ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews some of the background to the changing world of agriculture in a global context. It suggests that the twin requirements of farming sustainably and productively constitute an unprecedented challenge to the agricultural industry; a ‘wicked’ problem that cannot solely be solved by the application of the traditional approaches of either agricultural science or agricultural economics. Supply-side challenges include pressures on key resources such as oil, water, nitrate, phosphates and soil; land use pressures; a declining growth in agricultural productivity; and climate change. Climate change has a number of implications for future world food security. Impacts on food production include the immediate effects of extreme weather on crops and infrastructure for food producers, particularly in vulnerable regions, as well as longer-term risks associated with sea-level rise and reduced availability of water. Food production also faces challenges in the form of competing demands for land.
