Food research needed now to prevent global shortage, warns Royal Society

Research Councils in the UK should funnel at least £2 billion in funding over the next 10 years into research projects designed to improve crop yields and food security if the UK is to effectively tackle impending global food shortage, according to a hard-hitting new report from the Royal Society.

The report warns action must be taken now if the world is to achieve the 50 per cent increase in crop production required to meet the global food demands of 9 billion people in 2050, and controversially recommends a significant increase in funding for research into genetically modified (GM) crops.

Changing consumption patterns, the impacts of climate change, and the growing scarcity of water and land will all contribute to an increasing scarcity of food for many in the future, the report warns.

David Baulcombe, who chaired the Royal Society study, said that there was clear evidence that scientific research could deliver the significant increases in yields that will be required to tackle food shortages.

"In the UK we have the potential to come up with viable scientific solutions for feeding a growing population and we have a responsibility to realise this potential," he said. "There is a very clear need for policy action and publicly funded science to make sure this happens."

The Royal Society recommends that the government implement a wide-ranging research programme that directs at least £200 million in funding each year into projects designed to improve crops and promote sustainable crop management. The new investment would represent an increase of one-third on current funding for food-crop science.

The report argues that the money should support areas of research that have been neglected in recent years, such as exploring new methods of crop management, seed treatments to protect against pests and diseases, and GM foods that are resistant to disease, drought and salinity.

It adds that in the longer term, research should focus on the development of nitrogen-fixing cereals that need less fertiliser, crops that will not need constant replanting, and C4 rice, which would boost the efficiency of photosynthesis and dramatically increase yield.

Baulcombe said that any research efforts would need to be wide-ranging as no single technology will be a panacea for ensuring global food security.

"Science-based approaches introduced alongside social science and economic innovations are essential if we are to have a decent chance of feeding the world's population in 40 years' time," he said. "Technologies that work on a farm in the UK may have little impact for harvests in Africa. Research is going to need to take into account a diverse range of crops, localities, cultures and numerous other circumstances."

The report also highlights that many universities have closed down or reduced their teaching and research in agriculture and crop science, causing a shortage of expertise in the sector.

The Royal Society is calling for institutions to work with funding bodies to reverse this decline in relevant subjects and recommends that they look globally to address the skills gap, offering targeted subsidies to scientists in developing countries to visit the UK and work with British researchers.