The utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) is anticipated to have a significant impact on the future of food systems; however, the question remains whether it will aid in addressing or perpetuating existing inequalities.
Roy Steiner, the senior vice president for the Food Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation, underscored the importance of considering the integration of technology into the food system in a manner that aligns with the desired objectives. According to Steiner, technology is a neutral tool that has the potential to amplify the underlying conditions. Therefore, if the current system is plagued with inequities, the implementation of technology may only exacerbate the existing disparities.
This topic was deliberated in an interview with Devex during the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, with a primary focus on the transformative role of technology across all aspects of society, including the production, distribution, and consumption of food.
Steiner expressed his viewpoint that the current food system has adverse environmental, social, and nutritional impacts. He expressed optimism that technological advancements could pave the way for a transition towards a more sustainable and equitable system.
The interview also featured insights from Paul Newnham, the executive director of the SDG2 Advocacy Hub, an organization that coordinates global advocacy efforts to support the transformation of food systems, and Joke Aerts, the open chain lead at Tony’s Chocolonely, a company dedicated to eradicating modern slavery and illegal child labor in the cocoa industry.
For a more comprehensive understanding of the future of food systems, one can listen to the Devex @ SXSW podcast, a special edition of the This Week in Global Development series, available on various platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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