Articles

Seeds form the foundation of our food supply. Yet they are increasingly controlled by a small number of multinational corporations. New genetic engineering techniques are accelerating this trend. Together, these developments are eroding biological diversity and pushing farmers around the world into ever greater dependence.

A small number of global players dominate the trade in animal feed, much of which is produced at the expense of rainforest and savannah clearance and the displacement of Indigenous communities. At the end of these supply chains, soya from corporations such as Cargill ends up in feed troughs on farms across Europe.

How are food prices determined? How are profits distributed along the supply chain? For consumers, this is often quite hard to discern. Scientific studies consistently show that prices are rarely determined by supply and demand alone. Instead, they are shaped by power relations within the food system.

Our food system is exacting a heavy toll on the climate. Green hydrogen for fertilisers, agrofuels, and carbon farming are all touted as ways to reduce or offset emissions. Yet rather than delivering climate neutrality, these technical fixes often create new problems.

GPS sensors, cloud-based systems and artificial intelligence are fundamentally reshaping agriculture. A small number of corporations control the market and are pushing farms into ever greater dependence.

During the 20th century, food systems globally were largely dominated by US multinational corporations and, to a lesser extent, European ones. In recent decades, this landscape has shifted, as Chinese corporations have steadily expanded their influence in agricultural trade and the agrochemical sector. Since many of these corporations are state-owned, their rise reflects not only market dynamics but also a deliberate government strategy.

The European Union (EU) is stepping up efforts to draw in private investment to meet its biodiversity and climate goals. This risks speculation, prioritises profitable projects over vital habitats, and reduces nature to tradable commodities. 

The world faces rising hunger and ecological breakdown, driven by industrialised food systems. Yet no institution effectively guides global policymaking. Responsibility is split among competing agencies with overlapping mandates, rival funding, and weak oversight. The fragmentation of United Nations (UN) food agencies is a political choice that corporations exploit to reshape institutions for commercial interests.

For millions of households in the United States, putting food on the table has become a daily struggle. Meanwhile, a handful of powerful suppliers dominate everyday staples such as eggs, soft drinks, beef, chocolate. By doing so, they reap enormous profits. One possible solution: public-sector stores that treat food not as a commodity but as a public good to make healthy, affordable food accessible to everyone. This idea could help reshape the food system.

Public food procurement is largely driven by cost minimisation, reinforcing corporate concentration and the spread of ultra-processed foods. Brazil offers a different model, using public purchasing to support smallholder farmers and improve diets.