At the Global Conscious Food Systems Summit 2026, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay highlighted the paradox of modern agriculture: despite producing record quantities of food, hundreds of millions of people remain hungry while farmers struggle to earn adequate incomes.
The world produces unprecedented amounts of food through advanced technology and agricultural methods, yet this abundance has failed to eliminate global hunger or ensure that food producers earn sustainable livelihoods. This contradiction formed the core of remarks delivered by Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay at the Global Conscious Food Systems Summit 2026 in Colombo, where he called for a fundamental reassessment of how nations approach food production and distribution.
Prime Minister Tobgay identified several interconnected challenges within current food systems. While agricultural productivity has surged over recent decades, many countries simultaneously degrade natural resources essential for future production, including soil quality, water availability and biodiversity. Additionally, those responsible for feeding the global population—farmers and food producers—frequently lack access to adequate income and economic security, creating what he termed a significant contradiction in the global food economy.
The Bhutanese leader argued that moving beyond these contradictions requires expanding the conversation beyond production capacity alone. He contended that food systems embody deeper choices about societal values and priorities, with every technology, investment and policy decision reflecting fundamental commitments. According to Tobgay, truly conscious food systems must integrate productivity, environmental sustainability, fair livelihoods and long-term prosperity as interconnected objectives rather than isolated concerns.
Tobgay emphasised that decisions made within one part of the food system often generate consequences extending far beyond their immediate context. He advocated for a comprehensive approach recognising the interdependence of food production, agriculture, environmental protection, economic development and community well-being. Rather than measuring success solely through output or environmental metrics, he proposed that food systems should ultimately be evaluated by their capacity to improve lives, protect environments and create sustainable futures for coming generations.