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Global food system must change
Radical changes to the global food system and investment in research will be required if food security is to be provided for a predicted 9 billion people, a new UK government study states. “With the global population set to rise and food prices likely to increase, it is crucial that a wide range of complementary actions are taken now by policy makers, farmers and businesses,” says Professor Sir John Beddington, the UK Government’s chief scientific adviser. “Urgent change is required throughout the food system to bring sustainability centre stage and end hunger. It is also vital for other areas, such as climate change mitigation, conflict and economic growth.”
The study, by the Foresight Programme, a UK think tank, says that the current global food system is unsustainable, with resources being used faster than they can be replenished naturally. Half of the world’s population are also being failed by the food system, with a billion people going hungry and another billion suffering from nutrient deficiencies, whilst a billion are over-consuming. “The response of the many different actors involved will affect the quality of life of everyone now living, and will have major repercussions for future generations,” the authors write. “Much can be achieved immediately with current technologies and knowledge given sufficient will and investment. But coping with future challenges will require more radical changes to the food system and investment in research to provide new solutions to novel problems.”
