: a food systems podcastElena Lazos Chavero on Scale, Seeds and Sovereignty (rebroadcast)In our conversation with social anthropologist Elena Lazos Chavero (National University of Mexico), we discuss how her research interests were formed around rainforest conservation, food systems and indigenous rights in Veracruz, Mexico. Elena explains how local and global food systems as well as urban and rural communities are highly dependent on each other. We also explore what the food sovereignty movement in Mexico stands for today.This episode originally aired on 19 April 2021.For more info and transcript, please visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode7-rebroadcast
2022-05-2646 minFeed: a food systems podcastJennifer Clapp on Commodifying Food (rebroadcast)Has the increasing commodification of food and financialization of the food system left us more vulnerable to food crises? We speak with Jennifer Clapp about the 20th century history of food policy that led us to this moment, how the Covid-19 food crisis is different than previous ones, and how diversity, in all of its forms, is essential to building a resilient food system.This episode was originally broadcast on 25 March 2021.For more info and full transcript, please visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode5-rebroadcast
2022-05-1254 minFeed: a food systems podcastAn open-ended discussion on power in the food systemOn 8 December 2021, TABLE hosted an open-ended discussion about power in the food system with representatives from civil society, academia, media and the private sector. At TABLE we recognise that our own biases and perspectives will influence how we think about power in the food system so the purpose of the event is to hear a range of different views and understandings of power. This kick off event helps us think about who and what shapes, controls and influences past, present and future food systems. Event panelists:Media: Eddy Wax - Reporter covering food and agriculture for PO...
2022-04-2858 minFeed: a food systems podcastHerman Brouwer and Joost Guijt on Power in Multi-stakeholder PartnershipsIn this episode we explore the role of power in multistakeholder partnerships (MSPs) with two people who are no strangers to this topic - Herman Brouwer and Joost Guijt, at Wageningen University and Research. In this conversation we ask: what are MSPs, do they actually work, and what are the different ways that power plays out in them? We learn how different food stakeholders perceive MSPs differently, whether the UN Food Systems Summit could be considered a successful MSP, and what are some tips and tracks for dealing with power in MSPs. For more info and transcript...
2022-04-0754 minFeed: a food systems podcastChanna Prakash on GMs, Golden Rice, and the Green RevolutionIn the third episode on power in the food system, we speak with Dr Channa Prakash, professor of crop genetics, biotechnology and genomics at Tuskegee University in the United States. Channa has been actively involved in enhancing the societal awareness of food biotechnology issues around the world. We speak with Channa about who decides what ends up on our table, discuss how his personal story connects to the Green Revolution, and unpack how he sees ideology as getting in the way of science. We also learn how Channa approaches food systems debates as we discuss Golden Rice...
2022-03-1750 minFeed: a food systems podcastJulie Guthman on Capital, Tech and Alternative FoodIn our second conversation exploring power in the food system, we speak with Julie Guthman, professor and food geographer at UC Santa Cruz. We ask her: how is Silicon Valley trying to transform the food system, who within Silicon Valley has the most power, and how does their vision compare with the Organic food movement? We discuss the different ways 'sustainability' is understood in these two different worlds and the broader structures that define or limit their competing visions. We also chat about how Julie's views on the Alternative Food Movement have evolved over time, and how Silicon Valley...
2022-03-0346 minFeed: a food systems podcastPhil Howard on Corporate ConsolidationIn the first Feed episode about power we speak with Phil Howard, author of Concentration and Power in the Food System, a book that asks "who controls what we eat?" We dive right into big questions, asking whether Phil Howard’s ideal food future is compatible with capitalism. We also talk about the rise of organics, how is power distributed within corporations, how a US farmer’s prospects about staying a small and diversified operation has diminished over time, and how food corporations intent on growing cope with the fact that human stomachs remain the same size.For...
2022-02-1740 minFeed: a food systems podcastIntroducing Season Two: Power in the food systemWe kick off our second season introducing our new theme power in the food system. Across the season we’ll speak with researchers, farmers, activists and others to dig into what kind of power shapes food systems, if this needs to change, and how. Send us an e-mail to podcast@tabledebates.org with what aspects of power you’d like to us to explore and which guests you’d like us to speak to.For more info and transcript, please visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode19
2022-02-0306 minFeed: a food systems podcastFood systems investors on COP (part 2)What does it actually look like to influence large companies to change their practices? In this conversation with shareholder advocates Annalisa Tarizzo and Thomas Peterson from Green Century Capital Management, we discuss how food systems investors use their unique leverage and work with other stakeholders including agribusiness, NGOs and policymakers to build a sustainable food system. This episode is part two of three of a mini-series on COP-26.For more info and transcript, please visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode18
2021-12-2235 minFeed: a food systems podcastWhy isn’t food on the COP agenda? (part 1)Why was food absent from the climate agenda in COP-26, the global gathering that took place in Scotland in November 2021? In this bonus episode, we speak with different people who attended or advocated at COP for food to be more central to the climate agenda. We hear from a youth activist (Vera Röös), a representative of civil society (Pete Ritchie at Nourish Scotland) and a politician (Secretary of International Affairs Marta Suplicy in São Paulo), who say we cannot reach emission reduction targets without looking at food systems. In part two of this episode we will speak to...
