Food Tank’s origin story

Danielle co-founded Food Tank with Bernard Pollack, who she refers to as an amazing strategist and one of her best friends. The organization was created with the goal of highlighting successful practices in food and agriculture systems, both domestically and internationally, in order to inspire and motivate farmers, businesses, policymakers, and consumers to improve their food systems. The idea for Food Tank originated when Danielle and Bernard were working at an environmental think tank in Washington D.C. called the Worldwatch Institute, where Danielle did a lot of on-the-ground reporting and research into issues such as gender, population, and the growth of factory farming around the globe. Together, they ran a project called Nourishing the Planet, where they traveled to 26 countries in Africa, interviewing hundreds of farmers and other stakeholders. Through this experience, they learned that there is a lot of hope and resilience across the continent, and that with more attention, research, and investment, many of the successes they saw could be scaled up and out in many different ways. They wanted to change the narrative around environmental organizations, which are often known for focusing on negative and dire predictions, and instead present a message of hope and inspiration.

The role that Food Tank is playing today

Food Tank is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Despite being a small organization, it has grown significantly since its founding and is continuing to make a significant impact. For example, at the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, Food Tank was able to play a major role in shaping the conversation around food and agriculture systems as part of the solution to the climate crisis. In the past, food and agriculture have not always been a focal part of these conferences, but this time there was a whole day devoted to the topic and Food Tank was able to partner with and curate panels featuring a diverse group of stakeholders, including indigenous people, farmers, and those working to address food loss and waste.

Ways that people can get involved with Food Tank

There are multiple ways for individuals to get involved with Food Tank. The organization is primarily funded by individual members and small family foundations. Food Tank encourages its members to use the platform and learn from it, and often receives article ideas from members or people who contact them through social media. One example of this is a member who, during the war in Ukraine, wrote stories about how the conflict was affecting farmers and food production on the ground. Food Tank utilizes its platform to share stories and information that are happening in real-time with its audience. Additionally, there are working groups and membership options, as well as a wealth of content and research available to help people become more educated and involved in issues related to food.

How is the food system (as it’s currently designed) exacerbating climate change

Danielle points out that it’s estimated that food and agriculture systems are responsible for about 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, addressing issues related to food production and consumption can help to reduce these emissions. One area of focus is food loss and waste, which is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. If food waste were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, behind China and the United States. Efforts to prevent and protect post-harvest food, as well as reducing food waste at the consumer, retail, restaurant, and hospitality level, can have a major impact on reducing emissions. These solutions can be simple and cost-effective, such as using different storage techniques that do not require a large investment, like cutting the tops of sweet potatoes to prevent them from going bad. For consumers, it can be as simple as using the freezer more, utilizing leftovers, and at the restaurant and retail level, it can be measuring food waste from week to week to make better purchasing decisions. While these solutions may not require complicated technology, they can have a significant impact on addressing the climate crisis. 

Opportunities & priorities for reversing climate change through food

There are several opportunities and priorities for reversing climate change through food systems. One approach is to promote sustainable and regenerative agriculture, which involves using agro-ecological practices that focus on the interconnectedness of food systems. This can include simple solutions such as using cover crops, which can provide a source of animal feed or ingredients for emerging brands. Smallholder farmers, in particular, often already use sustainable practices due to financial constraints and can benefit from additional support and investment in these solutions. The Green Revolution, which occurred after World War II, encouraged the use of agro-chemicals as a short-term solution to potential mass starvation, but has led to negative consequences such as farmers being trapped in poverty and farmer suicides. To address this, it is important to change the system so that farmers have more control over their crops and methods of production, which can lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, regional and localized food systems, and less transportation and inputs. These changes need to happen quickly and urgently in the next five to six years to address the pressing issue of climate change.

Resources Mentioned

• Food Tank
• World Wildlife Fund
• Greenpeace
• Peace Corps
• ReFED
• Healthy Living Coalition
• Weight Watchers International
• Congressman Jim McGovern
• Journalist Chloe Sorvino & her book, Raw Deal
• Podcast: Food Talk with Danielle Nierenberg

Connect with Danielle Nierenberg

• Connect with Danielle on LinkedIn

Connect with Jason Rissman

• On LinkedIn
• On Twitter

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