Finding partners in the global fight for food security

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Hello, I'm Paul Yeager, and welcome to the 2024 World Food Prize in Des Moines, Iowa. It's the Borlaug Dialogue. And this is the MtoM podcast, a production of Iowa PBS and the Market to Market TV show. We're not in the studio, we're in the field. And we're going to be talking again this year about global food security. Last year this conversation was Doctor Cary Fowler. Well, he's actually this year's winner of the World Food Prize. He's one of the laureates. That's a co laureate award this year. But we're going to continue on that topic. What has changed in that year? What could come ahead. as we have an election on Tuesday, which is the day you're seeing this, will that change anything depending on who wins the white House or majority in the House and Senate? We'll talk about the partnership between the government and the private sector. So the public private development is part of the discussion today. We have two guests for you. We're going to talk to the deputy U.S. Special Envoy, Anna Nelson. She's with the Department of State. She is from Maryland. We talked a little bit about Maryland before we rolled, but we didn't get any crab cake discussion there.

We also talked with Emily Dimiero. She's the director of federal government relations for Cargill. So there's your private partnership and there's your public partnership. How do those two work together? That is the content today in the MToM. First time to Iowa for you what. And first time for the World Food Fry food prize for you both. So let's give your Iowa impressions first.

[Anna Nelson] Well, my impression really is from the long dialog here. and you know, the first thing I would say, if I could sum it up is just the incredible energy is inspiring. I think the World Food Prize Foundation does such an incredible job of bringing together all the different types of sectors and players that are part of the answer for food security and agriculture.

[Yeager] Does it help having a guy like Norman Borlaug be the father of this event and the World Food Prize? Did you know about Norman Borlaug when you started at state?

[Nelson] I did know about him, but not enough. I would say. and I think it is helpful because, you know, we all need a little inspiration in our lives always just to keep us, keep us going. And, you know, Norman Borlaug, really does that for all of us. And it sort of permeates everything here. His legacy. And I was excited, actually, the summer, I got to, to visit his old stomping grounds, including his office in Mexico, where he had done some of his really groundbreaking work. so he certainly is a leading figure for all of us here.

[Yeager] Emily, how much did you know about Norman Borlaug prior to coming here this week?

[Dimiero] You know, I started my career in international development, working for a nonprofit implementer on global food security. So I have to say, this is a pinch me moment for me to be here. I have dreamed of coming to this event since I was a junior staffer working on operations and global development. to be here representing Cargill, where we've got $3 billion of investments in the state of Iowa. This is my fourth time to Iowa. I love coming to the state. I love, you know, visiting our facilities and farmers that we work with and, and the state and, to be at this event where we're really talking about our global investments in agriculture and food security, it was just an incredible experience.

[Yeager] So how do you get more people to have want to have a pinch me moment then, like you're talking about?

[Dimiero] Well, I think it's about coming back and sharing what we learned, sharing who we met with, sharing what we talked about, and really helping people see that. You know, Des Moines is really at the center of this global conversation on how we bring together solutions to solve challenges in agriculture, nutrition, climate change, seeing all the players that are here from international bodies, from different countries around the world, I think it's really important for people to understand that, you know, if there's a place to come and engage on these topics, this is where you want to be.

[Yeager] Well, and you have been with the State Department and, Doctor Cary Fowler is getting the World Food Prize laureate. we talked to him last year about food security and food insecurity. The two of you were on a panel yesterday. Tell me about the panel that you were on yesterday.

[Nelson] Yes, we were on a panel about innovation in agriculture and food security. and really, our fundamental belief, I think, probably shared by all on the panel, is that innovation is key to future food security. we have, you know, a lot of headwinds, in front of us, whether it's, you know, changing weather patterns, growing population, increased food demand everywhere, and really a dire need to increase all of our nutrition. We got to figure this out. And innovation is key to that. And so much of that innovation is driven right here from people here.

[Yeager] Government always gets this. They take care of events that take care of things that maybe private sector didn't want to do. Then private sector comes in. Now it's government and private sector together. Talk about why that partnership has to happen.

