To many on the international conference circuit, business and nutrition are like oil and water—never to mix. In the real world, however, the two mix all the time, aided by “emulsifiers” that are not always positive for nutrition. The SDG era marks the beginning of the end of international aid and the start of a more mixed economy approach to development.
Given the enormous toll now taken on lives, health and economies by poor diets—in all countries–food systems (i.e. businesses) have to be incentivized towards supplying more safe and nutritious food at affordable prices. Simultaneously consumers need more incentives to make better diet choices to drive those changes. How do non-business and business actors engage more productively within the mixed economy food system to form healthy rather than toxic alliances in the fight against malnutrition? In other words, how can we encourage the “virtuous emulsification” of oil and water?
Lawrence Haddad, GAIN’s Executive Director, was the guest speaker.