Our food and agricultural systems depend on the plants, animals and microorganisms that make up and surround them in countless ways. Biodiversity, at all levels (from genetics to ecosystem), underpins our ability to produce food and a range of other goods and services in a wide variety of environments.

Yet our food production systems are now widely recognized as a greater threat to biodiversity and ecosystems. Agriculture is thus the main source of modification of terrestrial and aquatic systems (land conversion, habitat fragmentation and degradation, freshwater use) and is responsible for nearly 80% of global deforestation, according to WWF's Living Planet Report. In addition, food production, distribution and consumption systems are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and, consequently, to climate change.

However, there are ways to reduce the impact of food systems on biodiversity. For example, by choosing production and consumption methods that promote the reduction of yield gaps, the reduction of waste or the promotion of healthier and more sustainable food. As the consumer is the first link in the chain of change, the starting point for this approach is to provide informed information on the environmental impacts of the products consumed.

New product information tools, such as the Open Food Fact database, offer eco-score cards that provide information on the environmental impacts of products through life cycle analysis. Similarly, the NGO Envol Vert has developed the Forest Footprint tool, which measures the area of forest impacted for each product consumed by a French person (meat, fuel, leather, etc.).

Within the framework of this hackathon, we would like to organize a data hunt of 100 products consumed by French people in order to measure their Forest Footprint and thus contribute to this initiative which supports a better knowledge of the impact of food on ecosystems but also to raise consumer awareness.

To reflect together and discover how to measure the Forest Footprint of products consumed by the French, join us on Tuesday 4 May at 5 pm on https://meet.jit.si/HACK4NATURE for the launch of the challenge!

©Envol Vert/ Empreinte Forêt