CropLife Asia Supports UN FAO Call for Food & Agriculture to "Change" along with Climate to Meet Growing Demands

Oct 14, 2016 15:30 JST

Source: CropLife Asia

Plant Science Technology Highlighted as Key "Tool in the Toolbox" for Smallholder Farmers

SINGAPORE, Oct 14, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - As Asia and the world prepare to mark World Food Day, CropLife Asia expressed its strong support for the 2016 theme put forth by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) - 'Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too.'

The impact of climate change is increasingly being felt by our farmers, as the number of extreme weather events each year continues to rise. In 2013 alone there were 880 such events - representing a 40% increase over the 30-year average.

At the same time, our population is growing. Estimates suggest the world's population is set to eclipse nine billion inhabitants by the year 2050, and Asia alone is projected to have one billion more people calling it home than do today. Within just 10 short years, an additional 60 million men, women and children will be living in Singapore and the rest of ASEAN.

As the population continues to rise, so too do the demands we're placing on smallholder farmers to feed more people. Factor in the agricultural impact of climate change, less available water and arable land, more pests and diseases to combat, and the catastrophic affect weather-related events bring to disrupt the fragile balance smallholder farmers depend on - and the task at hand is that much more daunting.

Among the global regions, Asia has the smallest-sized farms and the largest number of smallholder farmers. It's estimated that 85% of the world's 525 million smallholder farmers live and work within our continent - around 100 million alone in ASEAN.

"Enabling the smallholder farmers of Asia to produce more with less is a pursuit the plant science industry takes seriously, and a responsibility we share with our fellow food chain stakeholders across the region," said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, Executive Director of CropLife Asia. "Climate change presents a formidable challenge for our region's smallholder farmers. Innovative plant science technologies are changing the game and increasingly becoming an essential tool in the toolbox towards a sustainable solution."

To meet demands, growers around the world will need to produce more food - as much as 70% more than today - while reducing the footprint of farming. The technology of plant science is a key resource in making that possible. Crop protection products prevent nearly 40% of global rice and maize harvests from being lost every year. Meanwhile, biotech crops helped slow the advance of climate change by reducing carbon emissions. It is estimated biotech crop plantings in 2013 alone lowered carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to removing 12.4 million cars from the road for one year.

Contact:

Duke Hipp
Director, Public Affairs
CropLife Asia
Tel: +65 6221 1615
duke.hipp@croplifeasia.org

Source: CropLife Asia
Sectors: Food & Beverage, Environment, ESG, Speciality Chemicals

Latest Release

First-ever Mazda CX-80 Crossover SUV Unveiled in Europe
Apr 19, 2024 13:50 JST

Fujitsu develops technology to convert corporate digital identity credentials, enabling participation of non-European companies in European data spaces
Apr 19, 2024 10:17 JST

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and NGK to Jointly Develop Hydrogen Purification System from Ammonia Cracking Gas
Apr 18, 2024 17:01 JST

Toyota Launches All-New Land Cruiser "250" Series in Japan
Apr 18, 2024 13:39 JST

Fujitsu and Oracle collaborate to deliver sovereign cloud and AI capabilities in Japan
Apr 18, 2024 11:14 JST

Eisai: Research on Treatments for Alzheimer's Disease Based on Its Pathological Mechanisms Recieves Award for Science and Technology (Research Category)
Apr 18, 2024 10:53 JST

All-New Triton Confirmed as First Double-Cab Pickup Truck to Achieve 2024 Five-Star ANCAP Safety Rating
Apr 18, 2024 09:22 JST

Eisai's Antiepileptic Drug Fycompa Injection Formulation Launched In Japan
Apr 17, 2024 16:17 JST

Honda Unveils Next-generation EV Series for China
Apr 17, 2024 12:15 JST

Lexus presents Time at the 2024 Milan Design Week
Apr 16, 2024 18:49 JST

Mitsubishi Corporation Announces Participation in a DAC Project in Louisiana, USA
Apr 16, 2024 14:36 JST

New circuit challenge for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing
Apr 15, 2024 17:21 JST

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing back on asphalt for Croatian challenge
Apr 12, 2024 19:36 JST

Heidelberg Materials North America Announces Latest Milestone in Edmonton CCUS Project
Apr 12, 2024 14:39 JST

MHIAEL Completes Expansion of the its Nagasaki Plant for Manufacture of Aero Engine Combustors
Apr 11, 2024 18:08 JST

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Acquires Approval in Principle (AiP) from Classification Society ClassNK for Ammonia Fuel Supply System (AFSS)
Apr 11, 2024 17:50 JST

DOCOMO, NTT, NEC and Fujitsu Develop Top-level Sub-terahertz 6G Device Capable of Ultra-high-speed 100 Gbps Transmission
Apr 11, 2024 15:10 JST

Mitsubishi Corporation Announces Completion of Capital Raise by Nexamp
Apr 11, 2024 13:07 JST

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Receives Order for Ammonia Fuel Supply System for Ammonia-Powered Marine Engine
Apr 10, 2024 16:55 JST

Transgene and NEC Present First Clinical Benefits of Neoantigen Cancer Vaccine, TG4050, in Head & Neck Cancer at AACR 2024
Apr 10, 2024 13:36 JST

More Latest Release >>

Latest Release

Related Release