A diary from the future

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stine Eikrem ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Environmental And Health Effects ◽  
Change Resistance ◽  
Creative Potential ◽  
The Future ◽  
Complex Relationships ◽  
Social Environmental

‘A diary from the future’ thinks through the positive social, environmental and health effects of a large-scale transition to plant-based diets. These include positive changes for food production, consumption and food security, and with that, also social justice, equity, education, poverty and the co-existence with other species. Even just the way the story thinks through and recognises these complex relationships and effects is an achievement and a novelty for physiotherapists in itself. Reaching well beyond this, however, this is also a story about how fear and darkness can turn into hope, optimism and curiosity for the future as a result of learning and thinking about these complex relationships. Finally, ‘A diary from the future’ is also a reflection on the possibilities of broadening our understanding of physiotherapy, of the need for change, resistance to it, and the creative potential that is released when these resistances are overcome.

scholarly journals Quantifying synergies and trade-offs in the water-land-energy-food-climate nexus using a multi-model scenario approach

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Doelman ◽  
Tom Kram ◽  
Benjamin Bodirsky ◽  
Isabelle Weindle ◽  
Elke Stehfest
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Integrated Assessment Model ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Development Goals

<p>The human population has substantially grown and become wealthier over the last decades. These developments have led to major increases in the use of key natural resources such as food, energy and water causing increased pressure on the environment throughout the world. As these trends are projected to continue into the foreseeable future, a crucial question is how the provision of resources as well as the quality of the environment can be managed sustainably.</p><p>Environmental quality and resource provision are intricately linked. For example, food production depends on availability of water, land suitable for agriculture, and favourable climatic circumstances. In turn, food production causes climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions, and affects biodiversity through conversion of natural vegetation to agriculture and through the effects of excessive fertilizer and use of pesticides. There are many examples of the complex interlinkages between different production systems and environmental issues. To handle this complexity the nexus concept has been introduced which recognizes that different sectors are inherently interconnected and must be investigated in an integrated, holistic manner.</p><p>Until now, the nexus literature predominantly exists of local studies or qualitative descriptions. This study present the first qualitative, multi-model nexus study at the global scale, based on scenarios simultaneously developed with the MAgPIE land use model and the IMAGE integrated assessment model. The goal is to quantify synergies and trade-offs between different sectors of the water-land-energy-food-climate nexus in the context of sustainable development goals (SDGs). Each scenario is designed to substantially improve one of the nexus sectors water, land, energy, food or climate. A number of indicators that capture important aspects of both the nexus sectors and related SDGs is selected to assess whether these scenarios provide synergies or trade-offs with other nexus sectors, and to quantify the effects. Additionally a scenario is developed that aims to optimize policy action across nexus sectors providing an example of a holistic approach that achieves multiple sustainable development goals.</p><p>The results of this study highlight many synergies and trade-offs. For example, an important trade-off exists between climate change policy and food security targets: large-scale implementation of bio-energy and afforestation to achieve stringent climate targets negatively impacts food security. An interesting synergy exists between the food, water and climate sectors: promoting healthy diets reduces water use, improves water quality and increases the uptake of carbon by forests.</p>

scholarly journals Food security under high bioenergy demand toward long-term climate goals

2020 ◽  
Vol 163 (3) ◽  
pp. 1587-1601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoko Hasegawa ◽  
Ronald D. Sands ◽  
Thierry Brunelle ◽  
Yiyun Cui ◽  
Stefan Frank ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Carbon Price ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Mitigation ◽  
Bioenergy Feedstock ◽  
Model Framework

