Page 36 - The Welfare of Cattle

Can food ProduCtIon KeeP Its PaCe? 13

implications of population growth, shifting dietary expectations, and present rates of malnourish-
ment. Following is a summary of these and other challenges and opportunities:

• Global population growth, demographic change, and increasing affluence and urbanization.
In addition to the factors discussed above, it is critical to evaluate the production, processing, and
distribution challenges created by a rapidly urbanizing population.
• The appropriate role of science and technology in meeting demand and reducing impacts. Will
values of the developed countries limit the applicable science and technology available to meet the
challenge of feeding the world? Will we take some production systems, science and technologies
off the table in confronting this challenge? Or will be recognize that we must employ all known
systems, science and technology to meet the test before us.
• Global climate and other environmental changes. Dealing with warmer temperatures, rising sea
levels, changing rainfall patterns, and increasing extreme weather events will create great challenges
about how we manage and utilize our infrastructure and protect public and private investments in
the food production enterprise. These climate change impacts will generate many challenging social
economic impacts. New pests and expanding ranges of old pests will be confronted.
• Environmental impacts. Determining how to minimize or avoid the adverse impacts of producing
food on land, air, and water will escalate as a challenge. Increasing scarcity and competition for
clean water and healthy land will challenge our productivity objectives. At its core, the food produc-
tion system is dependent upon other ecosystems.
• Key resources. The core resources upon which agriculture relies are limited. Land, air, and water
resources are all under siege to some extent. The challenge to use them sustainably is and will always be
at the core of the effort to meet food demand. Many questions arise in this context. For example, will we
accept localized impacts associated with intensifying production in one area to benefit the global good?
• Social and cultural. There are many challenges associated with urbanization, demographic change,
land tenure, governance and international security, and changing patterns of consumer needs, pref-
erences, habits and practices, affecting the demand for and consumption of different foods, and
patterns of waste. There are also many challenges associated with local custom, culture and religion
that must be navigated, including, but not limited to, dietary preferences.
• Economic. We must understand how factors of trade, land tenure, trends in production and demand
and potential for shocks, competitiveness of food and farming businesses profitability, food mar-
kets and volatility, supply and distribution, regulation, affordability and availability (particularly in
developing countries) assist or interfere with achieving the goal of meeting food demand.
• Political. How do changes in government policy, development of new multilateral or bilateral
agreements and/or political instability affect strategies to meet escalating food demand. The impact
of rising nationalism in Europe (the UK, in particular) and the United States raises many challenges
and difficulties moving forward with a progressive plan to meet the global food challenges.

the Path FOrWarD

In view of the complexity of the issues to be confronted, it would be easy to throw up one’s
hands and concede defeat. Frankly, that is not an option. All international bodies, governments,
producers, processors, nonprofit organizations (NGOs), foundations, and universities have an
obligation to align resources and actions to meet the demand for food.
Alignment means an integrated international effort led by the developed countries of the world
and the international organizations they support. It means the developed countries, including the
United States, must strategically deploy capital and resources to build institutions and capacity in
the developing world to address these critical challenges.
Alignment means producers, processors, NGOs, foundations, and universities must rise above
their narrow view and accept that all systems, practices, and technologies must be appropriately
deployed and integrated to meet the challenge of feeding the world population.
It will require creativity, diligence, and persistence. It is the Manhattan project for food.