Global Food

Global Food
Security

Security

Sustainable Futures Challenge

27 April 2015
Dr Will Simonson
Coordinator, GFSI

trategic Research Initiative of the University of Cambridge

Neil Palmer (CIAT)

Why Global Food

Security Security?
Global Food

Present challenges:
One in eight people are chronically under-nourished
We are eating into the planets natural capital
Future challenges:
Population set to expand to > 9 billion by 2050
Economic development raises living standards but
also resource consumption
Climate change effects on agricultural production are
uncertain
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Why Global Food

Security Security?
Global Food

Godfray et al., 2010, Science

Global Food

Security

The challenges

Balancing future demand and supply sustainably

Addressing the threat of future volatility in the food system

Ending hunger

Meeting the challenges of a low emissions world

Maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services while feeding the world

Government Office for Science, 2011, Foresight: The Future of Food and Farming

Global Food

Security

Food system

Environmental feedbacks
e.g. water quality, GHGs

GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

DRIVERS
Changes in: Land cover & soils,
Atmosphere, Climate, Water
availability, Nutrient cycling,
Biodiversity, Sea currents & salinity,
SOCIOECONOMIC
DRIVERS
Sea level
Changes in: Demographics,
Economics, Socio-political context,
Cultural context, Science &
Technology

DRIVERS
interactions

Socioeconomic feedbacks
e.g. livelihoods, consumer advocacy

ased on Ericksen 2008, Global Environmental Change

Food system ACTIVITIES

Producing
Processing & Packaging
Distributing and retailing
Consuming

Food system OUTCOMES

Contributing to: Food Security,
Environmental Security, and
Other societal interests
Food
Utilisatio
n
Social
welfare

Food
Availabili
ty

Food
Access

Environ.
capital

Global Food

Security

Research themes

Plant biology: understanding plant

development, hybrid vigour and photosynthesis
to breed high-yielding crops in changing climates
Infectious diseases: control of plant disease,
influenza-resistant strains of poultry, food-borne
zoonoses
Political economy of hunger and food
supply: drawing lessons from historical analyses
of famine, role of political structures in the food
system, archaeological evidence for innovation
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Global Food

Security

Research themes

Supply chains: innovation in food supply,

evaluating how food crises are driven by
environmental, demographic, economic or
political factors
Food and health: metabolism, improving
nutrition, reducing diet-related disease
Food landscapes: biodiversity, land-sparing,
water and ecosystems services, soil management

Global Food

Security

Research themes

Modelling: consequences of competing demands

on land and sea for food, biodiversity, water,
energy, climate stability
Global governance: BRIC countries,
international politics, rising powers
Land resources and regulatory influences:
economics of land use change, impact of
demographic & climate change on future policy
drivers
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Key objectives &

Security activities
Global Food

Increasing the quantity and

quality of food security relevant
research
Influencing the future research
agenda
Communicating about food
security, including education and
outreach
Supporting activities of students
and early career researchers

Global Food

Security
The fifth seminar of the Food Futures in the World series 2015
Can GM crops help to feed the world?
Wednesday 6 May 2015
Professor Sir Brian Heap
Research Associate, Centre for Development Studies, University of
Cambridge, former Master of St. Edmunds College, and
Project Leader, Biosciences for Farming in Africa

1.00 pm in the Biffen Lecture Theatre, Department of Genetics, Downing

Site
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Global Food

Security
Global Food Security to 2050
A seminar of the Tropical Agriculture Association (TAA) supported by the
Global Food Security Initiative, CambPlants and The Humanitarian Centre
14th May 2015, 2-6pm
Dr Bojana Bazjelj (Cambridge University Engineering Dept)
Prof Amir Kassam (University of Reading & FAO)
Dr Gottlieb Basch (University of Evora, Portugal)
Hughes Hall, Pavilion Room, Wollaston Road, Cambridge CB1 2EW
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Global Food

Global Food
Security

Security
For more information
www.globalfood.cam.ac.uk

trategic Research Initiative of the University of Cambridge