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August 2016
BAREND WENTZEL, ARC-Small Grain Institute, Bethlehem
Wheat is regarded as one of the main crops in the world and provides 20% of the daily protein and calorie intake for humans. Wheat production in the past decades could not supply in the demand and resulted in price instability and hunger riots.
Several World Bank studies indicated that food price increases from 2005 to 2007 may have pushed 100 to 150 million people back into poverty, which corresponds to a setback of seven to ten years of poverty reduction.
An additional billion tonnes of cereals will be needed by 2030. With an estimated world population of 9 billion by 2050, the expected demand for wheat will increase by 60%. The annual wheat yield must therefore increase to meet this demand, from the current level of below 1% to at least 1,6%.
The following points were raised in a presentation by Dr Hans- Joachim Braun of the The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) at the 15th International Cereal and Bread Conference, Istanbul, Turkey, 18 - 24 April 2016.
Approximately 75% of future growth must come from lands already in use. Most of the production must occur in the country where it will be consumed, including marginal areas where poor people reside. This will result in limited land expansion, except in the Americas and sub-Saharan Africa. Expansion of irrigation is crucial to meet the demand for food.
Several factors threaten food security. Soil loss for instance, is regarded as an unfolding global disaster, with 30% of the world's arable land lost to erosion or pollution in the past 40 years. Erosion rates from ploughed fields averages ten to 100 fold greater than the rates of soil formation.
Wasted food's impact cannot be excluded from a topic on food security. A reduction in food waste will have the biggest impact to increase food supply. Considering that 30% - 50% of all food either get lost or wasted. For fruit and vegetables, the waste can reach 70%.
The largest waste in rich countries occurs at home, supermarkets and restaurants. In poor countries the biggest losses occur during harvest, transportation to the market and improper storage. Climate change is another threat to food security. Studies indicated that for every 1°C increase in growing season, production decreases by 6%.
The Wheat Initiative was created in 2011, after endorsement by the G20 Agriculture Ministries and provides a platform to establish wheat research at international level for developed and developing countries. The idea is to promote communication between the research community, funders and global policy makers. Furthermore, to initiate and support activities that will enhance access for all to information, resources and technologies.
The purpose of the Wheat Initiative is to increase food security. To create improved wheat varieties and dissemination of better agronomic practices across the world, in order to allow producers to improve and stabilise wheat yields in diverse production environments.
The Wheat Initiative is:
The Wheat Initiative is:
The first meeting of the Expert Working Group on Improving Wheat Quality for Processing and Health was held at INRA in Paris, France (25 - 27 April 2016). The meeting was attended by 32 researchers from 18 countries.
Prof Maryke Labuschagne (University of the Free State) and I represented South Africa. In order to have the full benefit from the Wheat Initiative, countries have to be a member. South Africa is not yet a member of the Wheat Initiative although researchers may participate on an ad hoc basis.
'In the next 50 years we will need to produce as much food as has been consumed over our entire human history,' said Ms Megan Clark, CEO of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia.
I am grateful for the financial contribution from the Winter Cereal Trust to attend the 15th International Cereal and Bread Conference in Istanbul.
Publication: August 2016
Section: On farm level
