Bioengineered crops and nanotechnology will be needed to feed the world in the future according to Professor John Beddington, British Government Chief Scientific Adviser in a speech entitled "Key Issues in Agricultural Science” given as the Frank Parkinson Lecture, Oxford Farming Conference, 5th January 2010.
Agriculture faces a huge challenge which affects every race and country; how to feed a global population of 9 billion by 2050 with less land, less water, less oil and greater climatic extremes whilst minimizing the impact on the environment.
Professor Beddington said, “There is an intrinsic link between the challenge we face to ensure food security through the 21st century and other global issues, most notably climate change, population growth and the need to sustainably manage the world’s rapidly growing demand for energy and water.”
It is predicted that by 2030 world demand for food and energy will rise by around 50%, and for fresh water by 50%, all of which must be managed whilst mitigating and adapting to climate change. This threatens to create a ‘perfect storm’ of global events.
Science and technology can help by providing practical solutions. Securing this contribution requires that high priority be attached both to research and to facilitating the real world deployment of existing and emergent technologies.
For the UK, climate changes are likely to mean altered farming patterns, with summer drought and winter floods. The agriculture sector will need to reduce its share of greenhouse gas emissions while safeguarding soil through improved land management practices.
There are three ways of increasing agricultural output – expanding acreage, improving yields or increasing frequency of cropping. Over the last 50 years improving yields has been most important, accounting for 75% of increase in output. However yield growth rates are now slowing.
Beddington said in his speech, "We need a new and “greener revolution”, improving production and efficiency through the food chain within environmental and other constraints. Techniques and technologies from many disciplines, ranging from biotechnology and engineering to newer fields such as nanotechnology, will be needed."
The Foresight Global Food and Farming Futures Project, due to report in October 2010, is looking at the challenge of how a global population of 9 billion can all be fed healthily and sustainably. Examining the food system, including issues of demand, production and supply, it aims to strengthen understanding of global uncertainties and interdependencies and assess the potential impact of future scientific and technological developments. It will consider the implications for policy and research in the UK, as well as internationally.
A challenge set by the Cabinet Office Food Matters report in 2008 was for Government to join up its efforts on food policy looking at health, food safety, the economy and the environment. As part of the response, Beddington worked with public funders across the UK, including the Devolved Administrations, to develop a new cross-government strategy for food research and innovation.
In an estimate of current funding on agricultural research prepared for the Oxford Food Conference suggests that there is a significant mismatch between who is perceived to do the research and who is actually doing it.
In contrast to the farmers’ perceptions, annual funding of agricultural research by the Government is currently worth $422 million (£264 million) – 75% of the overall total of $506 million (£350 million). Funding by the agricultural supply industry is worth $89 (£56) million – 16% and by farmers (largely through the AHDB) is $46 (£29) million – 8%.
Public funding for research is also expected to increase by around $25.6 (£16) million a year as the British Government has committed $128 (£80) million over the next five years through the Technology Strategy Board
