Combating Hunger: Innovative strategies for global food security

Introduction

In a world like ours, the global security of food seems like a feat that cannot be achieved [1].  It is rising as a matter of fact to the centre of global discourse and has become an issue of national policy as well as public concern [2]. However, the rapid pace of urbanisation and industrialisation is undermining efforts to ensure a future where people at all times can 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 [3]. Therefore, against the impending threat of food security, the world can no longer rely on traditional methods to meet its needs. Instead, more innovative and technologically advanced methods must be adopted to maximise diminishing natural resources [4].

Food security is built on four pillars: availability, access, utilisation and stability [5]. There is a need to develop strategies that will ensure that the requirements of these four pillars are met to achieve food security [1]. Below are innovative strategies that can be adopted to ensure food security.

Genetic Modification

A food gap of close to 70 per cent between the crop calories available in 2006 and the expected calorie demand in 2050 has been identified. To close this gap, it is necessary to increase food production by making genetic improvements, reducing food loss and waste, improving and maintaining soil fertility and restoring degraded land [6]. Science, technology, and innovation can play a critical role in producing more food by creating plant varieties with improved traits. Genetic improvements can be made by conventional crossbreeding and transgenic modification. This will in turn ensure nutrient fortification, tolerance to drought, herbicides, diseases, or pests, and higher yields. [7].

Vertical Farming

Vertical farming represents an innovative approach aimed at bridging the gap between food demand and supply while promoting sustainable food production [8]. It involves cultivating crops in vertically stacked layers within controlled environments, rather than traditional single-surface methods like greenhouses or fields. These vertical structures can include repurposed shipping containers, skyscrapers, warehouses, or even abandoned mine shafts [9]. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) technology is integral to vertical farming, enabling precise control of humidity, temperature, gases, and light indoors. For instance, artificial lighting and metal reflectors replicate natural sunlight, while irrigation water is recycled to reduce consumption by up to 95% [10]. This indoor farming method also significantly reduces the need for agrochemicals, conserving valuable resources. Ultimately, vertical farming aims to mitigate the depletion of natural resources [10, 11].

Aquaponics

Aquaponics is an approach of coupling two technologies: recirculation aquaculture (fish farms) and hydroponics (soil-less cultivation of crops) [12]. Aquaponics integrates these technologies in a closed recirculating system, in this system, organic matter (waste) accumulating in the water is filtered and removed. The water then passes through an inert substrate where plants absorb the resulting nutrients. After purification, the water returns to the fish tanks [13]. This symbiotic process yields valuable products such as fish and vegetables while minimising nutrient pollution in watersheds. Aquaponics is an innovative strategy that offers the potential for increased yields of both produce and protein with reduced labour, land use, and chemical inputs and consumes significantly less water [14]. Operating in a controlled environment ensures high biosecurity and lowers risks associated with diseases and external contamination, eliminating the need for fertilisers and pesticides. Additionally, aquaponics presents a promising solution to overcome challenges posed by traditional agriculture, particularly amidst freshwater scarcity, climate change, and soil degradation [15]. It thrives in regions with poor soil and limited water resources, including urban areas, arid climates, and low-lying islands [14]

Adopting Sustainable agricultural practices

Innovative strategies must be implemented to enhance agricultural practices, address hunger and significantly boost the availability of food [16]. Sustainable agricultural approaches involve aligning soil nutrient supply with crop nutrient demands through biological fixation and recycling, thereby minimising reliance on fertilisers. Maintaining pest tolerance levels via crop rotations and biological controls reduces pesticide use. Additionally, preserving soil physical properties conducive to plant growth and ecosystem function such as aeration, water retention, and nutrient availability requires minimizing tillage frequency and intensity, as well as mitigating erosion and leaching [17].

Post-harvest technologies

A key aspect of accessing food is minimising food losses during production, storage and transport. Due to the lack of access to ready markets, and facilities to produce consumable foods from raw products, especially in developing countries, perishable crops in particular are susceptible to agricultural losses [5]. Several post-harvest-loss technologies should be employed in storage, handling, refrigeration, transport and processing. Despite challenges in utilising the applicability of innovative solutions to post-harvest loss, several recent examples demonstrate various approaches to minimise the losses that smallholder farmers often experience [18]. For example, Uganda's rice post-harvest handling provides improved rice-threshing technologies. Other projects include meat, dairy and fishery agro-processing in Cuba and recent efforts to create mobile processing units for cassava in Nigeria [19]. Furthermore, genetically improved varieties can also limit post-harvest losses and preserve foods for transport to local, national, and international markets. Nanotechnology is also being used in several projects to improve the preservation of crops[19].

Bio-fortification

More than one billion people worldwide suffer from insufficient calories and nutrients, which results in both malnutrition and undernutrition [20]. Bio-fortification or the breeding of critical micronutrients and vitamins into staple crops has emerged as an effective approach for combating malnutrition, especially in developing countries [20]. International Food Policy Research Institute has pioneered bio-fortification as a global plant-breeding strategy for a variety of crops such as vitamin A-enriched cassava, maize and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, and iron and zinc-fortified rice, beans, wheat and pearl millet in over 40 countries. These combined efforts have already had a positive effect on 10 million people, and several hundred million more stand to benefit in the coming decades [21].

Figure 1: Innovative strategies to help combat hunger

In addition to these innovative strategies, implementing sustainable food system policies is crucial to achieving food security and nutrition for everyone while safeguarding the economic, social, and environmental foundations for future generations [1].

Conclusion       

Beyond the direct obvious cost in terms of loss of human lives and well-being, there is an indirect economic cost. Malnourished people are less productive, and hungry children get no or little education and become less capable adults even if hunger is overcome. Even short-term food insecurity has a long-term lasting impact on the growth potential of the economy. This also draws attention to the need for countries, particularly developing countries, to invest in the capability to innovate. Innovative capabilities are critical not only for ensuring nutritious food at all times but also for harnessing agriculture and the broader food system to ensure food security which in turn will serve as a driver for economic and sustainable development.

References

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Further Reading

Global Food Security: How Plant Proteins Drive Change?