Would India be able to provide food security to the growing population in the years to come?
A. Increase in crop productivity is essential to feed the world in the next century. Two strategies to meet this challenge are development of crop varieties with higher yield potential and closing the gap between the potential yields and the actual ones obtained by farmers. The present world population of 6.1 billion is likely to reach 7 billion by 2010 and 8 billion in 2025. Most of this increase will occur in the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Per capita food intake will increase due to improved living standards. It is estimated that we will have to produce 50 per cent more food by 2025. Foodgrain production in Africa will have to increase by almost 400 per cent, Latin America 200 per cent and Asia 50 per cent. In the past, food production increased as a result of increased yield potential of new crop varieties as well as increases in cropped area. In future, major increases in cropped area are unlikely. In fact, in most Asian countries cultivated area is dec