2021-12-0939 minFeed: a food systems podcastPat Mooney and Charles Godfray debate the future of food systemsJust three decades ago, the world looked very different: smartphones wouldn't appear for another 15 years, and in the world of food, the organic and local farming movements looked very different than they do today. Moving three decades into the future, what might food systems look like in 2050? We speak with Charles Godfray, director of the Oxford Martin School, and Pat Mooney, executive director of the ETC group, and ask what their ideal food future is, how to get there and what they are most concerned about.For more info and transcript, please visit: http://tabledebates.org/podcast...
2021-10-2643 minFeed: a food systems podcastWhat scale for the food system?In the final episode of our first season, we share our main findings and reflections from the past 14 conversations we had about scale in food systems. We present our guests' different views on whether local or global food systems are more sustainable and resilient, and whether that is even the right question to ask. We discuss the need for a diversity of scales and why both small and large farms and long and short supply chains are important. Finally, we examine whether large-scale elements of food systems make it difficult for smaller scale systems to survive and thrive.
2021-09-3036 minFeed: a food systems podcastElin Röös, Johan Karlsson and Robin Harder on "Values in Food Systems Models"In our conversation today with three researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Elin Röös, Robin Harder and Johan Karlsson), we discuss what food systems models can and cannot tell us about what type of future food system we'd like to create, previous projects modeling food systems at different scales (bioregion, country, continent), and how our values influence what questions we ask from a model and how we interpret its results.For more info and transcript, please visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode14
2021-08-2645 minFeed: a food systems podcastFelipe Roa-Clavijo on "Feeding the village, nation, or world"In our conversation with Felipe Roa-Clavijo (author of The Politics of Food Provisioning in Colombia: Agrarian Movements and Negotiations with the State), we discuss different narratives around food provisioning in Colombia, and find out which groups are promoting these different visions - to feed the village, feed the nation and feed the world. We talk about what it was like to be in the room during the negotiations between agrarian movements and the government, how Colombia's food system compares to the rest of Latin America, and why food can offer a valuable entry point to addressing systemic issues.
2021-07-2944 minFeed: a food systems podcastSophia Murphy on "Getting the global rules right"In our conversation with Sophia Murphy (Executive Director of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy [IATP]), we talk about the importance of trade at different scales throughout the food systems. Sophia discusses how ‘local’ systems have always been a part of extensive trading networks, how trade can meet the needs of diverse constituencies across the globe, and what needs to change in international governance for this to happen.For more info and transcript, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode12
2021-07-0843 minFeed: a food systems podcastKlara Fischer on why "Technology is not scale-neutral"In our discussion with Klara Fischer (associate professor in rural development at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences), we discuss how different smallholders in sub-Saharan Africa adopt and adapt different technologies, why new crop technologies are not scale-neutral, lessons to be learned from the Asian green revolution, and why it's important to work in interdisciplinary teams and be aware of the boundaries of our own knowledge.For more info and an episode transcript, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast-episode11
2021-06-1744 minFeed: a food systems podcastVincent Ricciardi on Challenging AssumptionsIn our discussion, data scientist Vincent "Vinny" Ricciardi challenges the assumptions and evidence that are built into food systems debates. We talk about a few of the recent papers that Vinny co-authored, including one that asks how much of the world’s food supply is produced by smallholder farmers, a 50-year meta-analysis that compares how do small and large farms size up in terms of yields and biodiversity impact, and whether smallholders actually have access to broadband to become part of a data driven farming future.For more info and the episode transcript, please visit https://tabledebates.or...
2021-06-0340 minFeed: a food systems podcastJessica Duncan on "We eat, drink and breathe food policy"In our conversation with rural sociologist Jessica Duncan (Wageningen U), we talk about dialogue and participation in food policy, why we shouldn’t always be seeking consensus, and the importance of bringing diverse local actors into global policy conversations. We unpack Jessica and Priscilla Claeys' 2020 report Covid19, Gender and Food systems and discuss what is gained by "viewing the crisis from below".For more info, visit http://tabledebates.org/podcast-episode9
2021-05-2045 min