Oxford Martin School Series: Food Futures

Ottoline Leyser discusses the ability to target and/or select specific genetic changes in plant genomes, and the impact of this on the governance of our food system. Plants and photosynthetic microbes have the extraordinary ability to convert light energy to chemical energy and as a consequence, they are the foundation of virtually all ecosystems and all agricultural systems on the planet. The characteristics that make plants successful in natural ecosystems are often antithetical to agriculture and over 1000s of years we have domesticated plants to make better crops. The molecular genetics revolution of the 20th century has simultaneously provided a means to understand the relationship between plant genes and plant characteristics, and the ability to target and/or select specific genetic changes in plant genomes. This combination of knowledge and technology opens the possibility for designer crops, and raises interesting questions about the governance of our food system

Susan Jebb discusses how science and policy can help us make wiser choices for our health. Poor diet is the leading risk factor for ill health in the UK, carrying more risk than smoking or hypertension. But in an era where we seem to be constantly bombarded with often conflicting messages about our diets, is all this information actually making us any healthier? How can we cut through media hysteria and use the science to make wise choices about the food we eat and how can the Government make sensible policy decisions to help with the impact our consumption habits have on our health.

David Nabarro, former Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Food Security and Nutrition, will give a talk on what implications there will be for the planet and us in linking nature, food and the climate.