Summary of the outcomes of the Sino-UK International Workshop on Food Security held in Beijing on 7th–10th March, 2010

Abstract

1. that science could contribute significantly to sustainable intensification of agriculture; 2. that lack of access to land, food or adequate incomes to purchase sufficient food are commonly important as limitations to food security and can be as important as limitations to food supply, which itself requires sustainable systems and the maintenance of farming skills; 3. that food security/environment issues should continue to be noted at the highest political levels (UK Chief Scientist’s Group, RCUK and Government Departments are now fully behind these issues); 4. that there are opportunities for capitalising on current UK-Sino collaborations and boosting them further; 5. that the approach should be holistic, recognising the multiplicity of roles food plays in social, economic and cultural life, and individual and environmental well-being; 6. that the resilience of food systems should be investigated as part of the mitigation and adaptation to climate change; 7. that the importance of effective communication of issues and of potential opportunities and threats should be stressed; 8. that awareness of the implications of inaction/failure to address the food security/environment nexus should be raised; 9. that there are benefits to the UK from monitoring and learning from Chinese experiences and vice versa; 10. that there is a shortage of new blood coming into the agriculture supply industry—whether this be farming (in the UK), agronomy, soil science, plant breeding or its aligned and downstream activities and that it is therefore important to be able to provide support for the entry of new farmers in the UK, and support for farmers in China, as well as the training of career scientists and those in extension services.