With the global population expected to approach 10 billion people by 2050,1 the urgent need to transform our food systems has never been clearer. Meeting the nutritional demands of a growing population requires innovative solutions to produce more food efficiently and sustainably. The Asia-Pacific region, home to half of the world’s undernourished population and facing some of the highest levels of severe food insecurity,2 stands at the forefront of this global food challenge.
With hunger and malnutrition further exacerbated by prolonged crises, such as climate volatility and supply chain disruptions caused by ongoing geopolitical conflicts, collaboration with diverse stakeholders is essential to transform agrifood systems. This World Food Day, observed annually on 16 Oct, highlights the need for a global food system that helps mitigate the effects of climate change while ensuring access to nutrition for all, both now and in the future.
Protecting access to food
Food is one of our most basic human needs, and everyone deserves access to adequate nourishment. As we commemorate World Food Day this month, it’s important to recognise that food security is a pressing concern that affects individuals, communities and nations alike, including in the Asia-Pacific region. Creating a food-secure world will require collaborative efforts across industries, governments, and communities.
At ADM, we believe that food is fundamental. It sustains us, fulfils us, and fuels our well-being. As a global leader in agriculture and food, we acknowledge the important role we play in transforming agrifood systems to ensure everyone has access to the essential nutrition they need.
We know we are not alone in this endeavour. Our global scale and end-to-end supply chain — from sourcing crops to bringing food to the table — enable us to work collaboratively with our partners to drive meaningful change.
Safeguarding the world’s natural resources
Our close collaboration with farmers, including smallholders, throughout the Asia-Pacific region and beyond strengthens the global food chain and fosters the expansion of local and regional food systems. By working directly with growers, we leverage our role as a global supply chain manager to help build more resilient farm systems. This supports our customers in meeting their sustainability goals while helping ensure consumers have access to products that align with their values.
Our role gives us the opportunity to initiate and scale regenerative agriculture programmes that can improve soil health, biodiversity, climate, and water resources. By enrolling millions of acres in these programmes worldwide, we can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fostering a healthier environment for future generations. These efforts also help enhance agricultural resilience and productivity, supporting farmers to achieve greater economic stability.
In 2023, our global regenerative agriculture programme expanded to more than 2.8 million acres, exceeding our two million acres goal. We recently set an ambitious target to reach 3.5 million acres by 2024 and raised our 2025 goal from four to five million acres globally. In India alone, ADM partnered with over 25,500 soy growers, successfully delivering nearly 90,000 regenerative acres in 2023.3
Delivering the next generation of nutrition
In addition to creating value chains that promote food security and resilience, we are continuously expanding our portfolio of food and beverage solutions, empowering our customers to address today’s nutritional challenges and prepare for tomorrow’s.
With our scientific expertise and technical capabilities, ADM drives innovation across foods, beverages, supplements, and pharmaceuticals at a global scale. We bring products from harvest to home, offering a broad pantry of nutrition solutions that can support consumers in reaching their holistic health goals.
Supporting hunger relief
Our commitment to safeguarding food security goes further than our supply chains. Through ADM Cares, our corporate social investment programme, we support hunger relief initiatives that drive meaningful social, economic and environmental change. By partnering with organisations focused on creating lasting impacts, we strive to build resilience and well-being in the communities we serve.
In line with ADM’s vision of unlocking the power of nature to enrich lives, we are proud to partner with World Food Program USA on the ERASE HUNGER campaign, in support of the United Nations World Food Programme’s (WFP) school feeding programmes. This initiative provides vulnerable children with access to school meals and take-home rations, ensuring they receive the nourishment necessary to reach their full potential.
Our donation this year supports school feeding in China and India. In China, WFP is enhancing nutrition for schoolchildren by connecting smallholder farmers to its Homegrown School Meals initiative, benefiting local economies and providing fresh, nutritious food to young children.
Beyond our partnership with WFP, ADM Cares extends its commitment to improving food security through initiatives like the GMA Kapuso Foundation’s Give-a-Gift project, dedicated to supporting children in vulnerable communities across the Philippines. In Dec 2022, approximately 2,400 gift packs containing essential food, hygiene, and wellness supplies, were distributed in remote areas, benefitting 60,000 children across more than 30 provinces.
Improvements made at every step of the agricultural value chain can have a compounding effect, enhancing both global food security and the well-being of communities. As we look beyond World Food Day, we remain committed to accelerating our efforts to transform food systems. By leveraging our expertise, resources, and partnerships with like-minded organisations, we are driving meaningful progress to ensure the strength and vitality of a global food system that provides needed nutrition and nourishes the quality of life for all.
References
1 https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/population
2 Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, 2023, Asia and the Pacific – Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2023
3 ADM 2024 Regenerative Agriculture Report
