Agriculture is almost as old as recorded time. Its realm is about as wide as the
inhabited earth. Agriculture, the art of cultivating the soil to raise grain and
other crops for man and domestic animals, is the oldest of occupations and the
basis of all other arts. Godfray et.al. (2010) mentioned that 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 that could hamper
global food production poses further threat to humanity. 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. More than one in seven people today still do not have
access to sufficient protein and energy from their diet, and even more suffer
from some form of micronutrient malnourishment. The world is now facing a
new set of intersecting challenges. The global population will continue to grow,
yet it is likely to plateau at some nine billion people by roughly the middle of this
century. A major correlate of this deceleration in population growth is increased
wealth, and with higher purchasing power comes higher consumption and a
greater demand for processed food, meat, dairy and fish, all of which add
pressure to the food supply system. At the same time, food producers are
experiencing greater competition for land, water, and energy and the need to
curb the many negative effects of food production on the environment.
Overarching all of these issues is the threat of the effects of substantial climate
change and concerns about how mitigation and adaptation measures may
affect the food system.