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World Population Day 2011 - Food security for a growing world population
Thursday, July 7, 2011
July 11: World Population Day
Food security for a growing world population is one of the challenges for agriculture
According to estimates of the United Nations, the human population will pass the 7 billion mark by end of October this year. By 2050, the figure of people living on our planet is even projected to reach 9 billion. This is not without implications: The demand for food products and animal feed, fibers and renewable raw materials continuously grows – this being said with limited agricultural areas. The total surface of the earth amounts to 50,9 billion hectares. Only 1,5 billion ha. equaling about 3 % can be used as acreage. And this area can hardly be enlarged any more.
The consequences of climate change add to this: yield losses due to extreme weather events and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The intensified search for alternative energy supplies leads to a growing demand for renewable energies and biofuels – and to a growing demand for agricultural products consequently.
Agriculture and with it the crop protection industry are now being called upon to see for more and secure yields for the existing cultivated areas. Modern biotechnology can contribute to this, too.
The following two examples show how modern farmers all over the world are committed to secure a healthy and reliable nutrition:
The consequences of climate change add to this: yield losses due to extreme weather events and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The intensified search for alternative energy supplies leads to a growing demand for renewable energies and biofuels – and to a growing demand for agricultural products consequently.
Agriculture and with it the crop protection industry are now being called upon to see for more and secure yields for the existing cultivated areas. Modern biotechnology can contribute to this, too.
The following two examples show how modern farmers all over the world are committed to secure a healthy and reliable nutrition:
| Thinking in a bigger dimension: Canola production in Canada ) Thinking in a bigger dimension: Canada is a country with vast geography, dramatic temperature shifts and different crops from coast to coast. Farmers have to think big to meet the needs of Canadian producers, consumers and the global markets for Canadian products. » more |
| The tomato king: Red fruits from Ukraine ) Just 26 years old, the entrepreneur Andrey Sipko has already achieved the status of a “tomato king” in Ukraine. “No, we don’t really have any competitors here,” he says without even sounding immodest. “At most on the world market.” Inagro, the company he operates together with his brother, processes an impressive 300,000 tons of tomatoes each season. If lined up one after the other, that would be enough of the red fruits to circle the Earth five times. » more |
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