WILMINGTON, Del., Feb. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today The
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released the ninth annual Global
Food Security Index (GFSI) sponsored by Corteva (NYSE: CTVA), which
measures the underlying drivers of food security in 113 countries,
based on the factors of affordability, availability, quality and
safety, and natural resources and resilience.
The GFSI considers food security in the context of income and
economic inequality, gender inequality, and environmental and
natural resources inequality – calling attention to systemic gaps
and most recently how COVID-19 exacerbates their impact on food
systems. Based on these findings, global food security has
decreased for the second year in a row.
"Sponsoring the Global Food Security Index is part of Corteva
Agriscience's long-term commitment to growing progress," said
James C. Collins, Jr., Chief
Executive Officer of Corteva Agriscience. "With food security
declining again, we all must heed the urgent call to renew our
collective commitment to innovation and collaboration. Our future
is only as secure as our food system and agriculture is at the
heart of it. Together we must better support global food
security."
This year, the GFSI formally includes "Natural Resources and
Resilience" as a fourth main category. This addition marks a
significant shift in methodology, revealing food systems'
resiliency against climate change. The sub-indicators under this
category include food import dependency, disaster risk management
and projected population growth. The 2020 index also measures
gender inequality and inequality-adjusted income as sub-indicators
for the first time in its history.
For the third consecutive year, the North America region is leading the world in
food security. Europe is a close
second, accounting for eight of the top 10 countries. Using the new
methodology, Finland tops the list
while last year's leader, Singapore, drops down to 19th
place. Ireland retains its second
rank position, while the United
States moves to 11th place.
The new methodology underscores the importance of climate-risk
management and its link to food security. "Incorporating the
Natural Resources and Resilience category as part of the main index
highlights the impact of climate-related factors on food systems
and food security" said Pratima
Singh, project lead for the Global Food Security Index at
The EIU. "It is critical that climate risk becomes a core part of
the dialogue on food security. We hope this will drive much-needed
action on developing policies that can build a stronger and more
sustainable global food system."
Building Resilient Agriculture
The GFSI 2020 shows that rising temperatures and global warming
have a direct impact on the agricultural sector and food system.
Highly volatile agriculture production in countries like
Australia, Norway and Sweden demonstrates the risk that climate
change poses to agriculture and food production. The GFSI finds
that agricultural production has become more vulnerable in 49
countries compared to the previous index period. While climate
change is notably creating new challenges, farmers are still
required to anticipate demand for volume of food. With the
increasing impact of extreme weather conditions and demand, there
is a great need for staple crops that are more tolerant to extreme
weather and can thrive with limited water as well as in poor or
limited soil.
Corteva is innovating to make crops more resilient, so they can
thrive in poor soils and better withstand extreme temperatures,
droughts, and new infestations. The company's precision agriculture
technology delivers whole-farm solutions, empowering farmers to use
data to solve problems in the field. It's all part of helping
farmers and building a more secure food system.
Supporting Smart Agriculture
The GFSI 2020 shows creative supply chain solutions powered by new
technologies can help alleviate challenges to food security
and farmer well-being. A successful mobile technology program can
help farmers to anticipate market demands and respond in time,
as well as connect them with the
right resources, suppliers and markets.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed existing vulnerabilities in
the global food system. Although the various stakeholders have been
quick to respond, the lockdown restrictions, and resulting economic
fallout, have had a disproportionate impact on those living below
the poverty line with limited, if any, social protections. In the
agricultural sector, smallholder farmers, the majority of whom
reside in rural areas, have suffered a significant loss of income
as lockdowns have prevented market access and interrupted the
planting season.
Corteva Agriscience is working with supply chain partners to
anticipate shifts in global demand and thus continuing to help
ensure a reliable food supply. The company's mobile software puts
market data in farmers' hands to enable them to make better
business decisions. Corteva's advanced seed
breeding methodologies provide the right high-yielding
potential products and agronomic advice helps
farmers put it on the right hectare, for the right market.
Advancing Sustainable Agriculture
The GFSI shows that sustainable farming is essential to food
security and farmer productivity. The index shows that the
global food systems have been under strain even before the COVID-19
began to spread, with many countries struggling to increase
productivity, adapt to a worsening climate and reduce
environmental harm. In 2020, both Australia and the U.S. were impacted by high
levels of land degradation, ranking 81st and 63rd respectively
on the land degradation indicator. According to the index,
Latin America suffering from
irregular rainfall and above-average temperatures between
June and July 2019 led to a
second consecutive year of crop failure in the 'Dry Corridor'
spanning Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua.
Corteva is driving a more responsible food system, with products
and services to produce what our food system demands while
conserving resources and sustaining the land. The company's
biological solutions give farmers additional tools to address
pressures from pests and disease, while helping meet consumer
demands.
About Corteva Agriscience
Corteva Agriscience is a publicly traded, global pure-play
agriculture company that provides farmers around the world with the
most complete portfolio in the industry - including a balanced and
diverse mix of seed, crop protection and digital solutions focused
on maximizing productivity to enhance yield and profitability. With
some of the most recognized brands in agriculture and an
industry-leading product and technology pipeline well positioned to
drive growth, the company is committed to working with stakeholders
throughout the food system as it fulfills its promise to enrich the
lives of those who produce and those who consume, ensuring progress
for generations to come. Corteva Agriscience became an independent
public company on June 1, 2019 and
was previously the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont. More
information can be found at www.corteva.com.
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its affiliated companies.
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SOURCE Corteva, Inc.