Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People
- H. Charles J. Godfray1,*,
- John R. Beddington2,
- Ian R. Crute3,
- Lawrence Haddad4,
- David Lawrence5,
- James F. Muir6,
- Jules Pretty7,
- Sherman Robinson8,
- Sandy M. Thomas9,
- Camilla Toulmin10
- 1Department of Zoology and Institute of Biodiversity at the James Martin 21st Century School, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.
- 2U.K. Government Office for Science, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H OET, UK.
- 3Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2TL, UK.
- 4Institute of Development Studies, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9RE, UK.
- 5Syngenta AG, Post Office Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland.
- 6Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK.
- 7Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex CO4 3SQ, UK.
- 8Institute of Development Studies, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9RE, UK.
- 9Foresight, U.K. Government Office for Science, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H OET, UK.
- 10International Institute for Environment and Development, 3 Endsleigh Street, London WC1H 0DD, UK.
- ↵*To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: charles.godfray{at}zoo.ox.ac.uk
Abstract
Continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years. Growing competition for land, water, and energy, in addition to the overexploitation of fisheries, will affect our ability to produce food, as will the urgent requirement to reduce the impact of the food system on the environment. The effects of climate change are a further threat. But the world can produce more food and can ensure that it is used more efficiently and equitably. A multifaceted and linked global strategy is needed to ensure sustainable and equitable food security, different components of which are explored here.
