Feeding the World: Urbanization and the Global Food System

By 2050, 66 percent of the world’s population, or 6.3 billion people, will inhabit urban areas. The most rapid urbanization is taking place in low- and middle-income countries: Africa is projected to grow from 40 to 56 percent urban, and Asia from 48 to 64 percent urban by 2050. The global food system must transform in order to feed cities sustainably, efficiently, and safely. This discussion will explore the opportunities, challenges, and rural-to-urban supply chain investments, infrastructure improvements, and innovative technologies needed for advancing growth and food security. Chair: Maithreyi Seetharaman, Cochair, Fortune Most Powerful Women International; Anchor and Executive Editor, Real Economy Panelists: Sanjeev Asthana, Founder and Managing Partner, I-Farm Venture Advisors; Chairman, National Skills Foundation of India Mathilde Mukantabana, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Rwanda to the United States Thomas Reardon, Professor, MSU Distinguished Faculty, and AAEA Fellow, Michigan State University; Nonresident Senior Fellow, Global Food and Agriculture, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs