Biotech Updates

FAO Report on Scarcity and Degradation of Land and Water as Threat to Food Security

December 2, 2011

A New FAO report State of the World's Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture (SOLAW) notes  widespread degradation and deepening scarcity of land and water resources. These phenomenon have put the world's food production at risk and is expected to worsen with the effects of climate change.

The Report recommends various ways to meet the challenge such as efficient use of water in agriculture; conservation agriculture, agro-forestry, integrated crop-livestock system and integrated irrigation-aquaculture systems; increase investment in agriculture; and modernization of national policies and institutions. In addition, numerous successful examples were also discussed in the Report that are hoped to motivate and mobilize political will, priority setting and policy-oriented remedial actions, at the highest decision-making levels.

For more on the Report, see http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/95153/icode/.