Great food security advances have been made over the past half-century, but many people remain food-insecure. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that approximately 1 billion people were undernourished worldwide in 2010. Though population growth is expected to
plateau at 9 billion people by 2050, continued population and consumption growth will add pressure to the already-unmet global demand for food for the foreseen future. At the same time,
growing competition for land, water, and energy, and the overexploitation of fisheries, will seriously impair the production of food. The effects of climate change make the situation more challenging. One of the greatest tests for the 21st century will thus be ensuring that the global food supply sustainably meets the needs of billions of people despite the difficulties posed by climate change. Meeting this task will require technical and institutional innovations that increase food production and facilitate adaptation to changing climatic conditions.
 
  In response to this challenge, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and the
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) are jointly hosting an International
Conference on Climate Change and Food Security in Beijing, China. This conference will provide
a forum for leading international scientists and young researchers to present their latest research, exchange ideas, and share their insight into climate change and food security during technical sessions, poster sessions, and social events.  |