St. Paul, MN (July 1, 1999) - "There isn’t enough food produced in the world to feed everyone." "Hunger is the result of overpopulation." "Individuals cannot affect the world hunger situation: only governments or very rich, powerful people can make the needed changes." Myths such as these are quite familiar and we hear them often, especially as the world’s population continues to increase at an exponential rate. But as we head into the next millenium, many questions remain. What is the reality of our world’s food supply and the demands placed upon it by an ever-expanding population?
"The new millenium shows promise of bringing great advancements in agriculture-related technology and products," says Jeff Batten, Texas A&M University and chair of the APS Graduate Student Committee. "Many people throughout developed nations will benefit from these achievements. However, with a projected world population of 8 billion by 2025, many in third world countries may face a food crisis leading to hunger, malnutrition, and starvation."
Sharing their insights on world hunger and addressing some possible solutions will be a diverse group of plant pathologists and representatives of other groups. Speakers include Jeff Batten, Texas A&M University, Dr. Lee Campbell, North Carolina State University, Dr. Paul Thompson, Purdue University, Dr. Richard Lee, United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization, Alex Avery, Center for Global Food Issues at the Hudson Institute, and
Dr. Chris Mundt, Oregon State University.
"World Food Crisis Symposium," will be held at the APS/CPS Annual Meeting, Montréal, Quebec, Canada, Monday, August 9, 1999. In addition, Dr. Per Pinstrup-Anderson, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC will share his insights during the plenary session "The Future World Food Situation and the Role of Plant Diseases" on Sunday, August 8. Complimentary registration is available for reporters and science writers.
For more information on the World Food Crisis Symposium, visit the July APSnet feature story with photographs and links to additional sites. The American Phytopathological Society (APS) is a professional scientific organization dedicated to the study and control of plant disease with 5,000 members worldwide.
