NETHERLANDS –  Dutch multinational supplier of nutritional and health ingredients DSM has announced that it will fully focus its resources and capabilities to address the urgent societal and environmental challenges linked to the way the world produces and consumes food. 

The Dutch company said its commitments cover three areas where it believes it can make the greatest positive impact together with its business partners: Health for People, Health for Planet and Healthy Livelihoods. 

Under the ‘people’ umbrella, DSM said its new strategic food system commitments by 2030 are to work toward closing the micronutrient gap of 800m vulnerable people through fortified staple foods and affordable health supplements.  

The company also plans to support the immunity of 500m people by stepping up its role in delivering essential vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients to consumers worldwide through high-performance dietary supplements.  

DSM said it will promote healthier diets and also develop and launch new innovative solutions like ampli-D, which helps boost vitamin D levels in the body in weeks – instead of months. 

In the ‘planet’ category, DSM hopes to enable double-digit on-farm livestock emission reduction through innovations in dairy, swine, and poultry farming. 

The company for instance targets a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in dairy production, a 30% reduction in ammonia emissions from swine farming, and a 30% reduction in phosphorus emissions from poultry farming.  

The company said a part of this solution includes its feed additive Bovaer, a quarter teaspoon of which reduces enteric methane emission by approximately 30% – enabling a 10-12% reduction in GHG emissions 

To further reduce the impact of animal agriculture, DSM said it will continuously innovate and accelerate its solutions for sustainably produced plant-based foods and beverages that provide a nutritious alternative to meat, fish, or dairy. 

Under the Healthy Livelihoods banner, together with its partners, DSM said it is committed to supporting the livelihoods of 500,000 smallholder farmers across value chains by 2030.  

As a first step, DSM said it is helping improve the incomes of farmers working in its own value chains and through joint venture partners.  

A planet on the verge of collapse

DSM’s increased focus on sustainable food production is timely our planet is rapidly approaching critical and irreversible environmental tipping points, as warned in the recent IPCC report.  

What’s even more worrying is that the biggest threat from Climate Change is the abrupt collapse of our food systems, and the ill-health, poverty, and social unrest this will cause around the globe.  

Food has been a critical factor in the rise of all human civilizations and has also played a central role in the collapse of many others. 

DSM being a global leader in the science behind better health and nutrition believes it has a unique opportunity to prevent this from happening.  

“As a global leader in the science behind better health and nutrition, we have the opportunity, capability, and therefore the responsibility to apply our resources and expertise where they can have the greatest impact,” DSM said in a LinkedIn statement.  

“That’s why we will be focusing exclusively on our health, nutrition and bioscience activities enabling us to operate with greater agility and impact, and meet the growing need for better, more sustainable nutrition.” 

DSM says its commitments support UN Sustainable Development Goals 2, 3, 12, and 13 and has committed to report on progress made on its new commitments every year in its Integrated Annual Report.   

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