Photo: Malta Food AgencyTwelve NGOs are urging the government in taking the lead in promoting a shift to more plant-based foods, arguing that this transition was crucial for health, environmental and food sustainability reasons.
The NGOs – Friends of the Earth Malta, Veggy Malta, Action for Breast Cancer Foundation, Physicians Association for Nutrition International, BirdLife Malta, Moviment Graffitti, Vuċi Kollettiva, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Siġar, Earth Systems Association, Kunsill Studenti Universitarji, and ACT – published a report with 12 proposals aiming to encourage sustainable eating through a shift in eating habits.
The report, titled “Malta Vision 2050: A Plant-Based Food Strategy,” makes various arguments in favour of a shift towards more plant-based diets.
It makes an environmental case, noting that transforming eating habits “is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to reduce emissions, protect ecosystems and strengthen food security.” At present, while animal agriculture produces nearly 60% of food-related greenhouse gas emissions and occupies 80% of agricultural land, it provides less than 20% of calories and a third of the protein consumed by humans.
It makes a health case, noting that high consumption of red and processed meat was a key health concern for Malta, where the leading cause of death is cardiovascular disease.
But it also makes an economic case, arguing that a shift towards more plant-based foods was also a strategic economic opportunity for Malta. It noted that the plant-based food sector was growing fast amid surging demand, presenting an opportunity that Malta could – and should – exploit.
“Dietary change is a win-win for people and the planet,” FoEMalta’s food, agriculture and biodiversity campaigner Laura Pons said. “By embracing plant-based foods, Malta can cut healthcare costs, build resilience, and show real leadership in sustainability and food justice.”
“This strategy brings together environmental, health, and social justice perspectives,” FoEMalta director Martin Galea De Giovanni added. “It also reflects a growing public appetite for greener diets and fairer food systems. We hope it will inspire policymakers to act with the urgency this moment demands.”
The organisations are calling on the government to develop a national plant-based food strategy, in collaboration with farmers, researchers, businesses and civil society. They stress that investing in this transition now will help Malta safeguard public health, protect biodiversity, and meet its environmental commitments while ensuring a fair and sustainable food future for all.
The proposals
The report makes 12 proposals to show how a transition to more plant-based foods could be achieved, grouped under three key areas: promoting the consumption of plant-based foods, promoting their production, and governance and system alignment.
Promoting consumption
- Draft an official calculation of the health and environmental benefits of a population eating more plant-based foods, thus making clear the benefits of such a shift.
- Make plant-based food the default option in all public institutions, while still providing the choice to opt for meat or dairy.
- Competence enhancement for professionals: ensure food and health professionals are trained in plant-based nutrition, meal planning and preparation.
- Climate-friendly dietary advice and education programmes: integrate sustainability into dietary guidelines, which would thus take into account the environmental – as well as health – impact of foodstuffs.
- A civil society fund to promote greener diets
- Accessible food gardens, including within urban green spaces or unused buildings
- Set food-related emissions targets at local councils, encouraging a shift to more plant-based meals
Promoting production
- Funding for research and development in next-generation plant-based and cultivated foods – including cultivated meat.
- Support for seafood alternative protein with marine institutions
- Climate-smart agricultural support schemes, prioritising crops for human consumption over feed for livestock
Governance and systems alignment
- Strengthen plant-based competencies in ministries and agencie
- Tax system reform, introducing a fair tax that reflects the environmental and health costs of animal products.
