Best-fit options of crop staples for food security: Productivity, nutrition and sustainability

Jill E. Gready*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

    Abstract

    Provision of sufficient nutritious food to feed the world's growing population is the most important problem facing the world, more so than energy. Several authors argue history shows that primary causes of survival crises are food shortages (Brown, 2012). By 'sufficient' and 'nutritious' here we mean sufficient for caloric (energy) needs, and nutritious as the quality (essential amino acids and micronutrients) necessary for childhood development and maintenance of health. In this chapter we analyse this broad statement from multiple angles, with the aim of placing possible food-crop options, and agricultural and biotechnological solutions in context. The approach taken is to sketch the scale of the food supply and security problem, and dissect the interconnectedness of factors impacting on it, focussing on those critical for efficient, reliable and sustainable crop production and yield, and nutritional quality. We then examine the options, limitations and risks of crop-choice and-improvement options, including application of biotechnological methods. Our starting thesis is that existing analyses are too piecemeal to represent the complexity of the problem adequately; thus, they do not provide a basis for understanding the interdependencies of contributing factors. This mode is represented, for example, by a special issue on food security in The Economist (2011).

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationHandbook on Food
    Subtitle of host publicationDemand, Supply, Sustainability and Security
    PublisherEdward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
    Pages381-421
    Number of pages41
    ISBN (Electronic)9781781004296
    ISBN (Print)9781781004289
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2014

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