The Ministers of Agriculture of the Americas will discuss the importance of boosting productivity and efficiency in food production during a meeting that will be held in Cancun, Mexico, from October 19 to the 23, an official stated.
The event, organized by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), based in Costa Rica, and the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food of Mexico seeks to promote production, efficient use of water, and the improvement of soil health.
"We must be prepared to meet new demands. Improve productivity, not just by increasing the output per surface unit but also by improving quality and the producers' benefits," the director general of IICA, Victor Villalobos told Efe.
The XVIII Regular Meeting of the Inter-American Board of Agriculture will be held under the theme: "Growing better, producing more, feeding everyone."
"We are aware that we have to be more efficient in food production not only because of population growth, but also because the middle class will double in the next eight years and this is generating a huge demand for food," Villalobos said.
According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 842 million people worldwide suffer from hunger.
The FAO estimates that by 2050, one hectare must feed seven people, which means that the world will need between 50 and 60 percent more food.
According to Villalobos, these figures challenge the current production systems so they are seeking added value through technology and innovation to make each production unit more efficient.
Using water more efficiently and improving soil health can lead to increased production and improved crop yields.
"Currently, we need 70 liters of water to produce an apple, but we can produce that same apple with half the water maintaining the same quality, thus the difference lies in having the knowledge and having a sustainable management," said the expert.
Villalobos said this wasn't about making great changes in innovation, but facilitating access to knowledge and sharing positive experiences implemented in some countries in the region.
"Agriculture is becoming more complicated and there are factors that are out of our control that affect us, such as climate change. We need more specialized technicians that are more responsive and that the ministries articulate actions," said Villalobo.
The Inter-American Board of Agriculture, which is made up of 34 ministers from the region, will meet to offer more robust technical cooperation and improving support to each country.
Source: fyh.es