Articles about 'food security'

Newly discovered family of genes could help us breed grasses with improved properties for food and fuel.

In the second of a series of reports contributed by Cambridge researchers, zoologist Dr Ben Phalan ventures into a tropical forest to understand the impact of encroaching agriculture.

Separating land for nature and land for crops may be the best way to meet increased food demand with the least impact on wild species.

Over the past month, the University of Cambridge has been profiling research that addresses one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century – how to guarantee enough food, fairly, for the world’s rapidly expanding population. As part of this, we asked whether you had a question that you wanted us to answer, and put them to a panel of academics who specialise in research to do with food security. Here's what they had to say. Thanks to everyone who sent questions in!

Veterinary research in Cambridge is spearheading a new generation of preventive methods to protect livestock from disease.

An online tool will help users predict trade-offs between the global commodities of energy, water and land.

A new book by a Cambridge University academic revisits one of the worst famines in recorded history. The Irish Famine of the 1840s had terrible consequences: 1 million people died and several million left Ireland. Today the world is watching as millions in Africa face a similar fate: starvation in the midst of plenty. Dr David Nally’s analysis of what happened in his native Ireland less than two centuries ago reveals some shocking parallels with what is happening in Africa.

A programme convening business leaders and policy makers is helping to identify the value to business of nature – and the step changes needed to build food security – as its co-Directors explain.

Plant scientists in Cambridge have embarked on ambitious plans to improve crop yields by solving one of the chief limitations of photosynthesis.

How can we feed the world’s expanding population? Should we be using GM technologies more to boost the yield of our crops? How will global warming affect our food resources? If this type of question has ever occurred to you, now is your chance to get some answers, from leading experts in the field.