FAO.org

Population growth, accelerated urbanization and higher incomes are expected to lead to an increase in food demand by about 70 percent by 2050 – involving 1 billion extra tons of cereals and 200 million extra tons of meat. A new FAO/EBRD report, presented at the occasion of EBRD's donor meeting on 29 November 2011, explores how the transition region will react to food security challenges but also how it can play an important role in improving global food security. To date, the region, with 17 percent of global arable land, produces only 11 percent of global crops and 6 per cent of global meat. In contrast to most other parts in the world, yields have stagnated in the region since the 1970s.  Estimates show that they could increase by up to 75 percent. Additionally, a vast quantity of land - up to 13 million ha - could be brought back into production with no major environmental impact. The untapped production potential of the region is therefore very substantial. In order to unleash this potential, policies will need to be adjusted and important amounts of investment will have to be mobilised, at least two thirds of which from the private sector.

The study has two main sections:
1.  an analysis of internal food security issues - in particular in relation with policy measures taken by governments to ensure domestic food security; and 2.  a discussion on the potential role that the transition region, in particular its main grain producing countries, can play in increasing global food security by unleashing the local production potential.

 for the full report, please click here