Speaker
Dr
Perry Gustafson
(University of Missouri)
Description
The current world population of well over seven billion is projected to reach nine billion in less than 20 years. The UN projects agricultural output will need to increase by a minimum of 70% in order to maintain current dietary standards, which will still leave approximately one billion malnurished people. Current agricultural production is increasing at a rate insufficient to reach the goal of reducing by one half the number of malnourished people in the world. In spite of declining poverty rates, reducing the number of malnurshed people will be very difficult as it is likely that an additional two billion people will be among the poor. Food imports are expected to increase despite any projected increased production. Agriculture can improve the world food supply on the same amount of land currently under production. The prospects of increasing world food production will involve several tools including better agronomy management, better farmer education, better student training, and clearly better varieties of all crops. Technology will be the leader in the tools required to create new cultivars. Mutation technology will be one of the leaders in supplying new genes for improved cultivars. The problems and prospects of the utilization of mutation technology to improve food production are discussed.
| Country or International Organization | University of Missouri |
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Primary author
Dr
Perry Gustafson
(University of Missouri)
