Programme / Science and Food Security: How to Feed the World Sustainably and Equitably

The relationship between peace, conflict and food security is historic and well documented. The threat of hunger is a powerful driver of instability, anger and violence, while actions to promote food security can help prevent crisis, mitigate its impacts, and promote recovery, healing and growth. But sustainable and equitable access to food for all is becoming increasingly challenging as consumption patterns and dietary expectations change rapidly. Further, the relationship between global food production and a variety of factors including health, nutrition, agriculture, climate change, water and energy management, ecology and human behaviour is complex and characterised by inequality and imbalances. The Sustainable Development Goals provide a critically important framework for addressing these challenges but require an integrated scientific approach to understand and account for these interdependencies. This session will explore how the global science community is responding to these challenges, and how it can work with policymakers, the food industry and landowners to help build local resilience and help ensure a secure and sustainable food supply for all.