Calling all readers: we’d like your take on the issue of food security within the context of crop protection. In short, soaring prices has made global food security one of the major topics of 2008, and yet industry and farmers claim that the new proposed regulation governing pesticides, which would limit the amount of pesticides available to farmers, could make things even worse. Do you agree or disagree with them? If so, why?
The European Parliament recently voiced its concerns regarding rising food prices in the EU and developing countries at its plenary discussion in April 2008. I raised the point that we should have a closer look at our European legislation and whether it allows for an increase of agricultural productivity. We have numerous legislation restricting the use of fertilizers and pesticides leading to an increased burden on farmers to produce high quality products at an affordable price for everyone. I believe this is exactly what hinders an increase of productivity. I therefore propose we should reconsider what changes in this area are necessary whilst safeguarding high standards of protection of the consumer and the environment.
Here are some more clips from interviews recorded at the scientific workshop in Ljubljana, Slovenia, last week (see other blog entries below). Dr Ian Denholm, Rothamsted Research, UK, speaks about the need for radical steps to meet the growing demand for food in Europe, and Lise Nistrup from Aarhus Universitet, Denmark, outlines the effects of pesticides on crop yields.
There are so many articles online highlighting the global increase in the cost of basic foods such as grain, corn, rice and the knock on effect this is having on the cost of beef. People fighting to get limited stocks of bread in Egypt, parents unable to feed their families in Asia due to staples such as rice double in price. The BBC has some short videos on the subject, from the wheat farmer in Australia to a bakery in America. On the same subject I read an interesting blog by the Democrats & Liberals with a load of links to follow on articles that is worth reading, plus it’s attracted several comments from readers. If you want to learn about the global increase in food and how global warming, diet, oil prices and biofuels are all playing a hand in this supply and demand crisis, is a good place to start.
