YCW LN: Feeding China: Sustainability and Challenges in the Quest for Food Security
with Doris Lee (Principal Consultant at GFIC); Darin Friedrichs (Senior Asia Commodity Analyst at INTL FCStone Shanghai); and Seth Cook (Associate at the Food and Land Use Coalition)
Saturday, June 20, 2020
• 11:00 am (London)
• 12:00 pm (Brussels & Berlin)
• 18:00 pm (Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong & Singapore)
Access via a virtual conference platform – details in an Eventbrite email shortly before the event
The coronavirus pandemic has brought the issue of food in China to the forefront of international discussion, not just from the angle of unique cultural delicacies and wet markets, but also from the point of view of food security. Disrupted supply chains, panic buying and trade disputes have all affected the world’s ability to safeguard food supplies in this time of uncertainty. In addition, the pandemic follows the devastation of a swine flu which has led to the culling of hundreds of millions of pigs in China, roughly a quarter of the global pig population.
Chinese policymakers have been working for decades on how to make China self-sufficient in meeting grain, meat and dairy demands as well as modernising agricultural systems for a climate-vulnerable future. China needs to feed almost a fifth of the world’s population with less than 9% of the world’s cropland. Systemic improvements are slow, as are introducing new cultural and sustainable practices about what to eat and how to produce it. These changes are also affected by global trade and the increasingly destructive powers of climate change.
To our distinguished panellists, we will ask: what is the state of food security in China? How important is the soybean trade between the US and China for sustaining livestock? How likely are broad cultural changes in food consumption? And what does the future hold for artificial meat production?
YCW London is delighted to host in conversation Doris Lee, Darin Friedrichs and Seth Cook, who all address food security in China through their work.
RSVP via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ycw-ln-feeding-china-the-quest-for-food-security-tickets-108539893744
About Doris Lee
Doris is the Principal Consultant at GFIC, a China-based consultancy focused on providing industry and R&D resources on sustainable alternative proteins. GFIC collaborates with universities and scientists, corporations, start-ups and investors to support plant-based and cellular agriculture food innovation.
Doris has over 7 years of experience building and managing localized programs for international organizations, including EU-funded initiatives. Prior to joining GFIC, she worked as the East Asia Regional Manager at a plant-based foods advocacy organization, ProVeg International. Her engagement in sustainable food space in Hong Kong, Berlin, and Beijing provided her with rich knowledge of the ecosystem.
About Darin Friedrichs
Darin Friedrichs is an analyst of international grain and oilseed markets, cash prices, and trade opportunities, currently based in the commodities division at INTL FCStone in Shanghai. Prior to this, Darin worked at Dalian Huaxi Trade Co and AgTraderTalk where he analysed grain supply and demand across Asia and South America.
About Seth Cook
Seth is an Associate at the Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU), based in SYSTEMIQ in London. FOLU aims to spur the transformation of food and land use systems to meet the goals of the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. Seth is responsible for overseeing and developing FOLU country platforms in India and China, working together with the FOLU Coordinators in both countries. Prior to this, Seth was a senior researcher at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the Global Programs Operations Director at WWF China as well as China Program Coordinator at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
