'The Challenge of Food Security addresses one of the key development challenges of our time. It examines issues related to food security in a comprehensive manner that covers both theoretical perspectives and policy challenges. It will be a key reference book for anyone interested in issues related to food security.' Philippe Cullet, University of London, UK 'This is a timely book which addresses one of the greatest challenges for international regulation: food security. The book is a comprehensive treatment of various aspects of food security from its origins to the relationship between food security and other values, the role that commodity trading plays in exacerbating food insecurity, the importance of adequate food governance, together with specific food security problems like fish, water and genetic resources. The editors should be congratulated on a stimulating collection of essays that brings together a diverse range of scholars and which sheds real light on the complex dimensions of the food security debate.' Fiona Smith, University College London, UK This timely study addresses the pressing issue of food security through a range of interdisciplinary contributions, providing both scholarly and policy-making perspectives. It sets the discussion on food security within the little-studied context of its international legal and regulatory framework. The expert contributors explore the key issues from a development perspective and through the lens of existing governance and policy systems with a view to articulating how these systems can be made more effective in dealing with the roots of food insecurity. The book considers the root causes of food insecurity before discussing the regulatory challenges inherent in reconciling food production and sustainability to ensure both adequate supply of and equitable access to food, particularly in light of emerging issues such as food price volatility, 'land grabbing' and the need to coordinate the actions of the multitude of actors that influence food policy and regulation. It highlights the need for more equitable, transparent and coherent policy and regulatory approaches to the myriad of issues that make up the food security challenge. This cross-cutting study will appeal to researchers in law, international relations, agricultural science and food systems, as well as to policy makers in government and international organisations that engage with policy and regulation of food security issues. It will also be essential reading for professionals in non-governmental organisations that are interested in development issues in general and food security in particular.

The agricultural and rural crisis besetting Africa is the result of both policy failures and inadequacies and the product of structural rigidities inhibiting access to and control of vital resources. The challenge of leadership in the agricultural sector is how to design and implement policies which would help induce growth and development in this sector. It is against this background that the Africa Leadership Forum convened in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria in July of 1989 to explore a broad range of parameters to be addressed in the formulation of successful policies. This volume is derived from papers submitted and presentations made. The book provides the main conclusions and recommendations which emanated from the conference. They highlight a series of actions which must be taken in such areas as women in agriculture, small-scale farmers, agribusiness, subsidies, human capital, and linkages between international and national research anbd energy. Other topics include - Africa's security situation; social and economic factors, ecology, and social engineering; dietary patterns in Africa; pest management; agricultural practice; and international organizations. It is aimed at economists, anthropologists, ecologists, agriculturalists, social and political scientists, and all those interested or involved in agricultural production in Africa and other underdeveloped countries.

Despite great global effort, events of the early 21st century clearly demonstrate that food remains a pressing challenge which has significant implications for security. This book provides a detailed and comprehensive introduction to the major issues impacting global food security today.

This publication presents the latest research in perennial crop breeding and programmes, and provides direction on where the field of perennial crop is heading. Many production systems and agricultural practices are no longer sustainable today as their effects on soils, water, biodiversity, and livelihood are significant. Mainstreaming the use of perennial crops into current practices can contribute to stabilize fragile soils and maintain natural processes essential to obtain stable and high yields. To face the challenges and risks of the twenty-first century, increasing the perenniality of crops and agricultural systems should become a larger research, development and policy focus.

The need for agricultural research resources in the developing world cannot be underestimated, but the availability of such resources is often poor due to lack of funding and investment. In order for Africa and other such developing countries to achieve productivity in agriculture - vital to food security, poverty reduction and sustainable management of natural resources - investment and policy development needs to be assessed. This book, a joint effort from IFPRI, ILRI and the Kellogg Foundation, explores the importance of impact assessment studies in Africa, and assembles important evidence to pave the way for further, much needed investment in agricultural research all over the developing world.

In recent years, several major drivers have put the world off track to ending world hunger and malnutrition in all its forms by 2030. The challenges have grown with the COVID-19 pandemic and related containment measures. This report presents the first global assessment of food insecurity and malnutrition for 2020 and offers some indication of what hunger might look like by 2030 in a scenario further complicated by the enduring effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also includes new estimates of the cost and affordability of healthy diets, which provide an important link between the food security and nutrition indicators and the analysis of their trends. Altogether, the report highlights the need for a deeper reflection on how to better address the global food security and nutrition situation. To understand how hunger and malnutrition have reached these critical levels, this report draws on the analyses of the past four editions, which have produced a vast, evidence-based body of knowledge of the major drivers behind the recent changes in food security and nutrition. These drivers, which are increasing in frequency and intensity, include conflicts, climate variability and extremes, and economic slowdowns and downturns – all exacerbated by the underlying causes of poverty and very high and persistent levels of inequality. In addition, millions of people around the world suffer from food insecurity and different forms of malnutrition because they cannot afford the cost of healthy diets. From a synthesized understanding of this knowledge, updates and additional analyses are generated to create a holistic view of the combined effects of these drivers, both on each other and on food systems, and how they negatively affect food security and nutrition around the world. In turn, the evidence informs an in-depth look at how to move from silo solutions to integrated food systems solutions. In this regard, the report proposes transformative pathways that specifically address the challenges posed by the major drivers, also highlighting the types of policy and investment portfolios required to transform food systems for food security, improved nutrition, and affordable healthy diets for all. The report observes that, while the pandemic has caused major setbacks, there is much to be learned from the vulnerabilities and inequalities it has laid bare. If taken to heart, these new insights and wisdom can help get the world back on track towards the goal of ending hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition in all its forms.

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After steadily declining for over a decade, global hunger is on the rise again, while various forms of malnutrition coexist. Climate change is already exacerbating this grim picture, which is why food security and food production will be a major focus of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 6th Assessment Cycle. Thanks to the participation of 250 experts from all around the world, the International Symposium on Food Security and Nutrition in the Age of Climate Change highlighted the importance of food and agricultural systems in the fight against climate change and presented concrete multi-sector solutions to address this global issue. The event placed special emphasis on the regional realities of West Africa and the Canadian North, as well as to the presence of young people and members of Indigenous and Northern communities directly affected by these issues. The summaries of these four days of plenaries, interactive workshops, and special events have been grouped under seven major themes for this publication: 1) Climate change, food security and nutrition: the issues; (2) The agriculture sectors in the context of climate change; (3) Food systems in the face of climate change; (4) Natural resources: challenges and solutions; (5) Food security and nutrition in a changing North; (6) Summary of solutions; (7) Strengthening and adapting regional and international cooperation.

This volume gathers a variety of applications for remote sensing of vegetation health (VH) and concretely shows how this information can be used in service of ending hunger and of ensuring future food security. In this book’s ten chapters, Dr. Felix Kogan, one of the most prolific scientists in this sphere, shows how a new VH method, designed from operational environmental satellite data, can be used to provide advanced predictions of agricultural losses, helping to enhance food security and reducing the number of hungry people. Topics covered include the scientific basis of the VH method, drought monitoring, prediction of short-term agricultural yield and crop insurance, and impacts of long term climate variability and change on food security. A short discussion on VH for human health-related topics such as detection and prediction of malaria and fire risk is included as well.