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Biography |
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Rajul Pandya-Lorch, a Kenyan citizen of Indian origin, is head of IFPRI's 2020 Vision for Food, Agriculture, and the Environment Initiative, a global initiative that seeks to identify solutions for meeting world food needs while reducing poverty and protecting the environment. She concurrently serves as Chief of Staff in the Director General's Office.
Before taking her current position, Pandya-Lorch was special assistant to IFPRI's former director general, Per Pinstrup-Andersen. An IFPRI staff member since 1987, she has focused her research on trends in and prospects for global food security and on policies to alleviate and prevent food insecurity, poverty, and environmental degradation, with particular emphasis on sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa. She has facilitated two major international conferences on (1) “Sustainable Food Security for All by 2020”, in Bonn, Germany on September 4-6, 2001; and (2) “Assuring Food and Nutrition Security in Africa by 2020”, in Kampala, Uganda on April 1-3, 2004.
In recognition of her achievements, the American Agricultural Economics Association presented Pandya-Lorch, along with Per Pinstrup-Andersen and Mark Rosegrant, with its 2002 award for Distinguished Policy Contribution.
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Abstract |
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Future Priorities for Enhancing Global Food Security
Food insecurity remains a pervasive problem in developing countries. The number of hungry people stands at 1 billion and new complexities in the global food and agriculture system are emerging. Ensuring adequate and nutritious food is available for people to live healthy and productive lives in the coming decades is becoming a more challenging task with demographic shifts, increased agro-ecosystems vulnerability, and climate variability. Fewer people will grow their own food in 2030 and concerns will likely increase about the quality and source of food. In addition, pressure for more efficient use of natural resources will increase, and closely integrated markets will transmit volatility farther and faster.
To address potential challenges and take advantage of opportunities for enhancing food security and improving nutrition, research priorities should be clearly set. Lessons from proven successes in agricultural development in the past should inform future efforts to reduce hunger. IFPRI’s Millions Fed project has identified sustained investments in agricultural science and technology, irrigation, rural roads, education, and market infrastructure, as well as strong private incentives to invest in agriculture as some of the critical elements of success in agricultural development. Continued investment in these areas needs to be accompanied by research on new modalities for improving food quality and human nutrition such as biofortification, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, rebuilding trust in international food markets, and enhancing synergies between agriculture, nutrition, and health. |
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