Food
The Real Price of Cheap Food is Too High and True Cost Accounting Might Finally Be the Fix
Global food leaders unite in Rome to accelerate the adoption of True Cost Accounting and challenge the invisible trillion-dollar toll of our current food systems
In a pivotal moment for food system reform, the 2025 True Cost Accounting Accelerator Summit—hosted at the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization headquarters in Rome—united global leaders, civil society voices, and policy shapers under one mission: to bring accountability and clarity to what our food really costs.
True Cost Accounting (TCA), once considered a niche academic framework, has matured into a tangible solution to one of humanity’s most pressing challenges. As revealed by FAO reports, the hidden costs of our global food system—ranging from diet-related illnesses to environmental degradation—amount to a staggering $11.6 trillion annually. These are costs not seen on grocery receipts, but paid in hospital visits, climate disasters, and social inequity.
The summit, spearheaded by the Global Alliance for the Future of Food and the TCA Accelerator, served as both a celebration of progress and a roadmap for implementation. Since the launch of the TEEBAgriFood Framework in 2018, which sought to reframe how we measure agricultural success, momentum has been steadily building. Now, the focus is shifting from theory to action.
Health, Equity, and Environmental Truths Come to Light
Today’s “cheap food” is anything but cheap. According to the FAO, over 70% of food system-related hidden costs stem from poor health outcomes linked to ultra-processed, nutritionally bankrupt products. Add to this agriculture’s 30% share of global greenhouse gas emissions, widespread biodiversity loss, and exploitative labor practices, and it becomes clear—our industrial food system is eating away at both planetary and public health.
The summit emphasized that food systems reform is not about blaming individuals for their eating habits, but about restructuring policies, subsidies, and market incentives. As one speaker put it, “We can’t expect people to make good choices in a broken system.”
From Paper to Practice: The Andhra Pradesh and Zambia Models
One of the most compelling arguments for TCA came from its real-world applications. In Andhra Pradesh, India, studies revealed that natural farming not only improved crop yields but also doubled farmer incomes when compared to chemical-intensive practices. Meanwhile, in Zambia, the social enterprise COMACO demonstrated that sustainable farming could avoid nearly $427 million in costs by preventing land degradation and deforestation.
By assigning tangible monetary value to ecological and social benefits, TCA helps decision-makers compare outcomes not just in dollars, but in long-term sustainability, health, and resilience.
The Price Tag Debate and the Future of Food Justice
A common misconception is that TCA will make food more expensive. Advocates counter this by asserting that TCA is not about inflating prices—but about recalibrating public subsidies and investments to prioritize fair wages, healthy food, and sustainable practices. By making these shifts, nutritious food can actually become more affordable and accessible for all.
Whose Data Counts?
Another key takeaway from the summit was the need to redefine “data.” Traditional economic metrics often ignore the wisdom of farmers, Indigenous communities, and civil society. A broader, more inclusive evidence base—including oral histories, local practices, and lived experiences—is crucial to building food systems that truly work for everyone.
A Turning Point in the Global Food Narrative
With speakers like Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, drawing parallels between journalism and food systems accountability, it’s clear that TCA is no longer a fringe concept—it’s becoming a mainstream tool to drive global change. Schlosser’s keynote was a potent reminder that food is political, personal, and planetary.
As the world scrambles to meet climate, health, and biodiversity goals by 2030, tools like True Cost Accounting may offer the clearest path forward. The challenge now is political will—and making sure the real costs of food are paid in systems, not by the suffering of people or the planet.