The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global health and economic crisis like none we have seen in our lifetimes. Our hearts go out to all those globally who have been impacted by COVID-19, and those struggling to deal with the financial implications of lost work or reduced wages. We are grateful for our first responders and healthcare workers who are putting themselves at risk to treat the sick and those who are keeping our essential businesses running.
That includes employees working across the food supply chain to ensure that our food is planted, harvested, and processed, grocery shelves are stocked and food is available to all people. It takes a global village to feed the world and we have seen selfless sacrifice and silent grit to ensure the continuity of our food system. Because, if our food supply breaks down, this pandemic will move from a crisis to a catastrophe.
Unfortunately, in recent weeks we have seen cracks show up in our food supply chain. The pandemic is challenging the nature of our global supply chain, stressing logistics networks and reinforcing the importance of labor. We have seen concerns about food nationalism, continued access to labor and redefining the nature of food security from global to national systems. Now is the time for urgent action. Both in the form of government and private sector support to farmers, industries and companies in the food system, but also in longer-term investments required for building a more innovative and resilient future food system.
One thing that remains constant - everyone eats. From a mission perspective, building a sustainable food system is the right thing to do. From an investment perspective, we believe it will continue to deliver profitable returns. Consumers have been demanding innovative solutions that can help them take care of their bodies and the planet. Post COVID-19, we believe this will remain true. Regardless of what food system emerges from this pandemic, the intersection of technology and entrepreneurship will remain important in defining the future of food and agriculture. We take a deep dive into our perspectives in our recent white paper.
As an investor in companies across all stages of the food system, we believe our role in the recovery is to ensure we build a more stable, resilient, sustainable and healthy system. We will continue to invest in entrepreneurs and innovations that are the catalysts for meaningful progress. We will continue to be value-added partners to our companies as they navigate the implications of the pandemic to their businesses. And we will continue to engage our network of strategic partners and co-investors in deeper conversations, spurring actions that drive meaningful impact.
We hope you will join us.
