Feeding the Future

Our company slogan, Feeding the Future, is the essence of Nutreco, expressing a purpose to align and inspire our activities of today. We will develop advanced feed solutions that contribute to feeding a growing world population with wholesome, nutritious meat, fish, milk and eggs.

Throughout 2009 the world in general and Nutreco people in particular have been very aware of the upcoming food security challenge of doubling the supply while halving the footprint. Also, despite over-consumption in some regions, many regions still suffer under-nourishment and malnutrition. In meeting the challenge we must develop a more equitable distribution of food resources. Agriculture and aquaculture must increase production substantially, rapidly and sustainably over the coming 40 years if the predicted population of nine billion in 2050 is to be fed adequately. Further, as incomes rise, people switch diets to preferred protein sources, mainly meat and fish. That alone is a substantial challenge.

Simultaneously, the picture becomes more complex because the availability of water is becoming an issue. Also the demand for energy is growing while consumption of non-renewable resources prompts a search for renewable alternatives. Producing biofuels from agricultural crops is a renewable option with widespread support from governments. Competition from energy for agricultural products leads to higher costs for raw materials and contributes to increased price volatility. These economic pressures and fluctuations are reflected in food prices.

Exacerbating these challenges, we are entering a period of climate change. Droughts mean many regions face shortages of freshwater. Rising temperatures lead to rising seawater levels, covering land currently used for agriculture. By 2050 global warming could reduce the yields of today’s crops in areas such as Asia and Latin-America by 20 to 40%. Greenhouse gases are believed to be one of the drivers of climate change and agriculture generates greenhouse gases. In preparing to feed the world of 2050, therefore, care is required to reduce factors such as carbon emissions from farm to feed to food.

The end conclusion is that we, together with all other players in the value chains from field to fork, must provide more sustainably from less. As a global animal nutrition company, Nutreco has chosen to take a proactive role in stimulating value chain developments, discussions and solutions for this balanced and sustainable future. Nutreco has the right credentials; as an animal nutrition company maximising efficiency in our operations and in the delivery of nutrition from our raw materials is a fundamental principle and continuous process.

We invest substantially in research and development to drive increases in efficiency. Research delivers a better understanding of the nutritional requirements of farm animals and fish through all stages of the life cycle. Developments in feed formulation and manufacturing technology then help the feed companies meet those requirements precisely, maximising production on the customers’ farms and minimising waste of nutritional content.

Additionally, precision in nutrition reduces the loss of nutrients such as minerals into the environment. Other formulation developments, for example with feed additives, can reduce greenhouse gas production by ruminants. Feed additives can increase the availability of nutrients by making them more readily digestible or by protecting them until they reach the optimum location in the digestive tract. Additives can also support the health status of the animals and fish, thereby increasing productivity and reducing the need for veterinary intervention and medication. All these advances contribute to improved sustainability.

Read more