Global Scans · Food & Agriculture · Weekly Summary

• Putting a warning label on foods containing meat could persuade some consumers to choose a different form of sustenance. The Cool Down
• Overall PCE inflation is projected to tick up in 2025 even as core PCE inflation declines because the factors that have tended to limit price increases for food and energy are expected to recede. Congressional Budget Office
• Inflation is projected to tick up to 2.2% in 2025 as factors that have tended to limit price increases for food and energy recede and as stronger economic activity modestly increases the pressure on prices for some types of services. Congressional Budget Office
• Australia and New Zealand are looking to exploit opportunities to sell food into Far East markets, where there are more than two billion people. Farmers Weekly
• The UK's second biggest supermarket unveiled a strategy update that will see it boost food space across all its near-600 supermarkets, while focusing expansion efforts on 180 of its highest potential sites, which will see about 10 pc more space dedicated to food. The Telegraph
• The combined effects of climate change pose a significant threat to global food security and create challenges in feeding a growing population of eight billion people. BioMed Central
• In rice and palm oil-producing Southeast Asian countries, wet weather could boost yields, analysts said, while a normal Indian monsoon would boost production and farm incomes. Yahoo Finance
• In the 2024 lean season period, between June and August, about 1 million people (4% of the analyzed population) are projected to face acute food insecurity (CH Phase 3 [Crisis]). ReliefWeb
• A demand to reduce nitrogen, methane and other emissions linked to farming by almost a third has been removed from a wider Brussels plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040. Yahoo News
• Tensions in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, and extreme weather events exacerbated by the El Nino phenomenon, could cause a surge in energy and food prices. EFG
• Renewable energy emerges as a critical factor in the feasibility of cellular agriculture, with the study indicating that A maximum 72% replacement of livestock products with cellular agriculture using renewable energy is possible based on the 2050 regional green energy capacities. iGrow News
• On inflation, global headline inflation (including food and energy prices) is receding, projected at 4.9% in 2024, 0.4 percentage points lower than the October projection. NOW Grenada
• The additional sunlight could boost the output of the world's future solar farms, particularly after sunset when electricity demand is high. Tech Xplore
• Putting 20 gossamer-thin reflectors into orbit 1,000 kilometers from the surface of the Earth could reflect sunlight to solar farms for an extra two hours each day on average. Tech Xplore
• Space engineers from the University of Glasgow have published new research showing how kilometer-wide orbiting reflectors could boost the output of future large-scale solar farms by reflecting additional sunlight toward them even after the sun has set. Tech Xplore
• A new project in Italy is investigating whether shorter supply chains can help develop sustainable business opportunities and add value for farmers. FoodNavigator.com
• As instability affects Nigerians in conflict areas, food security, availability and access remain at risk. Businessday NG
• The social determinant of health risk of food insecurity has gained credibility in the U.S. among providers and payors. Health Populi
• An initiative focused on food and nutrition analysis that conducts biannual studies across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory, approximately 26.5 million Nigerians are expected to experience extreme levels of food insecurity in 2024. Businessday NG
• More than 27,200 people have died in Gaza, and the United Nations has warned of the risk of famine as Gaza residents lack food, water and medicine. Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle
• The increasing world population is facing a threatening health crisis in the form of malnutrition or hidden hunger, and simultaneously global demand for food and nutrition is growing day by day. SpringerLink
• Europe will need to reinforce its autonomy in agriculture, agri-food industry, and the sustainable use and production of fertilisers. ETUC | European Trade Union Confederation

Last updated: 11 February 2024