Distribution & production

The primary and secondary processes of food production and its subsequent distribution are the main triggers of the problems of food security and the issues arising from these processes are complex and interlinked. In order to safeguard future distribution and production needs there are a number of essential factors to be considered. These include:

• balancing the demands from consumers in developed economies for high quality produce at affordable prices against the need for environmental preservation
• crop, plant and animal research that leads to improved efficiency of production and resilience to adverse conditions
• strong commitment to food animal research to produce underpinning and applied knowledge of improving animal health and product quantity and quality  

Current and future research areas

Current high throughput, intensive food animal and crop production systems have served developed countries ─ although often not developing countries ─ well to meet consumer expectations of readily available safe and wholesome foods at competitive prices.  However, many converging factors have conspired to threaten national and international supply of important food commodities, including:

• the sharp projected rise in global human population
• ever increasing energy needs
• social, political and climatic uncertainties

The challenge to maintain global food security is undoubtedly enormous and requires concerted international cooperation and collaboration to resolve issues at every level of the food chain.

Developing solutions

Improvements will require goodwill and active integration of all stakeholders in the chain. This includes the need to inform and educate consumers on the impact of their food choices on food producers, costs and the environment. The interdisciplinary expertise at The University of Nottingham makes us well placed to undertake integrated research to address key scientific issues of improving animal and crop production. These include:

• using knowledge of the global genetic pool of animals and crops to maximise and match the optimal genetics to specific production demands 
• promoting sustainability of animal growth alongside animal welfare
• increasing the efficiency of food use and production
• preventing and better managing diseases of crops and animals
• enhancing food safety
• prolonging the shelf life of animal produce, fruit and vegetables
• planning the network of outlets and distribution to maximise efficiency
• making distribution and supply networks more resilient 
• learning what point of sale data tells us about current food shopping habits