ABSTRACT
The world’s population is expected to reach 10.9 billion by 2050, and a majority of people will live in developing countries, intensifying the struggle against poverty and malnutrition (1, 2). Food production has to be doubled without relying on specialized fertilizers and pesticides, which would further disturb the ecological balance. Factors such as population growth; increasing affluence with rising consumption, pollution, and waste; and persistent poverty are putting increased pressure on the environment. Rain forests are being destroyed at the highest rate in history, taking with them the crucial sources of biodiversity and contributing to global warming, thereby boosting the already rising sea levels (3). Improved food production has been achieved through technological advances such as chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and farm machinery, sometimes with undesirable consequences for the underlying natural resources of the production system. Even the green revolution, which provided a major boost for food production (particularly important for third-world countries), has resulted in large-scale damage to the agricultural ecosystem. Stockpiles of food grain have decreased each year since 1986 and a further decline is predicted (4, 5). In spite of this we could still feed the entire world’s population today with an adequate, though not generous, diet. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) projects that global demand for cereals may increase by 41% between 1993 and 2020 to reach 2490 million metric tons, and for roots and tubers demand may increase by 40% to 855 million tons. With an expected 40% population increase and an average annual income growth rate of 4.3%, developing countries are projected to account for most of the increase in global demand for cereals between 1993 and 2020. Demand for cereals for feeding livestock will increase considerably in coming decades, especially in developing countries, in response to strong demand for livestock products. Between 1993 and 2020, developing countries’ demand for cereals for animal feed is projected to double, while demand for cereals for food for direct human consumption is projected to increase by 47% (6, 7). Hence, rejuvenated drive is necessary in developing countries to meet the food demand.
