Whilst the global food system has much to be proud of, with the Green Revolution and its predescessors doing much to feed the growing global population, it’s hard to dispute that there are areas for improvement.  There is still far too much food wasted around the world, and farming methods could be made both greener and more sustainable, especially in terms of water usage.

It will be interesting to see what the Barnraiser community can come up with to improve matters.  Barnraiser are a crowdfunding community whose remit is to power the good food movement, which itself aims to make food production more sustainable.

They are inviting allcomers, including farmers, educators and community leaders to come together and pool ideas on how the food system can be reshaped.

“We are thrilled to offer Barnraiser to anyone serious about making a positive impact on the way we farm and eat,” said Eileen Gordon Chiarello, Barnraiser founder and CEO. “Now is the time for us to exert our influence as passionate consumers. Funding these innovators is a powerful way to build the food future we want.”

The aim is to connect up people interested in making food production more sustainable with those who can make those ideas a reality.

The Barnraiser site provides a range of automated tools to project owners to help them execute their campaigns successfully.  For instance, they helped the Butcher’s Guild to raise 162% of its funding goal during their campaign.

Suffice to say, it seems unlikely that Barnraiser will truly remake the food system, as is their lofty ambition, and it would appear more likely that they will help to finance more niche entrants into the market.  That in itself is not a bad thing of course, but I think it’s worth being a bit realistic about the potential of such a site.

Do you think Barnraiser will change the food system or operate very much in the margins?  Let me know in the comments.