The Shifting Definition of Food Security

In many respects, IFTSL represents how the key elements required for the next Green Revolution can fit together. The partnership benefits from private sector funding, equipment contributions, along with expertise and experience from academia and government agencies.

Share the Work, Share the Rewards

By working closely with primary producers, food companies can provide education that improves the quality of products generally available while increasing the reliability and safety of raw ingredients. For companies like Waters, precise and timely food testing presents a growth opportunity that will remain in high demand for years to come. For NGOs, these are the types of challenges that confirm their value in supporting solutions for global problems. From a policymaker’s perspective, harmonized standards provide relief to an overstretched regulatory and testing system and ensure that local growers and producers can access more global markets.

The first Green Revolution demonstrated we are capable of rising to the challenge of increasing food output. But the lesson learned from that success is quantity must be accompanied by quality to ensure true global food security. The global nature of our food system has resulted in both extraordinary benefits and significant new risks. Working together, we can all set in motion a second Green Revolution, and write the next chapter in our journey toward a sustainable food system and put us on track to achieve true food security.

Dr. Young is senior director, food and environment business operations, at Waters Corp. Reach him at 508-478-2000.