10/14/22 With Plant-based and Cultivated Meat for a Future Free of Hunger!
On World Food Day, October 16, Animal Friends of Croatia point out the need for a sustainable diet
- Collecting signatures for the international citizens’ initiative for investment in food innovation
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Every year, World Food Day is observed on October 16 to commemorate the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). FAO states it is necessary to transform the food and agriculture system to build a sustainable world and provide people worldwide with the right to a regular and nutritious diet. Therefore, Animal Friends Croatia invites all to support the international citizens’ initiative aimed at gathering one million signatures for European investments in life-saving animal-free food technologies: “In all of Europe, apart from one million signatures that are gathered at https://eci.ec.europa.eu/025/public/#/screen/home, it is necessary to cross stipulated thresholds in at least seven member states for this proposal to be presented to the European Commission.”
By signing this petition, citizens put forward a proposal to the European Commission to invest more in the production of plant-based and cultivated meat, to start excluding livestock farming from activities eligible for agricultural subsidies, and to start including ethical and environmentally friendly alternatives such as plant proteins. One of the initiators of this action, Animal Friends Croatia state that World Food Day provides us with an opportunity to speak out about the necessity for sustainable food production for all. It is a solution to the hunger epidemic that affects a billion people every day, with almost 40% of the world's population unable to afford a healthy diet.
FAO proposes to implement a solution that would secure a sustainable future for all. However, to manage this transformation, the world needs to change its policies, mindset, and business models. Many experts and organisations warn this will not be possible if we do not transition to the exclusive production of plant-based food or food that does not require extremely costly and utterly devastating farms and slaughterhouses.
“Almost all stores offer plant-based pea or soy meat, which Croatian manufacturers also produce. Thanks to spices, it has a remarkably similar taste and texture to animal meat. Besides, there are laboratories that develop cultivated meat with identical structure and consistency to animal meat. The benefit here is that we end up with cleaner products without fertilizers, antibiotics, blood, tumours, or animal suffering, along with huge savings on natural resources and a considerably lower impact on climate change,” state Animal Friends Croatia.
Cultivated (cellular) agriculture is a branch of technology that is not related to genetic modification, but ensures the production of safer, healthier, and “cleaner” meat, milk, and eggs in controlled conditions, starting with a few cells that subsequently multiply almost indefinitely. Cells are collected through a painless biopsy, and in the case of chicken, a fallen feather suffices.
“Whether someone is vegan or still consuming animal products, it is beyond a doubt that a drastic reduction in livestock farming and animal food production would have an enormous positive impact on the environment and greater availability of food for all. On World Food Day, we invite all to reduce their consumption of animal products and turn to vegan dishes and products that are intended and beneficial for all,” state the group.
Animal Friends Croatia calls on the public to join the Veggie challenge at www.veganopolis.net on the occasion of World Food Day, and thus receive useful information and recipes for simple and tasty vegan meals for the next 30 days.
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