Amos Laar - Professor of Public Health Nutrition, University of Ghana School of Public Health
Professor of Public Health Nutrition at the University of Ghana School of Public Health, Amos Laar, has said there is an urgent need for integrated action to address climate change and malnutrition.
Delivering an address at the Climate Change and Nutrition – Policy and Research Roundtable Dialogue held in Rome on February 5, Prof. Laar noted that food systems are both victims and contributors to the climate crisis being experienced worldwide.
Referring to the true cost of food, he invoked the toil of farmers, the millions of hungry people littered on all of Earth´s continents, as well as the toll of food production on earth´s health.
“The true cost of food should not just focus on cost in dollars or cents, but also in the sweat of farmers, in the cry of the hungry, in the vast forest and the crust of the earth beneath them. Every bite we take carries a cost. Obviously cost in nutrients but also planetary health,” he said, underscoring the complex and interconnected nature of food production and environmental impact.
He described the current challenges as existential, warning that the climate crisis is no longer a distant concern. “It is here. It is now. It is tearing apart the very foundation of our existence including our food systems”.
He further pointed out that the food systems themselves are exacerbating the situation, contributing a significant amount of greenhouse gases and to environmental destruction. “Unfortunately, our food systems are also fueling these crises. And that is why we are here today. We are here because we recognise these are problems. Problems that are urgent and important enough to demand our attention.”
Prof. Laar argued that solutions lie in breaking down the silos between food systems and climate policies. For too long, these issues have been treated separately. “For too long, we have treated the food and climate battles as separate battles. We have treated agriculture without nutrition, sustainability without human health and have carbon footprint conversations without food security. That should not be,” he said.
The Public Health Nutrition expert called for a reimagined approach, where agriculture, nutrition, and climate action are closely linked. He highlighted the importance of policies that protect ecosystems while providing nutritious food for people.
“Imagine developing agricultural policies that heal instead of harm. Policies that protect ecosystems while nourishing people. Policies that help our farmlands to serve as carbon sinks, pulling greenhouse gases from the sky,” Prof Laar proposed.
He also stressed the need to embrace indigenous crops and shift towards practices that reduce food waste. “Policies that make food waste enough to feed billions are a relic of the past,” he said, advocating for systems that ensure food is not lost while also addressing the climate crisis.
The Ghanaian Professor made an urgent call for evidence-based policymaking stating that, “To those who care to know, the science is clear, the evidence is undeniable. Therefore, act we must using the evidence we have. For evidence, as it is often said, if you have evidence without acting, it is meaningless. And acting without evidence is reckless,” he asserted.
The event, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Government of France, was supported by global organizations like WHO, GAIN, and the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement. It aimed to foster collaboration, share knowledge, and build momentum for addressing the intersection of climate change and malnutrition. Insights from the event are expected to feed into future international discussions, including the upcoming Paris 2025 Nutrition for Growth Summit and COP30.