World must up food production by 60% or risk unrest and civil wars

The world must increase food production by 60% by mid-century or risk serious food shortages that could bring social unrest and civil wars, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has said.

Demand for food will rise rapidly over the next few decades as the world population surpasses nine billion and increasingly wealthy people improve their diets, consuming more calories, said Hiroyuki Konuma, the assistant director-general of FAO Asia-Pacific, as the body launched a one-week regional food security conference in Ulan Bator.

But as the need for more food increases, the world is spending less and less money on agricultural research, causing many scientists to doubt whether food production can keep up with demand growth.