The UK’s national academy of science, The Royal Society, is calling for a GBP2 billion (US$3.28 billion) “Grand Challenge” research programme on global food security.
It has, today, published a report arguing that the UK should lead international research efforts to achieve the massive increase in food crop production (at least 50 percent) that will be required by 2050 to meet global food demands without damaging the environment.
The Royal Society says that implementing a research programme that directs at least GBP200 million in funding annually for the next 10 years to science that improves crops and sustainable crop management must be a priority for the UK government. This would see the addition of at least GBP50 million to what is already spent on science for food-crops each year.
The programme should support areas of research that have been neglected in recent years, the Society says, including exploring new methods of crop management to increase yields and minimize environmental impact. It should also support the development of improved crop varieties by both conventional breeding and genetic modification.
The report’s authors discuss a variety of possible solutions to the impending food shortage. ... Read the full blog.
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