Map and support plant-protein processing infrastructure (pulses, legumes) and value chains
Why this action matters
Evidence-groundedReplacing resource-intensive animal-based foods with plant-based alternatives can significantly increase food availability by utilizing cropland more efficiently, as plant-based diets can produce up to 20-fold more nutritionally similar food per unit of cropland compared to beef and eggs. This shift not only enhances food security but also reduces environmental costs associated with current food systems.
Concept connections
LLM-generatedBBiosphere SSociety EEconomy · ▶effects of this action ◀prerequisites · Click a concept to explore related actions
Consequences of this action
Evidence-groundedThe action itself
Conducts a systematic mapping of plant-protein processing capacity — including pea processing, pulse milling, and legume value chains — and provides targeted infrastructure investment to scale up plant-based food production.
UK implications
In the UK, underdeveloped pulse and legume processing infrastructure limits the ability to transform farm-level plant proteins into food products, thereby hindering the growth of a sustainable and resilient food system and delaying potential public health and emissions benefits.
Global implications
UK investment in plant-protein processing infrastructure supports the global scaling of plant-based food manufacturing, which is essential for meeting the nutritional needs of a 10 billion population while reducing the environmental footprint of food systems.
National policy stance
No dataCouncil positions (22)
Opposing — 1
Mentioned / neutral — 18
Scientific foundation
Domain-level evidence from the peer-reviewed library
Food Security
The global food system is the single largest activity driving the climate crisis, primarily due to its significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss [Rockström et al., 2023] Animal products provide only 37 substantial environmental impact across various areas, is not viable for meeting the needs of the 21 [Rockström et al., 2023] A shift to plant-based diets can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 49% and significantly lower land use and water use [Rockström et al., 2023] The UK needs more domestic fruit, vegetable and legume capacity and innovation to support a resilient dietary transition [Rockström et al., 2023] Processing and supporting plant-protein value chains can help align food systems with planetary boundaries by reducing environmental degradation and promoting biodiversity [Rockström et al., 2023]