December 2012 – According to the latest figures by the UN Food & Agricultural Organisation, 13 per cent of the world’s population is undernourished, including 33 per cent of the population of the least developed countries. Furthermore, the world faces a potential food crisis in coming decades as the population grows inexorably and as climate-related changes intensify pressures on food production. Given that the most productive land is already being used around the globe, simply increasing crop production is not the answer.
In this interview, Professor of Mathematical Biology and Chair of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership's Management Board Chris Gilligan explains that, as the world’s most productive arable land is already in use, the only way we can hope to enhance crop outputs to feed a growing population will be through improved responses to pests and disease. The mathematical toolkit developed by his Cambridge team, coupled with insights from the social sciences and humanities, aims to provide policymakers with the tools they need to make informed and timely decisions on this crucial issue. Interview by Wayne Visser.
