A new report from the United Nations says mankind’s ability to feed itself in the future is in jeopardy.
The report –“The Future of Food and Agriculture: Trends and Challenges”– lists intensifying pressure on natural resources and a changing climate as top concerns. Among its recommendations are to shift to more sustainable food systems which make more efficient use of land, water and other inputs—and a sharp reduction in the use of fossil fuels, which the report says would lead to a drastic cut in agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.
The report says by 2050, the world population will grow to nearly 10 billion people. This will also increase demand for agricultural products by 50 percent with more demand for meat, fruits, vegetables and processed food.
Food production systems are capable of producing enough food to meet the growing demand in a sustainable way, but more than 600 million people will still go hungry. Since the 1990s, corn, rice and wheat production globally has increased just over 1 percent per year. The report says a “business-as-usual” approach is no longer an option.
The report calls for research and development in ag production systems to produce more food with fewer resources, and for creating food supply chains that better connect farmers in low and middle income countries to urban markets.
Source: brownfieldagnews.com