Our Scans · Food · Weekly Summary

• [New] There is a need for transformational innovation within the existing food system to achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 of ending hunger within a sustainable agricultural system by 2030. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The UNSDG2 aims to end hunger, and achieve food and nutrition security within a sustainable agricultural system by 2030. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] World hunger and food insecurity are inextricably linked between social inequality and access to healthy food options; therefore, the key to replacing ASFs within the food system will be the availability and affordability of any alternative protein source. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Construction, food processing and the defence industrial base are among the markets A3 expects to drive robotics growth in 2026, reinforcing many of the conversations held at NGen's N3 Summit earlier in 2026. Design Engineering
• [New] By 2050, the transformation of food systems towards healthy diets (adoption of the EAT-Lancet reference diet), improved productivity and halving of food waste results in a fundamental restructuring of global agriculture, aspects of which break with historical trends. Nature
• [New] An EAT-Lancet diet achieved by 2050 alongside reductions in FLW and projected per capita incomes rising faster than food prices, could be less expensive globally on average than BAU projected diets and, in a similar vein, we find that (producer) prices would be lower relative to BAU projections. Nature
• [New] The substantial relative reductions in production across livestock, sugar and cereals by 2050 in the transformed food system versus a BAU scenario suggest profound implications for the political economy of global food systems. Nature
• [New] A new multi-institution study featuring researchers from the University of Washington finds that the global decline of insect pollinators poses a growing threat to human nutrition, health and livelihoods. Population Health
• [New] Iran's attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz have put a stranglehold on exports of oil and raw materials for fertiliser, sending energy prices soaring and raising the risk of a food security crisis in some of the world's most vulnerable countries. Al Jazeera
• [New] Recent progress is fragile, it warned, pointing to the potential for extreme weather and the conflict in the Middle East to further increase food inflation. Positive News
• [New] The risks remain visible today: the Middle East conflict has left dozens of container ships stranded near the Strait of Hormuz, delaying shipments of food, fuel and vehicles and highlighting how quickly geopolitical shocks can ripple through global trade. Dare, HEC Media Hub
• Global food demand is expected to rise significantly through 2050, while the United Nations projects that 68% of the global population will live in urban areas by 2050, supporting demand for high-barrier packaging. Persistence Market Research
• Asia-Pacific is expected to register the fastest growth during the forecast period owing to rising food demand, increasing government support for agricultural modernization, and rapid adoption of smart farming technologies. Market Data Forecast
• Smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa face limited access to irrigation, agricultural inputs, and modern technologies, combined with weak adaptive capacity and inadequate infrastructure, which drives rising food prices, reduced dietary diversity, and increased risks of hunger and malnutrition. Mapshock
• While the price of staple crops surges as global turmoil raises global food insecurity fears, each country's experience is the outcome of the relationship between numerous country-specific economic factors. Frontiers
• Widespread dietary shifts toward plant-based foods could play a key role in reducing the environmental footprint of the global food system. EurekAlert!
• With the persisting geopolitical crisis, the increase of energy and fertilizer prices - key inputs to produce food - highly threatens net fertilizer-importing regions, especially East Africa. Frontiers
• The global decline of pollinator populations is a critical threat to food security, given that over 75% of global food crops rely on animal pollination. ThesisLikho
• Imported food, energy and shipping costs could rise again if Middle East tensions persist. CLAREMONT
• The Middle East and Africa region is projected to showcase steady growth during the forecast period due to harsh climatic conditions, water scarcity, and the need to improve food self-sufficiency. Market Data Forecast
• Disrupted trade routes have been reported as already having food insecurity outcomes for 2026 and 2027 in some of the world's most vulnerable countries, as planting seasons are affected (e.g., in Somalia, Ethiopia and Pakistan). Frontiers
• Economists are warning that a super El Nino weather cycle in 2026 could cause a severe shock to global food prices lasting into 2028. The Guardian

Last updated: 02 August 2026