What are the health, ecological, social and economic impacts of nutritional patterns in Switzerland? This research question was addressed by FiBL in an NRP 69 research project. Through environmental-economic modelling, FiBL researchers analyzed current data on nutritional patterns in Switzerland and calculated future scenarios. These calculations show that the Swiss food system can offer a healthier diet now and in the future, and that this diet could be based on sustainable production, processing and distribution systems. It could further improve the country's food security.
The NRP 69 calls for a clear strategy to adapt and convert the food system by 2050, which should be based on the results of the NRP 69, including the following:
- Reduce food waste: In addition to the adaptation of purely aesthetic quality criteria, it is recommended to use new preservation methods and to develop intelligent packaging that indicates the actual condition of the preserved food.
- Involve farmers as public health players: Reducing meat consumption while taking into account the economic importance of meat and milk production in Swiss agriculture is another recommendation of the NRP 69. To achieve this, tools for a change in agriculture must be identified.
- Greater consumer involvement: Promoting the political participation of consumers by providing credible information and recommendations.
- Address all actors along the food chain: The production, processing and distribution of healthy and sustainable food along the entire food chain should be promoted and improved.
The results and recommendations of NRP 69 can be viewed on an interactive website, which includes podcasts on the topic and a simulator for testing the effects of various changes in nutrition compared to the prevailing diet type in Switzerland today.