Tackling the Volatility of Food Security
By Patrick McCullough, CEO @ ProducePay
Last week, I had the privilege of being at Davos during the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting. While attending the Big Green charity event hosted by Kimbal Musk, one thing became abundantly clear: it is more crucial than ever for humanity to address how we will feed ourselves in the future. Big Green, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering communities to grow their own food, provided the perfect platform to discuss the systemic barriers threatening global food security.
While topics such as AI, economics, and politics dominated many conversations, food security emerged as one of the most frequently mentioned and pressing concerns. Realistically, we are facing a perfect storm of challenges: climate change, supply chain disruptions, food waste, and extreme market volatility. At the same time, the global population is projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, requiring a 60-70% increase in food production. These are no longer distant problems—they are pressing realities that demand immediate and collective action.
The solutions to food security don’t lay with one company or sector. They require an industry-wide approach, fostering partnerships across growers, marketers, retailers, governments, and NGOs. At ProducePay, we are proud to contribute to this movement through our partnership with MAVRK Capital. This collaboration has allowed us to share our platform with more growers while strengthening our network of partners to give more growers access to capital and provide retailers with year-round high quality supply at stable prices and reduced risk. Together, we are fostering a more sustainable and efficient supply chain.
Our partnership with MAVRK Capital has already made a significant impact. In 2024, the Table Grape Predictable Commerce Program increased the volume of imported produce to the U.S. sevenfold compared to the previous year, reaching nearly four million cases. This success was achieved while reducing retail rejection rates to nearly one percent, saving substantial amounts of food that would otherwise have gone to waste.
Yet, this partnership is just a small example of what can be achieved through collaboration. Davos represents a unique space where transformative ideas can take root. It’s where leaders unite to develop strategies that shape the future. Ensuring a secure supply of nutritious food for generations to come must be at the forefront of our collective agenda.
Food security isn’t just about feeding a growing population; it’s about doing so sustainably and equitably. By addressing market volatility, reducing food waste, and empowering growers with the resources they need, we can create a future where every harvest serves its purpose—feeding people, not landfills.
The path forward is clear: collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to stability. It’s time to act. Together, we can build a resilient food system where no harvest is wasted, every farmer thrives, and every individual has access to the nourishment they need.