Synthesis Agri-Food Insights
September 29, 2009 Volume 1, Issue 5
Helping you understand agriculture's challenges and
opportunities by analyzing the issues and sharing their insights - the Synthesis consulting team Rob Hannam, Mary Lou McCutcheon, Julien DenTandt, Peter Hannam and Heidi
Dancho.
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Celebrating World Food Day
In North America, October is a month
focused on harvest and the abundance of food. But for the United Nations, it's
also a chance to draw attention to the millions of people across the globe that
don't have enough food through the annual marking of World Food Day (October
16).
According to the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN, more than one billion people around
the world are malnourished, which means one sixth of the global population is
suffering from hunger.
This is where the importance of
science in agriculture comes into play, says Rob Hannam, President of Synthesis
Agri-Food Consulting in Guelph, Ontario.
"The role of science in advancing
agriculture and agricultural production is essential to the future of everyone
on this planet," says Hannam. "Not only is it important to our farmers to help
them earn a profitable, sustainable living, but it's also key for society as a
whole, especially the people around the world who are hungry."
Thanks to advances in plant science,
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the production of world food
calories has doubled since 1960 and increased per-capita food supplies in the
developing world by 25 percent.
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a stable area of agricultural land
has been maintained since 1950, despite a growth in global population from 2.5
to 6.8 billion people.
Statistics from the United Nation's 2007
Global Environmental Outlook show similar results:
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in the 1980s, one farmer produced
one tonne of food and one hectare of arable land produced an annual average of
1.8 tonnes.
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today, that farmer produces 1.4
tonnes and one hectare produces 2.5 tonnes of food.
"The productivity gains we've made
in agriculture in the last 40 years have been remarkable, "says Hannam. "At the
same time, we've made great strides in sustainability so that not only are we
able to feed more people, but we can do so using fewer resources as a result of science."
Environmental sustainability goes
hand in hand with increasing agricultural productivity and has become a focal
point in increasing food production. The FAO challenged agricultural leaders in
a report released last week to "push agricultural frontiers outwards" to find
ways to let farmers grow more food but without bringing more land into
production. Wider-scale use of genetically modified crops is one way this could
be achieved, according to the FAO.
Despite our remarkable advances in
productivity in the face of a growing population, there are many who criticize
the use of science in agriculture. They argue that the use of biotechnology,
crop protection products and fossil-fuel based fertilizers is unnecessary and unsustainable.
Insights - So what
does this all mean?
Progress is not simply just producing more: Progress
must always be sustainable and responsible in order to truly benefit society
and the environment. For example, we need to recognize water as a valuable and
scarce resource. This means it's important to look at ways to reduce water
usage or recycle the water we use to grow our crops.
Progress comes in many forms: Progress in agriculture can be everything from building
tractors that have better fuel economy and production practices to help
mitigate climate change, to developing drought tolerant seeds and fortifying
fruits and vegetables to protect people against disease. It's important for
people to understand that the use of science in agriculture can have many
direct and indirect impacts on society - and we all have a role to play in
helping to build that understanding.
Progress must continue:
Our global population is continuing to grow and issues such as climate change
and urbanization are continuing to challenge our ability to produce enough food
to feed everyone. It is important to keep up with new technologies and
solutions. Most people wouldn't want their illnesses of today treated by a
doctor using 1920s technology, and the same principle applies to food
production and responsible environmental stewardship.
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Sincerely,
Rob, Mary Lou, Peter, Julien and Heidi
Synthesis Agri-Food Consulting
"Our Passion is Problem Solving"
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A tribute to a pioneer
Dr. Norman
Borlaug was a plant scientist and pioneer in modern agricultural practices.
He
developed new high yielding wheat varieties adapted to various climates and
growing conditions which helped prevent hunger and famine in Asia and Latin
America.
His work to feed the hungry through plant science earned him a Nobel
Peace Prize in 1970.
Dr. Borlaug passed away on September 12, 2009 and is
remembered for saving the lives of millions around the world.
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