EU Research &

Innovation
for

Massimo Burioni

Food Security

Programme Officer
European Commission
DG Research & Innovation
Unit F.3 Agri-Food Chain

EXPO Milan, 17 June 2015

Research and
Innovation

Policy
Research and
Innovation

Funding of Societal Challenges (in million, 2014-2020)

Health, demographic change and wellbeing

7 472

Food security, sustainable agriculture and

forestry, marine and maritime and inland water
research and the Bioeconomy

3 851

Secure, clean and efficient energy

5 931

Smart, green and integrated transport

6 339

Climate action, environment, resource efficiency

and raw materials

3 081

Inclusive, innovative and reflective societies

1 310

Secure societies

1 695

Science with and for society

462

Spreading excellence and widening participation

816

Policy
Research and
Innovation

Societal Challenge 2
"Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry,
marine, maritime and inland water research, and the
bioeconomy"

Main priorities
"Securing sufficient supplies of safe, healthy
and high quality food and other bio-based
products, by developing productive, sustainable
and resource-efficient primary production
systems, fostering related ecosystem services
and the recovery of biological diversity,
alongside competitive and low-carbon supply,
processing and marketing chains"
Policy
Research and
Innovation

The Bioeconomy

Policy
Research and
Innovation

Food Security
Food security exists when all people, at all times,
have physical, social and economic access to
sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets
their dietary needs and food preferences for an
active and healthy life

(FAO)

Policy
Research and
Innovation

Agriculture
Food is the very basic need for all living beings,
and humans make no exception
Agriculture provides most of our food supply
since more than 10,000 years
Agriculture will be the main source of our food in
the future as well

Policy
Research and
Innovation

The main factors affecting food security

Agriculture

Climate

Stretching the
resources, putting
strain on ecological
carrying capacity

Population

Economic stratification
of society into rich and
poor
Energy

Water

Policy
Research and
Innovation

Main Challenges for Food Security

Increasing food demand, due to:

World population growth
Changes in dietary habits in emerging countries

Shrinking availability of non-renewable resources

Competition for land and water
Loss of plant and animal diversity
Impact of Climate change
Policy
Research and
Innovation

Current situation
Agriculture and Fishery are currently producing
sufficient food globally, however:

Access to sufficient and nutritious food is not for all

Overconsumption in "rich" countries
Insufficient availability in "poor" countries
Waste all over the food chain

Current Agri-food production systems are not

sustainable and need to be improved

Policy
Research and
Innovation

Global trends

Policy
Research and
Innovation

Food Security by Improving Production

Ecological intensification of agricultural production

systems: Produce More with Less
More efficient use of water and soil
More efficient use of nutrients and other external inputs

Climate-smart farming:
reduction of GHGs (mitigation approach)
resilience to climate change (adaptation approach)

Policy
Research and
Innovation

Food Security by Reducing Food Waste

More efficient crop growing systems

More efficient harvest and post-harvest technologies
More efficient transformation and distribution of food
Consumer information and education campaigns
The role of regulations and laws:
Carrot vs Stick approach

Policy
Research and
Innovation

In conclusion

two main basic considerations for food security:

Protection policies at country level to preserve
agricultural land
Wise water management and improved water use
efficiency in irrigated agriculture

Policy
Research and
Innovation

Find out more about H2020:

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/home.html

Research and
Innovation