AbstractBioenergy is expected to play an important role in the achievement of stringent climate-change mitigation targets requiring the application of negative emissions technology. Using a multi-model framework, we assess the effects of high bioenergy demand on global food production, food security, and competition for agricultural land. Various scenarios simulate global bioenergy demands of 100, 200, 300, and 400 exajoules (EJ) by 2100, with and without a carbon price. Six global energy-economy-agriculture models contribute to this study, with different methodologies and technologies used for bioenergy supply and greenhouse-gas mitigation options for agriculture. We find that the large-scale use of bioenergy, if not implemented properly, would raise food prices and increase the number of people at risk of hunger in many areas of the world. For example, an increase in global bioenergy demand from 200 to 300 EJ causes a − 11% to + 40% change in food crop prices and decreases food consumption from − 45 to − 2 kcal person−1 day−1, leading to an additional 0 to 25 million people at risk of hunger compared with the case of no bioenergy demand (90th percentile range across models). This risk does not rule out the intensive use of bioenergy but shows the importance of its careful implementation, potentially including regulations that protect cropland for food production or for the use of bioenergy feedstock on land that is not competitive with food production.

The Challenges of Climate Change and Food Security in the United Arab Emirates (UAE): From Deep Understanding to Quick Actions

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 422-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahaf M. Ajaj ◽  
Suzan M. Shahin ◽  
Mohammed A. Salem
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
World Population ◽  
The World ◽  
The Future

Climate change and global warming became a real concern for global food security. The world population explosion is a critical factor that results in enormous emissions of greenhouse gasses (GHGs), required to cover the growing demands of fresh water, food, and shelter. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a significant oil-producing country, which is included in the list of 55 countries that produce at least 55% of the world’s GHGs and thus involved in the top 30 countries over the world with emission deficits. At the same time, the UAE is located in an arid region of the world, with harsh environmental conditions. The sharp population increases and the massive growth in the urbanization are primary sources, lead to further stresses on the agricultural sector. Thus, the future of the food production industry in the country is a challenging situation. Consequently, the primary objective of this work is to shed light on the current concerns related to climate change and food security, through describing the implications of climate change on the food production sector of the UAE. Tailored solutions that can rescue the future of food security in the country are also highlighted.

scholarly journals Impact of large-scale organic conversion on food production and food security in two Indian states, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh

2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 252-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Panneerselvam ◽  
John Erik Hermansen ◽  
Niels Halberg ◽  
P. Murali Arthanari
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Madhya Pradesh ◽  
Conventional System ◽  
Indian States ◽  
Organic System

AbstractThe millions of food insecure people in India are not solely due to inadequate food production, but also because some people are simply too poor to buy food. This study assessed how a large-scale conversion from conventional to organic production would impact on the economics of marginal and small farmers in Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh, and on the total food production in these states. This study also considered a situation where fertilizer subsidies would be discontinued, with farmers having to carry the full cost of fertilizer. Results show that conversion to organic improved the economic situation of farmers although food production was reduced by 3–5% in the organic situation. Thus, the estimated economic values were higher in the organic system (5–40% in fertilizer subsidy scenario and 22–132% in no fertilizer subsidy scenario) than in the conventional system, whereas the total state-level food productions were lowered by 3–5% in the organic compared to the conventional system. Food production was higher when rainfed, and lower in the irrigated situation in the large-scale organic scenario. Although the study addresses short-term perspectives of large-scale conversion to organic farming, more research is needed to understand the long-term impact of organic conversion on food production, nutrient supply, food security and poverty reduction.

Appropriate technologies for the future

1980 ◽  
Vol 209 (1174) ◽  
pp. 183-186 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Food Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Cost Of Energy ◽  
Prophylactic Measures ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Third World

Crystal ball gazing is a hazardous occupation: the sharper the picture, the greater the possibility of error. In the future, appropriate technologies that will raise standards of health and diminish the prevalence of disease in the Third World must take cognizance of such factors as burgeoning population growth, impossibly high cost of energy sources, a widening gap between food requirements and food production, increasing urbanization, and inherent difficulties of control of disease vectors and water-borne diseases. The technologies that must be made available will be both large-scale and small-scale, low-cost and simple, improving life for the individual and the community, mediated by appropriately trained and adequately supervised polycompetent auxiliaries. The present reappraisal of health needs in the context of food (seeds, soils, irrigation, protection against loss of the harvested products) and of prevention of disease by appropriate prophylactic measures and its treatment, will necessitate hard thinking and greater cooperation between all concerned.

