Big ideas from The Big Interviews
In the following podcast episodes from The Big Interviews series, Food Matters Live picks the brains of key thinkers, policymakers and experts driving sustainable food reform. Working across government, NGOs and think tanks, they offer diverse perspectives on the challenges facing the industry and the opportunities for change.
Natalie Bennett: “We have to end factory farming”
Recorded for Sustainable Food Week, Stefan Gates sits down with Natalie Bennett, former leader of the Green Party of England and Wales.
Under her leadership, the Green Party totalled more votes in the 2015 election than in all previous general elections combined. Less known is that Baroness Bennet completed her degree in Agricultural Science, apprenticing on farms in Australia before moving into politics. She continues to nurture a deep interest and knowledge of sustainable food systems, publishing op-eds on everything from food waste to regenerative farming.
Tune in to learn more about Natalie’s rise to the top of British politics, why she is so driven to affect change in the world, and what she thinks needs to happen in the food industry to ensure a more sustainable future.
David Nabarro: “The food industry isn’t doing enough on sustainability”
David Nabarro has had an extraordinary career in public health, working on complex issues spanning disease outbreaks, food security, and nutrition.
This is best demonstrated by the long list of positions he has occupied, among them: Special Envoy of the World Health Organization and Director-General on COVID-19, co-lead of the United Nations Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance and Chair of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London.
In 2018, he was awarded the World Food Prize alongside Lawrence Haddad in recognition of his efforts to improve the quality, quantity, and availability of food globally.
Bringing his extensive knowledge to the fore, David Nabarro joined the Food Matters Live studio to discuss critical topics including resilience and equitability in the global food system. Keep listening to hear his assessment of our current food system, why he feels we’re falling short and why he is hopeful that change will come.
Lawrence Haddad: “Nutrition and climate are intrinsically linked”
Lawrence Haddad is the executive director at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). Prior to this he held several executive roles, including founding co-chair and lead author of the Global Nutrition Report and Director of the world-renowned Institute of Development Studies in Sussex.
Lawrence’s work in nutrition has gained international recognition, seeing him receive the 2018 World Food Prize and become a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 2022. At the heart of it, Lawrence is an economist with an interest in the intersection between poverty, food insecurity, and malnutrition.
“The two communities act as if they are ships passing in the night.”
That is Lawrence Haddad’s assessment of how those concerned with climate action and those concerned with nutrition behave towards each other. It is a situation he believes needs to change, and urgently. Join us as we explore his work at GAIN, look at some of the issues surrounding malnutrition, and discuss how we can create a global food system that sustains us and the planet.
Stay ahead of the curve with Food Matters Live’s trio of e-publications
Free to download and read, Food Matters Lives suite of digital publications is your direct line to the latest trends, science and innovation shaping food and drink today. Tapping into deep industry roots and a global network of food professionals, our trio of e-publications will keep you in the loop on everything sustainability, ingredient innovation and nutrition whilst offering exclusive coverage from our live events. Browse our digital shelves at the link below and select the volume of your choice. Better still, read them all.
