5 March 2015

Can science and technology provide food security or will we go hungry

Organised by:

SCI's Thames and Kennet Regional Group

Godalming, Charterhouse School

Registration Closed

This event is no longer available for registration.

Synopsis

This talk will be delivered by Dr David Evans Former Head of R&D Syngenta.

For over a century in wealthy countries, food has been increasingly plentiful. Both its quality and variety have increased in terms of nutrition and appearance. At the same time the proportion of income required to pay for it has declined. The availability of good, wholesome food has contributed to a very significant increase in life expectancy. This success has been possible only through many innovations in science and technology. However, everything that has been achieved is at risk over the next decades. 

The relentless increase in global population coupled with increases in living standards and food preferences, particularly in emerging economies, means that we shall need to produce roughly twice as much food in the next fifty years. However, the additional land area available for agriculture is far less. There are several challenges that will require major investment in order to provide the crop yields that food security demands. These include the emergence of new pests and diseases, and particularly the development of resistance to existing crop protection treatments. The regulatory framework that provides the licence to apply new treatments is frequently influenced by public perceptions, often fuelled by uninformed sensationalist media, rather than by good science and data.

So shall we go hungry? Food security is a formidable challenge - "a perfect storm" in the view of the UK Government's last Chief Scientist. So...... maybe!


Programme
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Venue and Contact

Charterhouse

Charterhouse School 
Charterhouse, Lecture Theatre 
Godalming, GU7 2DX 
Please click here for a location map.

Oliver Choroba

Tel: +44 (0) 1483 291713

Email: owc@charterhouse.org.uk


Fees

This is a FREE event - early booking is advised

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CPD Info

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Accredited cpd Centre - The CPD Standards Office - CPD Provider 41057 - www.cpdstandards.com


Additional Info
Exhibition and Sponsorship

An exhibition will take place alongside the conference for companies and related organisations who may wish to exhibit. Please email conferences@soci.org for further information and prices. Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.