[Nelson] You know, I think the public sector and the private sector can complement each other in such incredible ways. and when it works, it works beautifully. I think, R&D is is really an embodiment of that. there are so many places where, well chosen, targeted public investments in long term agricultural R&D have been able to galvanize work that maybe the private sector didn't have the appetite for early on. But then by working together and having a good off at some point, we can really maximize that. the core advantages of the public and the private sector.

[Yeager] Emily. Why? I mean, you've been with Cargill. Not the longest. But why would a large global corporation take interest in this topic?

[Dimiero] Absolutely. Well, as Cargill, we are a global food and agriculture company, and we see our role as a connector in the food system. We're helping move food from places where it's grown to places where it's needed, and also working with farmers in many countries all over the world. A different context, high, low medium income countries where, you know, farmers need different levels of support and it's not a one size fits all solution. We are very flexible and how we work with our farmers. and recognize that, you know, at the same time we're all facing, you know, similar challenges. one thing I'm really proud to be here standing with Anna and really grateful for her partnership and the partnership with Doctor Fowler's team on their vision for Adapted Crops and Soils initiative and as you know, as Cargill, we signed on as a vaccine champion and are working with an implementing partner, Harvest Plus, which is part of IFPRI and essentially helping them amplify their work to you know you mentioned R&D Anna. It's really about you know how do we develop bio fortified crops that are delivering better results in terms of yields and incomes for farmers and better soil health for long term longevity of their farms, but also nutrition benefits to, you know, meet specific micronutrient needs in their specific countries to address the global problem that we have 2 billion people facing hidden hunger, which is micronutrient deficiency.

[Yeager] Now, part of me, well, is to ask, but you're talking about, from a business sense, new markets and new opportunities for a company. And so then there are some who might look at Cargill and go, well, that's just because you're chasing profits. But why is it that it is more than just a new market opportunity for a company?

[Dimiero] Well, listen, global food security is core to what we do. As I said, it's about moving food from places where it's grown to where it's needed. we don't hide from the fact that that is part of our core business model. At the same time, we realize that there are really deep challenges that, you know, need addressing, and there are places where we can invest as a company to help build the capacity of farmers in our supply chains to not only, you know, help Cargill access better, you know, access better, crops, but also help those farmers access those markets. And we also see, you know, the value of investing in these communities, to, you know, propel long term food security and, frankly, security. you know, global food security is also a national security issue. And I think that's something you're hearing more and more from the public and private sectors that we all recognize that, you know, as much as we need to continue to invest, you know, domestically and locally to meet our needs, we also have to simultaneously invest in global markets.

[Yeager] So, Anna, you're in your second stop at state. You spent time at defense. which department? I mean, do they both talk about food insecurity? at these two departments. And and why do they.

[Nelson] Yeah, I think really the entire US, government is starting to think more and more about food security. There's certainly a spotlight on it. from, the, the food crisis caused by, the war in Ukraine. but the the reason that we all think about it, it seems is at least twofold, maybe. Well, I'll say, you know, one of course, we all understand food security. We all understand the importance of it. it just just sort of fundamentally, and the second is, Emily mentioned the relationship between national security and food security. Conflict drives hunger, and hunger drives conflict. That's a that's a very vicious circle that we just have to figure out how to break. and it's better to do it. it's a sort of a, it's a worthy investment to break it through, strengthening food security. before we get to to conflict, I think we we don't always have the luxury of choosing, when and how we we make our investments, to deal with some of the instability. but thinking about global food security strategically is one way we can really plan for the long term. And, and, address sort of all of our interests, both kind of humanitarian as well as national security.

[Yeager] I primed you on one question that we were going to talk about. It's this one. we're about to have an election. By the time this airs, we're going to be voting, does food security change with whoever is it in the majority or in the white House?

[Nelson] I think it does not. and, I have felt very lucky that we're we're working in a space that has such strong bipartisan support. And again, I think it goes back to the fact that everyone understands fundamentally the importance of food security. we understand it in the context of our own communities. And it's easy to, to translate that to why it matters in the world. So I don't I don't foresee, a difference. no matter what happens. And I think that's really important and something we can all come together on.