scholarly journals Circular Approaches in Small-Scale Food Production

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Schneider ◽  
Vincent Rochell ◽  
Kay Plat ◽  
Alexander Jaworski
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Animal Husbandry ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Traditional Farming ◽  
Large Potential ◽  
Integrated Agriculture ◽  
The Future

Abstract Globally, food production is one of the main water and energy consumers. Having in view the growing population on global scale, a higher efficiency of food production is needed. Circular approaches offer a large potential to enhance the efficiency of food production and have a long tradition in the food production process of mankind. However, industrial farming has interdicted traditional cycle-closed farming approaches leading to a variety of environmental challenges. The contribution illustrates the basics of traditional gardening and farming approaches and describes how their characteristics are adapted in innovative modern farming systems like aquaponic, permaculture, urban farming, as well as recovered traditional farming systems. The approach to combine traditional farming methods with modern ones will provide multiple benefits in the future to ensure food security. There is to be underlined that such a strategy holds a substantial potential of circular flux management in small scale food production. This potential could be transposed to a larger scale also, particularly in terms of agroforestry and integrated plant and animal husbandry or integrated agriculture and aquaculture. In this way, small-scale food production holds a large potential for the future implementation of the water-energy-food security nexus.

scholarly journals Can China’s food production capability meet her peak food demand in the future?

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Du Yuneng ◽  
Xu Youliang ◽  
Zhang Leiyong ◽  
Song Shufang
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Population Change ◽  
High Standard ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Food Demand ◽  
World Population ◽  
Production Capability ◽  
Population Policies ◽  
The Future

With the increase of food demand in China and the growth of world population, whether China can meet her peak food demand in the future or not has become an issue worth study. By consolidating relevant factors of food demand in China, the peak food demand is predicted to occur in 2036, and the peak food demand amount is predicted at 758.17 million tons by factor and synthetical analysis. Through factor consolidation and scenario test, the following policy implications have been unearthed: China’s food production capability is crucial to maintain her future food security; improving the gain yield is the key method; monitoring China’s population change and formulating appropriate population policies are important; reducing food waste, curbing unreasonable consumption and promoting healthy and green diet are needed; construction of high standard farmland will be significant in maintaining the food security; and excessive stored food should be de-stocked in a timely manner.

Intensive tilapia culture: A scope for the future in food production in developing countries

1984 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Balarin
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Human Diet ◽  
The Future

The rearing of fish in enclosures is an age-old method of increasing and varying human diet, especially in Asia. Only comparatively recently, however, has this been seriously considered as a large-scale commercial venture. In this context the tilapia, indigenous to Africa, has characteristics that make it of particular interest to fish-farmers in developing countries.

scholarly journals Prediction of Food Production Using Machin Learning Algorithms of Multilayer Perceptron and ANFIS

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeed Nosratabadi ◽  
Sina Ardabili ◽  
Zoltan Lakner ◽  
Csaba Mako ◽  
Amir Mosavi
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Multilayer Perceptron ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Livestock Production ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Accurate Estimation ◽  
Inference System ◽  
The Future ◽  
Future Of Food

Advancing models for accurate estimation of food production is essential for policymaking and managing national plans of action for food security. This research proposes two machine learning models for the prediction of food production. The adaptive network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) methods are used to advance the prediction models. In the present study, two variables of livestock production and agricultural production were considered as the source of food production. Three variables were used to evaluate livestock production, namely livestock yield, live animals, and animal slaughtered, and two variables were used to assess agricultural production, namely agricultural production yields and losses. Iran was selected as the case study of the current study. Therefore, time-series data related to livestock and agricultural productions in Iran from 1961 to 2017 have been collected from the FAOSTAT database. First, 70% of this data was used to train ANFIS and MLP, and the remaining 30% of the data was used to test the models. The results disclosed that the ANFIS model with Generalized bell-shaped (Gbell) built-in membership functions has the lowest error level in predicting food production. The findings of this study provide a suitable tool for policymakers who can use this model and predict the future of food production to provide a proper plan for the future of food security and food supply for the next generations.

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