The webinar, organised by the MIT Global SCALE Network, brought together insights from applied research, policymaking, and industry. The session explored how efficient global and local supply chains can be game changing forces for driving social impact, quality, and food sovereignty.
Speakers examined how innovation in supply chains could help to reduce methane and CO₂ emissions, achieving a sustainable balance between environmental responsibility and business profitability.
Dr Yasmine Sabri represented Loughborough University’s UK Supply Chain and Logistics Excellence (SCALE) Centre, a long-term collaboration with MIT and part of the MIT Global SCALE Network. She highlighted the importance of considering the interconnected factors behind the global acute hunger epidemic.
Dr Sabri said: “Almost 2.33 billion people globally faced food insecurity in 2023, 70% of whom are in low and middle-income countries. Across Africa and Latin America nearly 340 million people suffer from moderate to severe hunger and undernourishment. Even major global food producers like Egypt and Brazil have around 30% of households facing food insecurity.
“There is an urgent and growing need to address vulnerabilities across the entire food supply chain. We see a combination of factors coming together to amplify the problem of hunger. Food insecurity, climate change, supply chain problems and socio-economic issues are all playing a role in global hunger, and we need to take a holistic approach to tackling the problem if we want to make significant improvements to people’s lives.”
Learn more about the importance of agri-food supply chains, watch the full webinar now.