UK food science is well placed to help developing countries as well as itself face increasing global supply pressures on water and crop availability.
This was the message from government chief scientific adviser Professor John Beddington, speaking at a UK Collaborative on Development Science meeting this month.
He said: “Food demand is set to rise by 50 per cent by 2030 and to double by 2050… Total world demand for fresh water is set to increase by 30 per cent by 2030... These demands mean that agriculture worldwide has a big problem. Fifty per cent more production is needed on less land, with less water, using less energy without increasing global emissions… In part this has got to be done by science and technology.
“There is enormous capacity in the UK where we can help the world and help ourselves,” he added.
No comments yet