Today, at least two billion people are hungry or need better
diets, and most analysts think doubling food production will be required to
feed the human population adequately by 2050.
A recent excellent study outlined how a required doubling could be
achieved, based on five essential steps: stop increasing land for agriculture
(to preserve ecosystem services); raise yields where possible; increase
efficiency in use of fertilizers, water, and energy; become more vegetarian;
and reduce food wastage. One could add:
stop wrecking the oceans, enlarge investment in agricultural research, and move
feeding everyone to the very top of the policy agenda.