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Global Food Global Food Security Security Sustainable Futures Challenge 27 April 2015 Dr Will Simonson Coordinator, GFSI a Strategic Research Initiative of the University of Cambridge Neil Palmer (CIAT) Global Food Security Why Global Food Security? Present challenges: • One in eight people are chronically under-nourished • We are eating into the planet’s natural capital Future challenges: • Population set to expand to > 9 billion by 2050 • Economic development raises living standards but also resource consumption • Climate change effects on agricultural production are uncertain 2 Global Food Security Godfray et al., 2010, Science Why Global Food Security? 3 Global Food Security The challenges • Balancing future demand and supply sustainably • Addressing the threat of future volatility in the food system • Ending hunger • Meeting the challenges of a low emissions world • Maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services while feeding the world The Government Office for Science, 2011, Foresight: The Future of Food and Farming 4 Global Food Security Food system Environmental feedbacks e.g. water quality, GHGs GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE DRIVERS Changes in: Land cover & soils, Atmosphere, Climate, Water availability, Nutrient cycling, Biodiversity, Sea currents & salinity, Sea level SOCIOECONOMIC DRIVERS Changes in: Demographics, Economics, Sociopolitical context, Cultural context, Science & Technology DRIVERS’ interactions Socioeconomic feedbacks e.g. livelihoods, consumer advocacy Based on Ericksen 2008, Global Environmental Change Food system ACTIVITIES Producing Processing & Packaging Distributing and retailing Consuming Food system OUTCOMES Contributing to: Food Security, Environmental Security, and Other societal interests Food Utilisation Social welfare Food Availability Food Access Environ. capital 5 Global Food Security Research themes • Plant biology: understanding plant development, hybrid vigour and photosynthesis to breed highyielding crops in changing climates • Infectious diseases: control of plant disease, influenzaresistant strains of poultry, food-borne zoonoses • Political economy of hunger and food supply: drawing lessons from historical analyses of famine, role of political structures in the food system, archaeological evidence for innovation 6 Global Food Security Research themes • Supply chains: innovation in food supply, evaluating how food crises are driven by environmental, demographic, economic or political factors • Food and health: metabolism, improving nutrition, reducing diet-related disease • Food landscapes: biodiversity, land-sparing, water and ecosystems services, soil management 7 Global Food Security Research themes • Modelling: consequences of competing demands on land and sea for food, biodiversity, water, energy, climate stability • Global governance: BRIC countries, international politics, rising powers • Land resources and regulatory influences: economics of land use change, impact of demographic & climate change on future policy drivers 8 Global Food Security Key objectives & activities • Increasing the quantity and quality of food security relevant research • Influencing the future research agenda • Communicating about food security, including education and outreach • Supporting activities of students and early career researchers 9 Global Food Security The fifth seminar of the Food Futures in the World series 2015 Can GM crops help to feed the world? Wednesday 6 May 2015 Professor Sir Brian Heap Research Associate, Centre for Development Studies, University of Cambridge, former Master of St. Edmund’s College, and Project Leader, Biosciences for Farming in Africa 1.00 pm in the Biffen Lecture Theatre, Department of Genetics, Downing Site 10 Global Food Security Global Food Security to 2050 A seminar of the Tropical Agriculture Association (TAA) supported by the Global Food Security Initiative, CambPlants and The Humanitarian Centre 14th May 2015, 2-6pm Dr Bojana Bazjelj (Cambridge University Engineering Dept) Prof Amir Kassam (University of Reading & FAO) Dr Gottlieb Basch (University of Evora, Portugal) Hughes Hall, Pavilion Room, Wollaston Road, Cambridge CB1 2EW 11 Global Food Global Food Security Security For more information www.globalfood.cam.ac.uk a Strategic Research Initiative of the University of Cambridge