On 12th February 2010, a global conference took place in Washington D.C. looking at how the world can address future food security issues. Tackling the problems of population growth, climate change, and water scarcities, the conference discussed recommendations for developments in the agriculture industry.
A panel of experts was composed of:
Dr. Robert Paarlberg, Professor at Wellesley
New research coming out of the Scripps Research Institute and the University of California, San Diego, has determined the molecular structure for a drought-tolerant plant hormone called abscisic acid.
In drought conditions, plants begin to produce more of this hormone, which creates a number of changes to their physical structure. Their seeds lie dormant in the
The Gates Foundation has provided this video to show how one of their grantees’ low-cost treadle pumps are helping Indian farmers access irrigated water for their crops.
These water pumps are supplied by International Development Enterprises (IDE). They are designed to be cost-effective and low-maintenance, with only one part needed to be changed each year at
The ‘Future of Food‘ is 3-part BBC television programme looking at how food production is going to have to evolve to adapt to increased global demand and less reliable access to key resources such as water and oil.
The programme host visits farmers in India, Cuba, the UK to look at how key issues such as
A newly updated report from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) highlights many key facts and trends on how the world uses and manages its freshwater supply.
Agriculture-related activity is responsible for around 70% of freshwater use. Here are some other interesting facts from the report:
Less than 3% of the world’s water is freshwater.
Hilary Benn, the UK Environment Secretary, visited the US for meetings with Ban Ki-Moon and US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. According to a DEFRA statement, They discussed the topics of climate change adaptation, food security, and the green economy.
He said:
These threats are real, they are immediate, and they will affect us all. Environmental degradation
