IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

We can feed the world sustainably

08 September 2012 | Audio

Changing climate and declining biodiversity pushes the limits of food supply and at the broader level of human security. In light of this and with the prediction that human population will increase to 9 billion by 2050, the issue of food supply is a hotly-debated topic and the focus of the second World Leaders Dialogue convened today at the 2012 IUCN World Conservation Congress.

Five prominent figures from government, the scientific community, conservation and the private sector shared their expertise, wisdom and opinions on a range of concerns related to food production including the role of technology, energy consumption and agriculture.

The message was clear from the lively dialogue; the security of food supply is dependent on equitable and sustainable use of natural resources.

"We have the capacity to equitably and sustainably feed the world, we just have to do it," said Ms Camilla Toulmin, Director of the International Institute for Environment and Development.

The panel also discussed various solutions that can help solve some of the hunger problems faced by some communities today but also considering the health of the environment. Solutions highlighted included expansion of options on food sources, change in consumption patterns and changing the type of production for food products.

The role of scientific technology in agriculture, especially in the case of genetically modified crops drew a lot of interest from the audience.

The panel was concluded by Ms Solange Marquez Espinoza, journalist, political analyst and the moderator of the dialogue.