Biotech Updates

Need for More Investment in Agriculture Says FAO

October 9, 2009

Global agricultural production must grow by 70 percent by 2050 to feed an additional 2.3 billion people. To address this concern, more public investment in research and development, widespread adoption of new technologies, farming techniques and crop varieties are needed. This viewpoint was forwarded in a paper The Technology Challenge by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) prepared for the High-Level Expert Forum on How to Feed the World in 2050 in Rome, Italy. FAO mentions the following areas where efforts can be sustained:

  • Improving efficiency in farmers' use of agricultural inputs
  • Developing improved crop varieties
  • Heavily investing in agricultural research and development
  • Closing existing "yield gaps"

The FAO Forum is a preliminary meeting for the World Summit on Food Security on November 16-18, 2009.

See the FAO press release at http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/35686/icode/