Current and Future Trends in Agricultural Food Production Symposium

Current and Future Trends in Agricultural Food Production A Public Symposium organised by the Institute of Biology of Ireland Institúid Bitheolaíochta hÉireann in collaboration with NCE-MSTL, University of Limerick, and the National Botanic Gardens, in the Visitor Centre lecture room Thursday, 22nd November 2012, at 8pm.

 An opportunity to hear an informed debate about the prospects for feeding our future world. Currently one billion people go hungry every day, and an additional 75 million people are born each year. Feeding the world is a daunting challenge for farmers and the food industry globally. These talks will outline the problems we face and the role of new developments in agricultural science in helping to meet the various challenges. The two speakers will focus on creating a greater awareness of these topical concerns among members of the general public and will be of particular appeal to those with a technical, professional, commercial, educational, or specific interest in global food production, including the impact of modern technological applications.

Global Challenges of population, food, energy and climate change – future prospects Prof. Jimmy Burke Masstock Professor of Crop Science, UCD

The amount of food needed to feed a growing world population over the next 40 years will equal the amount produced over the last 10,000 years. Prof Burke will outline the current and future challenges facing world agriculture in sustainably meeting this additional food demand.

In Defence of Genetically Modified (GM) Foods Prof. Mike Gibney Director, Institute of Food and Health, UCD

Ever since man opted to reap wild seeds and sow them, we have genetically modified the genome of our food chain. Novel foods with novel genomes have entered the food chain through the dramatic influx of exotic foods with the spice routes or through plant breeding. Radiation mutation was introduced to plant breeding and become a major tool in what the public call conventional plant breeding. Genetic engineering, as the name implies, does exactly the same thing but with a powerful level of precision. Professor Gibney will look at the opposition to GM and the science and philosophy that underlies it.

Symposium participants will be encouraged to engage in discussion and debate with the presenters during the question and answer session.

Please note the event is free of charge. You can download more information about the talks and the speakers here . . .

Source: DillonMurals.com - Current and Future Trends in Agricultural Food Production Symposium