« Since 1989 and the fall of the Berlin Wall, we are witnessing what I would call the great paradox of modern agriculture and food. The world’s population has more than doubled since that time. Thanks to science, it is better nourished. Yet those generations who benefit most from the advantages scientists are also the ones who distrust it the most. Especially in western countries.
Mistrust through ignorance
How is it possible that those who eat the best and spend the least on food are most wary of it? A French family spent, half a century ago, half of its income on food. Today we are at 12%. The food situation has improved in terms of quality, quantity and diversity on all continents. Benefiting from products such as avocados, kiwis, cereals even seems normal to us. And quinoa, which once fed chickens, has become a special food for those who care about their health. Perceptions have changed. Mistrust has come to our tables.
One of the explanations is that urban populations, especially in France, are very far from the production cycle. When we ask to a city dweller what happens in rural areas, he replies that he knows. But its image is often a thing of the past. Agriculture today has nothing to do with that. It is not that of our grandparents. It uses high technology.
The war of opinions
Science never stopped. It does not only aim to produce more, but also to understand the biological, chemical, etc. processes. This conbirth has become very sophisticated. Unfortunately, and this is partly our fault, we scientists should have paid more attention to this mistrust that has taken root in society. We have not dialogued enough and explained our progress.
Today, an individual opinion on social networks has become as important as scientific results. We tend to think of science as an opinion like any other. But science is not opinion. It is not always right because it follows a process of evolution. However, it remains the best system for correcting doubts.
The health challenge
Lessimism is a luxury that we cannot allow ourselves today by saying, for example, that we must produce less. No. You have to produce intelligently and with an open mind towards the youngest. It is not easy, but the effort is essential.
The young people accepted, without asking themselves any questions, to be made dependentusing their mobile phone or the internet. In the same way, modern agriculture and food can become their goal, by making them understand that in addition to producing more to avoid famines, they are targeting their health and their values. This is the major challenge we have to take up. »
