Targeted Imports and Less Food Waste Reduce ’Foodprint’

(Image: Pixabay CC0) How can the environmental impact of our food be reduced? Agroscope calculated that the environmental impact can be improved if food is imported from countries of origin with especially environmentally friendly agricultural production systems. The avoidance of food loss and waste is even more effective in achieving this aim. Food imports have a significant influence on the environment. If the Swiss agricultural sector reduces its production whilst consumption remains the same, resulting in the need for more imports, environmental impacts increase overall. This is because the improved environmental impacts within Switzerland often lead to more negative ones in the countries of origin of the imports. This is especially true if the production conditions are less favourable in other countries than in Switzerland, for example owing to water scarcity or deforestation. Two measures for improvement analysed There are, however, ways to reduce undesirable environmental impacts of the Swiss basket of agricultural products.