How do we protect our food sources to help feed the world? Do you know how many people there are in the world today? For most of our human history our population has been slow and steady but in the last 120 years it has accelerated from 1.5 to more than 7 billion. Around 1 billion or 1/7 are chronically hungry. We can definitely produce enough food for 11 billion but do we do it ways that is sustainable? We need to ensure safe and nutritional food is available. This is food security Food security is defined by the United Nations as having access at all times to sufficient, safe and nutritious foods; that meet the dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy lifestyle. There are 4 dimensions of food security: 1. Availability 2. Access 3. Utilisation 4. Stability Australia is one of the most food secure countries, we produce enough food to feed the country 3 times over. Our country has produced a consistent supply of healthy food and it has been accessible to almost all! The use of food or knowledge about safe food preparation and good nutrition are key aspects. Comprehensive biosecurity systems help ensure Australia’s food security and food safety, while good biosecurity practices protect our farmers’ productivity and make good business sense.
What challenges are farmers facing?
We need to adapt, innovate and form successful collaborations to support a strong and prosperous Australia with sustainable food security. Given the limits to natural resources the world simply cannot afford to sustain the loss of food that is caused by diseases of plants and animals. More efficient technologies and crops will need to be developed to address this challenge and, equally important, better ways of applying these technologies locally for farmers. Currently, diseases (bacterial, viral, fungal) cause general losses of 20-40% of horticultural crops worldwide. “Our limited land and resources means we’re going to need more innovation and more sustainable agriculture."
“Being in Australia where we have access to food, and knowing other countries are without this access, is a big driver for me.” - University of WA PhD candidate Sabrina Davies. Ms Davies’ aims to tap into the process of plant cells that cause seeds to germinate, for rehabilitation, conservation of threatened species, and production of crops critical to world food supply.
0 Comments
|
"Join the movement of teachers and students working together with farmers to ensure everyone in this country has access to safe, affordable, healthy food and quality fibre every day and a brighter future for all." Categories
All
|