Milan, 16 January 2025 – Is it possible to feed the planet in a healthy way while reducing the use of land and water? A study conducted by researchers from the Glob3science Lab of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano and published in Nature Sustainability, proposes a global model that makes the best use of agricultural and water resources, making the adoption of the EAT-Lancet universal reference diet a sustainable possibility.
The EAT-Lancet diet is a science-based dietary model that aims to improve human health while reducing the environmental impact of food production. It advocates a balance between different foods of plant origin, such as whole grains, fruit, vegetables, legumes and nuts, and a limited intake of food of animal origin. However, it was unclear until now how the food system could be reorganised in a way that would allow this diet to be adopted on a global scale without compromising natural resources.
The researchers looked at six country-specific dietary scenarios, combining an agro-hydrological model with studies into optimal use. Crop redistribution and improvements to trade flow could reduce the extent of global cropland by 37-40% and irrigation water use by 78%, while meeting the nutritional requirements of the EAT-Lancet diet.
The model shows that the global adoption of this diet would require an increase in international food trade, increasing the amount of production set aside for export from 25% to 36%. On the economic front, it is estimated that this would lead to a 4.5% increase in food costs, while also bringing significant environmental and nutritional benefits.
As Professor Maria Cristina Rulli, coordinator of the research, explained: "This study shows that it is possible to ensure healthy and sustainable diets for everyone, while also protecting the planet's basic resources.
Our research suggests that smart crop redistribution and better management of trade flow could lead to more efficient use of agricultural and water resources on a global scale. However, for all this to be implemented, we need both targeted policies that support a reorganisation of the food system - including financially, plus social acceptance and the desire to share. Then there are the co-creation processes involving local producers, in relation to the redistribution of crops."
The study is available in Nature Sustainability , and offers a real roadmap for more equitable and sustainable food production in the future.
On the 8th of November, Maria Cristina Rulli of the Glob3science Lab at the Politecnico di Milano and Paolo D'Odorico of the University of California, Berkeley, were awarded the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW) at the United Nations. This prestigious award was in recognition of their innovative research into the water-energy-food nexus, which offers real solutions for the sustainable management of water resources, responding to the global challenges of an ever-changing world.
Rulli, M.C., Sardo, M., Ricciardi, L. et al. Meeting the EAT-Lancet 'healthy' diet target while protecting land and water resources. Nat Sustain (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-024-01457-w
