University of Minnesota, United States, researchers say crop yields are far below targets for 2050, after analyzing 2.5 million agricultural statistics. Looking at maize, rice, wheat, and soybeans, they found yield improvement grew between 0.9% to 1.6%, far slower than the 2.4% necessary to meet calorie demands. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jun/20/crop-yeilds-world-population Report — http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0066428
Cutting Food Loss and Food Waste Will Benefit People and the Environment, Says a New Study on World Environment Day
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) released a working paper titled ‘Reducing Food Loss and Waste’ on June 5th, World Environment Day. The report describes how reducing food loss and food waste contributes to global environmental sustainability goals, as well as recommends 5 strategies for reducing loss. The first […]
Food Prices to Double by 2030
International NGO focused on poverty, Oxfam, warns that the price of staple grains will more than double in the next 20 years, increasing by as much as 180% by 2030 for some crops such as maize. Climate change will cause much of the increase, followed by population, energy, and resource demands, Oxfam says. http://www.gbcghana.com/index.php?id=1.407227
Improving Global Food Security Without Rocket Science
Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), writes that ‘tackling postharvest losses is not rocket science’, but does require the coordinated effort of many actors. The WFP addresses postharvest loss under its ‘Purchase for Progress’ pilot capacity-building and training program, currently working in 20 countries. http://www.euractiv.com/development-policy/improving-global-food-security-r-analysis-528272
Global Food Market Far Improved From Crisis Years
The FAO reports that though rising, food prices this year are not peaking, much unlike in 2008 and 2011 when high volatility led to unrest and rioting. FAO says the lack of financial speculators is helping to moderate prices. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/economy-lab/global-food-market-far-improved-from-crisis-years/article12036490/?cmpid=rss1
Commentary – Prioritizing Reduction of Food Losses and Waste for Food Security
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs released the report, ‘Advancing Global Food Security: The Power of Science, Trade, and Business’, at their recent symposium in Washington, D.C. The report sites reducing loss as an essential element to sustainable intensification of agriculture. The Council also covered postharvest loss in a commentary piece leading up to the event. http://globalfoodforthought.typepad.com/global-food-for-thought/2013/05/commentary-prioritizing-reduction-of-food-losses-and-waste-for-food-security.html?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonuqTOc%2B%2FhmjTEU5z17%2BwtX6CygYkz2EFye%2BLIHETpodcMSsZnNa%2BNFAAgAZVnyRQFHuWDeZg%3D
High Level Consultation (HLC) on Hunger, Food Security and Nutrition in the Post 2015 Development Framework: Joint Chairs and co-Leads Synthesis Report
The High Level Consultation on Hunger, Food Security, and Nutrition in the Post 2015 Development Framework published a vision report on how to sustainably end hunger, insecurity, and malnutrition by 2025. Their pathway outline includes three main components: 1) sustainable and resilient food production and consumption, 2) good nutrition for all, and 3) agents of transformation. http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/post2015/sites/post2015/files/files/Synthesis%20document%204th%20April.pdf
Freezing the Footprint of Food
The World Wildlife Fund listed reducing food loss and waste in the food chain as the first step to ‘freezing the footprint of food’, or producing twice as much food with the same amount of resources. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-jason-clay/population-growth-food_b_3280807.html
Feeding 9 Billion: What Research Do we Prioritize to Find Solutions?
Cross-sector representatives met in April for the first Food Security Futures Conference. Participants discussed how to accomplish the wide array of food security goals on the international agenda, and agreed that public and private research is essential. The conference produced a list of priorities, one being to develop better metrics for evaluating food systems. http://www.ifpri.org/blog/feeding-9-billion-what-research-do-we-prioritize-find-solutions
DuPont Value Chains Roundtable
In April experts discussed the role of the private sector in global agricultural value chains as part of the Dupont Agricultural Development Roundtable Series hosted by the International Food Policy Research Institute. The discussion can be viewed here. http://www.euractiv.com/development-policy/improving-global-food-security-r-analysis-528272