“Food in the future: evolution or revolution?” conference

Experts from various areas of the agri-food sector gathered for one morning to discuss what is changing in the way we produce food in Portugal and the central role of science and technology for the success of the mission to feed a growing world population

This conference, which took place in Lisboa in 9 November 2022, was promoted by the Jerónimo Martins Group and had the scientific curation of Professor Tiago Domingos, from Instituto Superior Técnico of the University of Lisbon, and the institutional support of the National Institute for Agricultural and Veterinary Research.

The session sought to explore different views and approaches to food production and the potential impact on eating habits and environmental sustainability. Besides dispelling myths, the speakers addressed, among other aspects, the importance of protein and the challenges and opportunities associated with the ways of producing the different protein sources: animal, plant and molecular.

“Can and should we continue to eat a little bit of everything?” and “Will lab-grown food be used to feed humanity, or can we nip that idea in the bud now?” were some of the issues brought to the conference. The debate also sought to shed light on how to better adapt our diet to the crisis, particularly climate change, which also threatens humanity’s secure access to food.