The Royal Society has published a new series of papers that I’m sure will add to recent debates on issues such as GM and cloning. The papers provide an academic assessment of the future of the global food supply and are a result of the Government Foresight project.
It has been predicted that food production will need to be increased by as much as 70% in the next 40 years and, unsurprisingly, GM, nanotechnology and the growing of artificial meat in factories are all considered as potential solutions to the global food crisis.
But it’s not only the subject matter of the papers that interested me, it’s the approach taken that I wanted to acknowledge. The Royal Society has brought together a set of 21 research papers, which instantly adds value to the research. As with all science, a single piece of research won’t give you answers to a complex problem, but looking at all the available evidence enables you to make informed decisions. It’s also great to see that these papers are being made freely available, giving more people the opportunity to see the evidence for themselves and draw their own conclusions.
These issues will certainly need a great deal of collaborative working and this is a valuable contribution.