[Yeager] You spent a lot of time in DC, though, to do you do you see it the same way?

[Dimiero] I also see strong bipartisan commitment to addressing food insecurity. And that continues to encourage me that there will be, you know, it continued focus on this critical issue. I also think it's critically important to make the connection between, you know, US agriculture, US investment, the long, storied history of, you know, US agriculture's role in feeding the world, and investments, you know, on the humanitarian side, but also that long term resilience building side. Those are a lot of the topics we're here talking about this week. And I think, you know, that's that's one of the reasons that, you know, there has been this historical, bipartisan, strong support for this issue. And as you mentioned, I'm based in DC and that is one of my roles is about advocating for that, you know, continued U.S. leadership in this realm.

[Yeager] But Cargill is a global company. So does that make it easier for you to be a part of a global conversation when you have those relationships already built in, say, Brazil or China or India?

[Dimiero] I believe it does, absolutely. And that's, you know, those are conversations that we are having at a global level in DC with global global counterparts, but also, as you mentioned, I mean, we're operating in 72 countries around the world, you know, distributing to markets all over the world and have, you know, deep relationships with governments around the world. So, absolutely, we see, you know, opportunities for us to engage at multiple levels, whether it's, you know, Cargill to governments and also, you know, multilateral institutions.

[Yeager] Do you get the sense, forgive me, Cargill is a public company, right? So it is a private company, but there are public companies that are involved, and they have to answer to shareholders. They hear from at shareholder meetings, not saying that's what happens at Cargill, but you hear from, investors of a company. And do they want you to continue on this path?

[Dimiero] Well, I can speak for Cargill as a privately held family, owned and managed company. And, I can fervently say that there is firm support from our top leadership, from our board and from the Cargill family to continue investing in food security. And in fact, you know, to position Cargill as really a global leader in helping ensure food security.

[Yeager] So, Annie, you don't have to worry about when you hear answers like that. So what does that mean is next, then from a State Department working with a private sector.

[Nelson] What is next? Well, the world is our oyster. We'll see what we come up with this week when we're we're talking with everyone. You know, our our job at the State Department is diplomacy. and, and coalition building really. And I think, partnerships like ours stem from that. the, the, the challenges we're talking about this week are so vast and so complex that no single actor and certainly no government, can, can solve them, alone. So in building these partnerships, we, we think of new innovations, and we, we galvanize action across a broader swath of folks. So, I think what's next for, for us is, is, you know, hopefully deepening and expanding the partnerships we have, such as, the one with Cargill, but also expanding it to, a broader group of, of partners across all the different sectors.

[Yeager] You talk about partners. You were recently at the United Nations, I believe, and at the General Assembly there. What's the appetite, the appetite like at that level of diplomacy of of this topic?

[Nelson] Food, secure food security? very high, I would say. for example, in the the G7, which is a group of seven, governments that come together to address issues of, of shared importance, food security was a priority topic. the government of Italy chaired the G7 this past year. and, to their credit, they they really put a spotlight on food security.

[Nelson] And we came away, with a leadership commitment to address food security in very specific ways, including through, the vision for adapted crops and soils, which Emily mentioned, which is a movement. We say that we've been, we've been elevating from the State Department in close partnership. not only with our private sector colleagues, but also with other governments, and with, international organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization and the KGA. which of course, shares history with Norman Borlaug. So it all comes full circle.

[Yeager] It does come full circle. has this event met your expectations?

[Dimiero] Absolutely.

[Yeager] World Food Prize, I should say. I should be very specific.

