When the subject turns to food for Pinoys, nobody gets left behind, right?

But, do you really know what you are eating and where it all comes from? And if you do, do you wonder how long the food supply will last? More importantly, are all Pinoys eating as we should?

So many questions about food flood our minds — as we gobble up every morsel — mindful not to waste — what is a limited resource.

Many experts from the food industry have shared that the Philippine government has taken significant steps to promote sustainable practices and encourage a net-zero lifestyle. It has been reported that policies and regulations such as the Renewable Energy Act in 2008, Climate Change Act in 2009 and National Greening Program in 2011 are in place, billionbricks.com reported.

Making sure that we do not run out of food for our millions is what our government (and many private citizens and NGOs) are committed to do. Much is done on a daily basis to ensure that food sustainability, through enforcing different initiatives and legislation on climate change and saving the environment in general, is in place.

In the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, the United Nations reported: “Human beings are at the center of concern for sustainable development. They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature.”

Over 20 years later, it seems that the world has yet to deliver on this fundamental principle — too many people in this world are still not living healthy and productive lives in harmony with nature.

Agriculture is at the heart of the solution of the sustainability issue, contributing from the environmental, economic and social sides. If we improve agricultural and food systems, we can improve the livelihoods and health of people and produce healthier ecosystems as well.

However, producing enough food to feed the world does not guarantee food security. Hunger exists today although there is enough food for all. Even if we increase agricultural output by 60 percent by 2050, we will still have 300 million people going hungry due to lack of proper access to food. Access is central to hunger. Most often the reason people are undernourished is because they cannot grow enough food for themselves, or do not have enough money to buy it.

One innovative approach that is being used increasingly is linking small-scale farming with cash transfers and cash for work programs. This way, poor families can buy food locally from farmers. It also injects cash into local rural economies, helping to jump-start a virtuous circle in which people previously outside the economy become consumers thereby generating further growth.

Food sustainability means producing food in a way that protects the environment, makes efficient use of natural resources, ensures that farmers can support themselves and enhances the quality of life in communities that produce food, including the animals as well as the people. This idea is the driving force behind a movement to address the fact that significantly more resources go into our global food system than come out of it.

Goal: Technology to create platefuls of food for all Pinoys

In an interesting food conference recently, “The Future of Food 2024,” by CCA Manila and Courage Asia – interesting key trends will shape the future of food were highlighted. The conference hit on may interesting points that make embracing technology in the kitchen and restaurants a crucial factor.

Chef Philip John Golding focused on how technology trends in the kitchen can build on CCA’s tradition of honing exceptional culinary talents, who can push the boundaries of gastronomy and elevate Filipino cuisine to new heights through smart technology.

“The technology that we now use are extremely relevant for the future,” Chef Golding said on some of the new tools they are starting to use in CCA campuses. “Digital kitchen or connected kitchen refers to a kitchen equipped with advanced technology and digital tools to enhance efficiency, productivity, and functionality.”

He elaborated that by integrating digital and smart devices, kitchen operations may be streamlined through advanced software and systems, as well as improve the cooking process.

Chefs Louise Mabulo and Rafael Jardeleza (chef Tibong) stressed that eating local foods and keeping cooking traditions alive are key to sustainability. Mabulo said, “By eating local, you’re preventing us from experiencing food insecurity.”

As an advocate of Ilonggo heritage cuisine, chef Tibong talked about Tabu-an, a cooking contest that uses only local ingredients and traditional cooking equipment. No electric kitchen equipment can be used. “They can only use charcoal and wood to prepare food for 300 people,” he said.

Legislation is necessary, Senator Loren Legarda believes. “I introduced the Senate bill on my fourth term, the Zero Food Waste Act. I’ve been initiating on a small scale Bayong-All-You-Can for our senate staff and employees, where they can fill their Philippine-made bayongs with vegetables rescued from distressed farmers as near as Laguna and as far as the Cordillera, directly contributing to reducing food waste while providing support to farmers who would otherwise lose income.”

Filipinos working with Filipinos for Filipinos is necessary. Thus, those that can must create better synergy between farmers, chefs and landowners.