Alexandre Meybeck (Senior Forests, Trees and Agroforestry Scientist, CIFOR) describes the effects of today's dominant food systems on the environment. Natural resources are part of food systems, but food production and consumption are among the main causes of environmental pressure.

The main drivers are presented, among which agriculture is the main responsible for deforestation, soil degradation and biodiversity loss. But the causes are also found at other levels of the food system.
It concludes by stressing the urgent need for collective action on global consumption, in farming systems, through landscape approaches and along value chains.