Nutrition in 2050
From 2014 to 2050, the population will rise by 35% to around 9 billion people, while the demand for meat per person in developing and emerging countries will increase significantly.
This will result in an enormous increase in demand for food with dramatic consequences for the nature and environment.
In the May 2014 issue of “National Geographic”, Prof. Dr. Jonathan Foley from St. Paul University of Minnesota presented his findings on resource-efficient food production in the future. Here are the five key statements:
Stop additional land consumption by agriculture
Agriculture is destroying existing ecosystems (e.g. by clearing tropical rainforests) to create land for livestock farming and soy cultivation. Further deforestation must be stopped as a matter of urgency.
Increasing yields on existing farms
Improved cultivation methods (“green revolution”) and organic farming practices can increase crop yields in African, Latin American and Eastern European farmland, which has been less productive to date.
More efficient and sustainable use of water and fertilizers
In order to discharge fewer chemicals into the groundwater, fertilizers and pesticides should be applied in a computer-controlled manner and adapted to the condition of the soil. Targeted drip irrigation also helps to save considerable amounts of water.
Changing nutritional preferences
A change in eating behavior with less meat consumption releases large amounts of food, considering that a third of the plants produced are fed to livestock. Only 3% of the calories fed to animals reach the human body.
Stop wasting and destroying consumable food
A quarter of all food ends up as waste in supermarkets, restaurants and private households. Local production, stockpiling smaller portions and recycling leftover food can put a stop to food waste.
Further information can be found at National Geographic