Sustainable Food Production and Consumption is a Must

This week, the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) presented a method to detect the “footprint” of wine through magnetic resonance. Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) addressed the growing importance of investing in sustainable food cold chains to reduce world hunger. The association also reported that the benchmark for world food commodity prices remained stable in October.

Interested in more? Here are the week’s major headlines in Agribusiness & Food:

Mexican Scientific Breakthrough Determines Wine’s ‘Footprint’

Jose Herbert, Scientific Representative of Mexico, OIV, reported that a method was developed to detect the “footprint” of wine through magnetic resonance, which will make it possible to determine genetic characteristics of different wines and to protect their origin. The methodology was developed with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER). Herbert explained that this technique is still being tested, focusing on the degradation parameters of amino acids and sugars, using algorithms based on artificial intelligence created in Mexico. These scientific advances could also enable the traceability of glyphosate in corn production. 

The Right of Indigenous People to Consultations on Projects

A large number of government projects in Mexico have been carried out on land belonging to native populations through expropriation, in which the government pays the owners of the land compensation and passes that land into the hands of the state, wrote Odilisa Gutiérrez, Founding Partner and CEO, Odilisa Gutiérrez Mendoza & Asociados. However, many of these land expropriations have been carried out without considering the opinion of indigenous peoples, which is of utmost importance to ensure a successful project. “I believe that the right of Indigenous peoples to be consulted about the projects that are intended to be carried out in their community is a right that is fortunately recognized in the international treaties to which Mexico is a party,” said Gutiérrez. 

Amid Food and Climate Crises, Investing in Sustainable Food Cold Chains is Crucial

“As food insecurity and global warming rise, governments, international development partners and industry should invest in sustainable food cold chains to decrease hunger, provide livelihoods to communities and adapt to climate change,” stated a UN press release. The number of people affected by hunger worldwide rose to 828 million in 2021, a year-on-year rise of 46 million. According to the Sustainable Food Cold Chains report, developing countries could save 144 million tons of food annually if they reached the same level of food cold chain infrastructure as developed countries. Projects around the world show that sustainable food cold chains are already making a difference. However, these projects are still the exception rather than the norm.

World Food Price Benchmark Remained Stable in October

FAO reported on Friday that the benchmark for world food commodity prices remained fairly stable in October, as higher cereal prices were more than offset by lower quotations for other food staples. The FAO Food Price Index, which reflects the monthly change in international prices of the basket of most traded food commodities, averaged 135.9 points during October, down slightly from September. With the latest update, the Index stood at 14.9 percent, down from its all-time high in March 2022, although it remained 2 percent above the level it reached in October 2021.