The East Malling Trust for Horticultural Research (EMT) has said G8 countries need to invest more in food production research to avoid undermining their commitment to tackling food security and climate change.
Dr Ian Graham-Bryce, chairman of EMT, said the trust broadly welcomed the G8’s recent announcement that the eight countries are collectively committing more than $12bn (£7.3bn) to agricultural development as part of a food security initiative over the next three years.
However, EMT believes that the G8’s funding will be best spent if the scientific community is given the opportunity to translate its collective knowledge into new farming practices and crop protection systems in the short term and new varieties in the longer term, to be used throughout both the developed and developing worlds.
EMT argues that applied scientific research is fundamental to developing replacement crops and varieties that can be grown in a changing environment and have less environmental impact. As such advances take time to develop, EMT believes that governments need to recognise that research is a long-term investment and not a quick fix with instant results.
Graham-Bryce said: “The case for increased global investment is now greater than ever. Scientific research is the only way to lessen the environmental impact of production. Research increases production by developing new growing systems, with less dependence on pesticides and fertilisers and lower demand for water, alongside the longer term bid to develop varieties with greater yields, drought resistance and immunity to pests and diseases.
“However, the G8’s change in funding priorities coincides with a serious decline in the UK government’s support for applied horticultural research, which will have serious consequences for the UK’s ability to safeguard its own food security, let alone contribute to its vision for a more sustainable world. The UK government, as a G8 member, must be consistent in its policy.”
The comments came after Hilary Benn, secretary of state for DEFRA, attended last week’s fruit and vegetable round table event at East Malling Research.
Graham-Bryce said: “By earmarking a proportion of the $12bn for agricultural and horticultural scientific research, EMT believes that this would deliver the biggest return on G8’s investment towards tackling food security, environmental impact and sustainable development of many countries throughout the world… The issue is much bigger than ensuring growers in the developing world reduce their environmental impact. It is also about showing growers in the developed world that they too can make significant improvements to generate greater yields for local consumers. And it’s also about educating the consumer, getting them to waste less food and understand better the seasonality of local produce.”
No comments yet