[Dimiero] No it's been it's been incredible to hear, you know, from such amazing speakers and world leaders, on this important topic and, you know, in terms of what's next, you know, I was really excited to talk about yesterday on this panel with Anna about, you know, how we're going forward on implementing, you know, this, this vaccine initiative. And, you know, I mentioned the piece about bio fortified crops. And, you know, how do we make sure that, you know, we're increasing access to farmers for those, you know, improved crop varieties, but also then building the linkages to markets. And one way we're doing that is through homegrown school feeding programs in countries, the countries we're focused on are Kenya, Tanzania, India and Guatemala. And so it's about really, you know, making sure those farmers have a sustainable market and that, you know, we're getting those, zinc rich wheat, iron beans, you know, these important, you know, locally, culturally appropriate commodities with improved nutrition into school feeding programs. And then finally, you know, also working with, you know, investing in capacity and the smallholder farmers.

[Yeager] You mentioned those places. And I'm thinking they don't grow a lot of corn or soybeans. They grow what you're just talking about. But that's Norman Borlaug I mean, that's his DNA is changing is changing wheat. do we see that changing crops or alter them to make them more nutritious as a huge key in, in fighting this problem of food security?

[Dimiero] I think it's essential. I mean, I think it's important to note that, you know, as we look to 2050, we expect the population to be 9.8 billion people. And so we know that we're going to have to increase agricultural production from 45 to 50 million metric tons per year for the next decade. I know that's Norman Borlaug legacy is essentially, you know, driving this, you know, robust increase in yields and potential. But as I mentioned, you know, addressing this problem of hidden hunger comes down to how do you, you know, address specific micronutrient gaps, because it's not just about caloric, you know, availability, but it's also about, you know, meeting the nutrient needs. I mentioned the $2 billion stat of, you know, people who are facing hidden hunger. I heard a stat today that was, you know, even a higher proportion of the population that we suspect has some kind of micronutrient deficiency. And, you know, you may be thinking, well, what's the point? Why does that matter? You know, we can just eat enough calories to grow. Well, there's very significant problems with stunting in children, which is about which means that you know, not only if children are not getting the right nutrition from 0 to 5, they're not only not reaching their full potential in terms of growth of their body. You know, height, weight, but also it has long term effects on, you know, mental acuity, mental health, all of these things. And all of that translates into economic prosperity or economic struggle. And so there is a very, very compelling case to invest in this kind of, you know, nutrition focused exercise that's also about meeting climate goals, meeting, you know, agricultural and livelihood goals.

[Yeager] You said the C word, weak climate is a whole nother half hour. We'll get into that in a minute. But I want to I want to ask you about what you just said. And domestically, though, there's always this there's a why can't we take care of things here? Why do we have to be worried about world issues when we can't? There's hungry people right outside these walls here in Des Moines, let alone all the rest of the country. How does, who needs to help Intel? Everyone. That we all have a responsibility here in feeding both locally and around the world.

[Nelson] Well, maybe I'll talk a little bit about why, you know, American agriculture, American farmers have led the world, for so long in terms of their innovation and contributions to global food security. So domestic agriculture and global agriculture and domestic food security, global food security just can't be separated. And by, by sharing our innovations, American innovations, we we contribute to that and we also gain benefit ourselves, through that interchange and also through growing business around the world. So I think, thinking about continuing to think about American America's role in global food security, it's a it's a it's a two way street, in a, in a beneficial way.

[Yeager] Do we get the sense that that opinion has changed over time in 20 years? Is that in your career? I'll just ask, in your career experience, I'm not saying you've been doing it for that long, but have we changed in this country and how we view that it is domestic and global or together in this topic?

[Nelson] you know, I'm going to I'm going to go out on a limb and say, I don't think so. Okay. so how do we change it, though? I haven't worked for 20 years. I know, you're right. but the reason I'll say that I don't think so is a lot of the, the US initiatives related to global food security have very long roots, including, including some of our emergency assistance programs for, for other countries. You know, there have been developments really every generation for that, that elevate the U.S., U.S. role in this issue in the world.

[Yeager] All right. I'm gonna go back to climate. You want to take the first crack at this one, or do you want Emily to have this one? What's climate where's the climate discussion in all of this?

