Nick Jacobs, coordinator of IPES Foods joins me to discuss an exciting and inspiring initiative, aimed at informing the debate on how to reform food systems. IPES refers to the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems. It brings together environmental scientists, agronomists, nutritionists, ecologists, development economists and very experienced practitioners from NGO's and social movements. IPES Food is bridging the gap between food security and nutrition, by bringing together people from all of the relevant disciplines and food systems, to take a holistic view. The issues surrounding food security and nutrition are issues that affect every single one of us.

Selected Links from the Episode:

IPES Food website

Unstress episode with Kate Harris on good environmental choices Australia

Unstress episode with Prof. Paul Ehrlich on global challenges

Unstress episode with Allan Savory on the fate of civilisations

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Dr Ron Ehrlich:             Hello and welcome to Unstress, I'm Dr Ron Ehrlich. Now, if you are a regular listener of this podcast, you will know that the mission of this podcast is to explore what the words holistic and stress mean in our modern world. You will also know that we are all connected, so we're all affected. Out of what that means is that food from soil to plate, how the way we grow our food not only affects our health as individuals but also the health of the planet. The two are inseparable. Invariably, what makes what is good for the soil is good for plants and what's good for that is good for animals. It's also good for our own health. And when soils, plants, animals, food and health are all doing well, then farmers hopefully will enjoy a healthier and more profitable life too. And what is good for all of that is also good for the planet. Now that is holistic.

Now wouldn't it be great if there was an organization that was totally independent of the chemical food and pharmaceutical industry? Free to focus on big issues? How we can improve our food system that was holistic in its thinking. Looking at issues like hunger, obesity, environmental degradation, biodiversity. The pressures on small farm holders livelihoods, cultural erosion, workforce exploitations, and other problems in the food system that are deeply interconnected.

Or what about if we had an organization that was sensitive to how power, political and economic power is used to influence decision making and to set the terms of debate for reform? What about, while we're thinking holistically if we bring together a whole range of people with expertise in a whole range of areas across many disciplines? Not just farmers, food industry workers, consumers, entrepreneurs and other social movements. But also included people who were well informed about public health, the environment, and while we're at it, rural development. What if it's work focused on benefiting the broad range or the broadest range of people across the planet. Let's say the worlds seven points something billion people, rather than just benefiting a few individuals or companies?

Well, our program today explores such an organization. It's called iPES Food, and it stands for the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems. iPES Foods. It's a new, and I think an exciting and inspiring initiative, aimed at informing the debate on how to reform food systems. And I had the opportunity to talk with Nick Jacobs who is based in Brussels and is the coordinator of iPES Foods. I hope you enjoy this conversation I had with Nick Jacobs.

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Welcome to the show, Nick.

Nick Jacobs:                  Thanks very much for having me.

Dr Ron Ehrlich:             Nick, iPES Foods, it's such a fascinating organization. What has prompted it? What has prompted this organization? [crosstalk 00:03:28].

Nick Jacobs:                  Absolutely. So first of all,