The challenge

The world today is facing a major food security challenge. As the world’s population grows to around 10 billion by 2050, the global agriculture system is under pressure to provide sufficient nutritious food to meet the demand. In many places fertile land is degrading, water resources drying, and genetic resources disappearing. Unsustainable agricultural practices and other anthropogenic pressures are driving these processes. Climate change, increased extreme weather events and the spread (induced by climate change) of pests and diseases make agricultural production even more uncertain. On top of this, price volatility has a disruptive effect on production systems and food security, especially for vulnerable populations.

Achieving food security through sustainable agriculture is a global priority for the UN in the next 15 years, as enshrined in the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDG 2). Achieving this goal is no simple task. It means sustainably increasing agricultural productivity, while creating more resilient food production systems, and shaping more accessible and equitable markets.