Nina Fedoroff, science and technology advisor to the US Secretary of State, says that unless global agriculture achieves much greater efficiencies, famine may result as global conditions continue to worsen.
Fedoroff pointed to changes in climate and market globalisation as factors putting pressure on agriculture, but also highlighted basic realities: the amount of arable land is growing very slowly, but population growth continues unabated.
Consequently, not only will food production have to double by 2050, she said, it will have to do so with less available resources, less favourable weather, less water, and less reliance on harmful chemicals. That will require enormous improvements in efficiency, she said, but added that the current state of scientific development was on track to deliver those goals provided the industry remains focused.
