Meeting the Rising Global Demand for Food

It is becoming increasingly difficult to satisfy the rising global demand for food in a sustainable manner. A number of factors contribute to uncertainty about the world’s ability to meet the food demand of an increasing population: average living standards are rising; land use is shifting from agriculture to urban and industrial uses; the production of nonfood crops for biofuels is on the rise; investments in increasing agricultural productivity are growing slowly; water and arable land are increasingly becoming scarce; and global warming is making it more difficult to produce food in some poor countries. Moreover, the food price crisis of 2008 added fuel to the fire and put food security on top of the policy agenda.

How can international organizations work with local farmers and local governments to increase agricultural productivity and manage the uncertainties around harvests? How can the global trading system be made more reliable for providing a dependable market for food? Is there a positive role for “international land deals?” And how can food security be put at the heart of government policy in all countries?