1. Context

The food production market is under more pressure than ever, with prices continuing to rise. In addition to this basic upward trend, which seems inescapable given population growth, increasingly unpredictable climatic factors and a constant reduction in arable land, there are sporadic price rises linked to various crises of all kinds. The coronavirus crisis, for example, prompted consumers to stock up to ensure their own food security, disrupted global transport and led to production disruptions, causing the food price index to soar to record levels.

At the current rate of food demand, it is estimated that that...