As we gear up to celebrate World Earth Day, we need to excavate deep into its theme for this year, i.e., #InvestInOurPlanet.
How many of you push such responsibility under the carpet, citing the onus lies on government, leaders, policymakers, administrators, and so on? Instead, you can be a catalyst of change and invest in your planet for a safer tomorrow as an inhabitant of the earth.
You needn’t be an activist but an actionist. On this World Earth Day, 2022, Varun Deshpande, Managing Director, Good Food Institute India, shares how? The answer is to switch to Smart Protein. If you are wondering what it has to do with earth? Read on.
“Protein sourced from industrial animal slaughter poses a great challenge from a sustainability standpoint, especially in the wake of increasing climate change risks. Our current supply of meat, eggs, and dairy from animal sources creates dire risks to planetary health and leads to extreme greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, ocean dead zones, ocean acidification, species loss, land degradation, and a swathe of other issues,” educates Varun while talking to LifeBeyondNumbers. He also emphasizes the need to diversify the protein supply.
Like many, you must be wondering what the alternative is? This is when smart protein surfaces.
What is Smart Protein?
“Meat, eggs, and dairy made from plant-based sources and using food technology are called smart protein. It has the potential and promises to transform the future of food and the future of our planet. It can be a key pillar of our new green economy.“
Food belonging to smart protein mimics animal-based meat, dairy, and eggs’ sensory and cultural experience. The best part is they are produced using plant or crop-based ingredients, cells, or microorganisms. Thus, it has significantly low greenhouse gas emissions. In other words, such food consumes considerably less land and water. Innovators are creating such protein worldwide.
At the Good Food Institute India, the team under the leadership of Varun is laying the groundwork for this sunrise industry in India. The purpose is to demonstrate a prototype for a more secure, sustainable, and just food system in the developing world.
Varun, the young entrepreneur, has grown up in an environment dealing with health. His father is a cancer surgeon from Mumbai. Perhaps, it was only natural for him to get deeply immersed in healthcare and technology from a tender age. His formative years were spent studying chemical and biomedical engineering at Technology Hub Carnegie Mellon University. It was followed by working on implementing digital health in India and the United States, helping vulnerable populations through care coordination and a systematic approach to healthcare.
Also, read: With Rs.2000 A Liter, Donkey Owners Are Milking To A Better Life, Thanks To An Idea Of This 24-YO
A notable shift in his mindset occurred when he got exposed to Effective Altruism and learned this philosophy that seeks to investigate and target the world and most pressing problems. Varun comprehended the massive blow of industrial animal agriculture on the world and the urgent necessity to veer away from it using markets and technology.
“I decided to dedicate my work to the future of protein and combine my duty to human and planetary health. To achieve that, I aim to extend my help to build a more healthy, sustainable, and just global food system, starting right here in India,” Varun shares.
The young man observes that the plant-based industry is slowly taking shape. But there is still a considerable gap between demand and supply. It is pertinent to mention here that at this juncture, we must bear in mind the amount of extensive work that is yet to be done, to scale beyond the urban elite to the true mass market. The mention of Mission for Smart Protein is a must.
“If we want to feed 10 billion people by 2050, one-sixth of whom will be in India, we need a Mission for Smart Protein, to build a protein supply that is sustainable, secure, and just for everyone. To transcend the early adopter market and move plant-based meats beyond Tier I cities, we need to focus on three things: taste, price, and convenience. Can we offer foods that taste the same or better as their animal-derived counterparts, cost the same or less, and can be found ubiquitously?”, Varun underlines the importance of Smart Protein for a safe future.
He looks at this phase as an inspiring time for the plant-based sector in India. According to him, 2021 and 2022 can be safely called the plant-based meats’ breakout years. Extensive work has been happening with plant-based startups and more prominent corporations in the past few years. With platforms like Amazon Fresh and Swiggy’s Instamart launching plant-based products, it’s now easier for consumers to access food that provides all the sensory and social elements that animal-derived meats offer without breaking the planet.
Mentioning the mission of Good Food Institute India, Varun says that as we grapple with the effects of Covid-19 and climate crises, only a paradigm shift can save us and our planet. Through GFII’s work, the organization articulates its vision for the protein supply of the future, which is in the alignment of securing planetary health, tackling malnutrition, benefiting farmers, and creating jobs for millions.
Coming back to the theme of WED 2022 – #InvestInOurPlanet, Varun leaves us with a thought to ponder. Are we ready to build a climate-resilient, robust protein, which is one of the main challenges over the next decade? If we act now, India can be a game-changer in this global sunrise sector.
Join in the Mission for Smart Protein. Let’s change the way the world eats! Are you ready to contribute your investment?