Giving Compass' Take:

• The Milken Institute reflects on the EAT Forum that brought together philanthropists to discuss how to improve the global food system. 

• What are the current challenges within the food system that can be solved by philanthropy?

• Read about ways to improve the food system from Dr. Peter May, one of the contributing authors of the TEEBAgriFood report. 

In June 2018, Dr. Gunhild Stordhalen, the bold and visionary founder of the EAT Foundation, convened hundreds of the greatest minds in Stockholm at the fifth EAT Forum to get serious about fixing our broken global food system.

Philanthropic capital is well positioned to help find these solutions. At the Milken Institute’s Center for Strategic Philanthropy (CSP), we have learned that philanthropic funds can act as a distinct asset class that, when invested wisely, can help effect fundamental systems change.

At CSP, we recognize that philanthropy has not only the opportunity but the obligation to take on big challenges and test bold ideas. Philanthropic capital, therefore, is turning out to be a potent lever that we can all collectively pull as we seek to co-create a healthy and sustainable food system.

At the Milken Institute, we are trying to walk the walk. In the first half of 2018, we convened two communities: Food Leaders and Biodiversity Leaders — with the express intention of mapping out the intersections where philanthropic capital can make a difference in both areas and intentionally drawing linkages between them.

Philanthropy has also been critical in fostering some of the most effective social movements in the U.S., such as marriage equality, and successful behavior change campaigns, including smoking cessation. While it is still early days, we expect that philanthropy will be just as pivotal in efforts to change the way Americans produce and consume food.

The EAT Forum 2018 brought home to me that we most certainly have our work cut out for us. What’s more, our window of opportunity to fix how we produce, distribute and consume food is diminishing by the day. Despite this, I am optimistic that we are all up to the challenge.

Read the full article about how philanthropy can fix the food system from the Milken Institute at Medium