[Nelson] I think it's it's ever present. you know, we, as we think about global food security looking out to 2050, for example, we see that, climate is one of those headwinds we need to increase. food supply, to, to meet growing demand. at the same time as climate is making it harder and harder, to produce, I think, you know, you brought up the importance of, of, of quality seeds. You know, that's one tool in the toolkit, having drought resilient seeds can make the difference between having a harvest or not in a bad year and, and dramatically change your improve your yields, in other years. So these types of things we have to think about, as we, as we prepare for for the years to come.

[Dimiero] Absolutely. I mean, I, I would also agree, you know, I think there's, you know, a continuing merging of these conversations around climate, food security, agriculture, all of the impacts. Agriculture has a significant impact on climate and also is a huge part of the solution. And that's, you know, something that we see, Cargill and something that we see it all the time. Agriculture is part of the solution. Farmers need a seat at the table. Farmers are already adding to the solution, adapting practices. it's we work with our farmers in the US and in other contexts overseas, to really help, you know, incentivize, provide those financial incentives, de-risk to adapt practices that are regenerative, but working, you know, on a voluntary basis and understanding, you know, meeting them where they are, understanding the challenges of shifting your operation to really make an impact.

[Yeager] You said the V word and that that the volunteer word. Sometimes the farmer has a hard time doing things on their own. They want to be incentivized or I mean, the margins are extremely tight, at least in these United States country. So volunteer is one of those words that they bristle at. How do you get past that?

[Dimiero] Well, I mean, I think you also said the I word, which is incentives. And how do you how do you meet them where they are? And I will say also, you know, the farmers that we work with, we have a goal to get, convert 10 million acres across North America by 2030 into regenerative agriculture. And the way we're doing that is working with farmers on a year to year basis. You know, it's a year contract to, you know, we're we're giving them access to carbon markets. We're providing those incentives. paying $35 per metric ton, you know, for the adoption of these practices. So it's not just doing it out of the good of your, you know, and heart. it is, you know, it is about, you know, how do you provide the right market signals for that change and also recognize what a huge investment it is. To your point, this is not this is not something that you can just change over 2500 acres overnight. this is something that, you know, gets adopted through piloting and, and, you know, again, working with farmers on and being flexible about what approaches they can that make sense for their geography and their farm. so that it doesn't have to be, you know, one size fits all.

[Yeager] Well, yeah. That's actually the phrase I was going to just use out of that was, yeah, there is no one size fits all in all this. And that makes that that discussion complex for you, too.

[Dimiero] Even between Iowa and Minnesota, North Dakota versus much less, you know, other geographies around the world.

[Yeager] Yeah. Anna, last thought here of, when you see conversations in the hall, from somebody who clearly they're not from the same country, does that make you smile when you see things like that? And why do we need to keep having conversations and have events like this to to work on this topic?

[Nelson] I mean. Absolutely. I think, you know, we keep coming back to innovation, and innovation comes from from all these conversations, from all these different people with their different experiences. You know, one conversation I had, I think waiting in the lunch line was, with the, the founder of Hello Tractor, which is sort of like Uber for tractors in Africa, based on a partnership with John Deere. So I think that's such an exciting, example of the types of collaborations, cross country collaborations and innovations that we need, to, to to deal with this together.

[Yeager] Do you feel the same way that having conversations like that are important?

[Dimiero] Absolutely. And what I love about this event is I get to meet with, you know, people that are our farmer customers and, you know, representatives of commodity organizations. But also, like you mentioned, there's so many global leaders here, visitors from other countries. It also brings me back to my roots, where I started my career. And, you know, I even have some former colleagues at this conference.

[Dimiero] And just seeing all of these worlds come together is so enlightening for me and heartening for me to see that, you know, there's this continued, you know, cross-border dialog on this really important topic.

[Yeager] Emily, thank you. And I thank you. Appreciate your time.

[Nelson] Thank you for having me.

[Yeager] Thank you. For those who have subscribed to the Market Insider newsletter. You knew this podcast was coming too. We'll find out what is ahead when you subscribe on our website of Market to market.org. We'll see you next Tuesday for another installment of the MtoM podcast.