OREANDA-NEWS. As part of its 150th anniversary celebrations, BASF is hosting a week of activities in Barcelona with the aim of tackling one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century: responsible food consumption. The meeting provides space for co-creation and innovation, sparking reflection and knowledge about this topic. Experts from all areas of the food value chain as well as scientists, representatives from public authorities, artists and citizens are participating in the event. It takes place at the Disseny Hub in Barcelona from October 26 to 30, 2015.

The tour stop started today with the opening of a two-day summit. The summit will be attended by almost one hundred experts. "As we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of BASF, we want to connect people and ideas around the globe. We invite our stakeholders to jointly work on solutions for important future challenges. Throughout BASF's history, chemistry has proven to be an enabler for innovation," said Dr. Harald Schwager, member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE.

By 2050, 9 billion people will live on this planet and food production will have to increase by 70% according to estimates of the Food Agricultural Organization (FAO). Given that already today, 805 million people - or 11 % of the world population - do not have sufficient food to follow a healthy diet, feeding the growing world population responsibly is a crucial challenge.

"We must encourage the involvement of all stakeholders in the value chain, from the farmer to the final consumer, to identify sustainable solutions for responsible food consumption. During the Creator Space tour in Barcelona, we will focus on three specific areas together with our stakeholders: How to help citizens adopt a healthier and more sustainable diet and lifestyle, how to use water more efficiently in the agricultural sector, and how to avoid food waste and improve waste management," said Dr. Erwin Rauhe, Senior Vice President and CEO of BASF Espanola.

The Creator Space tour stop in Barcelona is supported by the Waste Agency of Catalonia (ARC); the Food and Agriculture Research and Technology Institute (IRTA) of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Food and the Natural Environment of the Catalan government; and the Mediterranean Diet Foundation (Fundacion Dieta Mediterranea).

During the opening of the summit, Ken Webster, international expert on circular economy and head of innovation at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, said in his keynote: "Our existing take-make-waste-economy is under pressure and the time is right to shift to creating new forms of prosperity. A circular economy takes insights from the science of living systems to create effective flows of materials and energy. It is led by business opportunities while at the same time spinning off a positive cycle of social and environmental benefits."

The second day of the summit will be opened by Tristram Stuart, food activist and best-selling author of "Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal."