Food for Change, Episode 1: Unpacking the Challenges Facing Our Food System

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Overview

In episode one of Food For Change: Serving Solutions for People and Planet, we’re starting with the big picture: what are the biggest challenges facing our food systems and access to nourishing food? And where does food banking fit in in providing solutions to these challenges?

Dr. Shenggen Fan, former general director of the International Food Policy Research Institute and chair professor at China Agricultural University, reflects on his personal experience with hunger in China and highlights today’s interconnected challenges — climate change, pandemics, and geopolitical tensions — while emphasizing the role of innovation, government, and food recovery in building resilient food systems.

Lisa Moon, CEO and president of The Global FoodBanking Network, discusses the global scope of food banking, noting how food banks not only address hunger but also reduce food loss and waste, with positive environmental impacts. She emphasizes the opportunity to scale this community-led model to meet rising challenges.

Finally, Andy Du Plessis, managing director of FoodForward South Africa, shares his journey in food banking and describes innovative programs such as FoodShare, mother-and-child nutrition support, and community food gardens that are addressing food and climate challenges in South Africa. He underscores the importance of collaboration, new policies for food donation, and recognizing food banks as integral actors in sustainable food systems.

Views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the individuals expressing them and do not necessarily reflect those of The Global FoodBanking Network.

Key Takeaways

• Food banks aren’t just alleviating hunger — they’re at the intersection of food security, climate action and sustainable development. With the right policies, innovations and partnerships, they can scale solutions that address hunger, reduce waste and lower emissions simultaneously.
• Major food system pressures include climate change, pandemics and geopolitical tensions (e.g., trade barriers, conflicts, cuts in aid).
• Food loss and waste threatens food security while also worsening environmental damage.
• Solutions for improving our food systems require innovation (tech, AI, biotech, logistics), stronger governance, and social protection policies, alongside the unique community role of food banks in connecting surplus food to those facing hunger.
• Beyond hunger relief, food banks deliver major environmental benefits — last year, surplus food recovered by GFN member food banks equated to removing 400,000+ cars’ worth of emissions.
• Food banks are nimble, community-led, and non-governmental, making them essential to building resilient food systems and responding to climate-related disasters. The opportunity ahead is to scale and strengthen the food bank model to serve more people and increase its climate impact.
• Food banks must be recognized as an integral part of food supply chains, helping companies cut costs, meet ESG targets, and reduce waste.

Food For Change: Serving Solutions for People and Planet is a podcast by The Global FoodBanking Network, where we whisk together big ideas, bold innovations and inspiring action to serve up solutions for people and the planet. 

Why Food For Change? Because right now, one in eleven people face hunger while one-third of all food goes to waste — and that’s contributing up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. But here’s the good news: there are brilliant solutions out there and passionate people dedicated to creating meaningful change. 

Each episode brings together the sharpest minds in hunger relief, food recovery, climate action and food policy — who are reducing food waste, improving nutritious food access and addressing the gaps in our global food systems.