The Food Crisis and New Technologies

Document Type : Short Note

Author

National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, IR Iran.

10.5812/ijb.10276

Abstract

The present crisis in global economy, the issue of cli mate change and the fast-growing world population, leading to increased demand of food, are signifiant factors reinforcing moves towards inclusive technology developments. Increasing population and consumption growth will lead to the increasing global demand for food, as well. The growing competition for land, water, and energy affct food production capability, entailing the necessity for reducing the effcts of overexploita tion of food system on the environment (1).

Keywords


The present crisis in global economy, the issue of cli
mate change and the fast-growing world population,
leading to increased demand of food, are signifiant
factors reinforcing moves towards inclusive technology
developments. Increasing population and consumption
growth will lead to the increasing global demand for
food, as well. The growing competition for land, water,
and energy affct food production capability, entailing
the necessity for reducing the effcts of overexploita
tion of food system on the environment (1). In addition,
the international community suffrs a lot from imbal
anced distribution of wealth since more than ninety
percent of global wealth is in possession of ten percent
of the rich minority, and the negligible quote of 10 per
cent is for 90 percent of majority. This occurs while the
most natural resources exist in poor regions, which were
misused for various excuses. Over the aforementioned
facts, the agricultural lands are not adequate for provid
ing the appropriate food for the increasing population.
The present global agricultural production and trading
system, built on subsidies and tariff, creates grave dis
tortions, which structurally favors production amongst
rich countries and disadvantages producers in poor de
veloping countries. Imperiled developing countries are
presently responding to the current crisis by restricting
or banning food exports. Until macro incentives are re
ordered to open the way for investment and production
in rural sectors of developing countries, no long-lasting
solution is in sight. Modern biotechnology methods
proved promising to produce more foods in effient and
equitable manner. During the last decades, numerous
scientists across the world have investigated advanced
and novel biological, cellular, molecular, and biochemi
cal strategies to improve food production and process
ing, and to enhance human health, which is inflenced
by genetic make up, nutritional status, access to health
care, socioeconomic status, personal habits and lifestyle
choices. In this attempt, new foods, mainly nutritionally
enhanced foods, are being developed in order to protect
and promote good health (2). Beyond the researchers and
world food special organizations’ attempts in providing
healthy food, assuring food safety, and using modern
high technologies; world food management should or
ganize devices and specifi programs and issue interna
tional regulations by which the justice in food supply, dis
tribution and food safety could be achieved by all nations (3, 4). Although the main strategy is still focused on the
production of more food in agricultural biotechnology,
there are further factors determining the optimal use of
the innovative technologies, such as the improvement of
public acceptance about food biotechnology, legislation
and optimizing international trade regulations which
currently keep the quality and safety of related products
in an unclear status. Therefore, a multifaceted and linked
global strategy is needed to ensure sustainable and eq
uitable food security and other components which are
explored here (1).



Authors’ Contribution
The whole manuscript was conducted by the author.


Financial Disclosure
There is no fiancial disclosure.



 

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