Team WUR scores with vision on food system in 2050

Two researchers from Wageningen Imke de Boer and Evelien de Olde and their team are one of the ten finalists of the prestigious Food System Vision Prize. Their team comes up with a holistic vision of a healthy and circular food system in the Netherlands in 2050, entitled 'Re-rooting the Dutch Food System; from more to better'. Each finalist is eligible to become a 'Top Visionary' and receive a prize of $200,000.

The Food System Vision Prize is an initiative of the American Rockefeller Foundation and its partners SecondMuse and OpenIDEO. Thousands of organizations around the world were able to apply by formulating a vision for a healthy and regenerative food system in a region of their choice for the year 2050. More than 1300 teams took part when the competition started in November 2019. In March, 76 teams were selected, including the Wageningen teams of Imke de Boer and Evelien de Olde (Chair Group Animal Production Systems) and Marian Stuiver (Environmental Sciences Group). They were given the opportunity to further develop their vision.

Integral vision with people from the field

The vision of the team De Boer/De Olde includes a redesign of the current Dutch food system. In the new system healthy food is produced for everyone, with respect for our planet and all people and animals that live there. This means, for example, that in 2050 arable farmers will grow several crops on a plot of land at the same time and that pigs and chickens will only eat biomass that is not suitable for human consumption. Plant-based and healthy food is attractive, easily accessible and the logical choice. The Dutch eat more local and vegetable products. Advertising on soft drinks and other products with empty calories is prohibited. Also, all houses have sunroofs or green roofs. Economic prosperity in 2050 will be measured on the basis of the Gross Social Product instead of the Gross National Product.

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