By 2020 the world's population is expected to grow by 30 %, become more urban, and have more income. Meeting the world's food needs under these conditions will have profound implications for the world's agricultural production and trading systems. The world's farmers will have to produce 40 % more grain in 2020, most of which will have to come from yield increases. Yet, without sustained investment in agricultural research, it will become more difficult to maintain, let alone increase, cereal yields in the long run. Net cereal imports by the developing countries are projected to almost double by 2020. The outlook for the world food situation could be significantly influenced by critical recent developments or emerging issues such as effective participation by developing countries in trade negotiations; the extent to which conflicts remain widespread and persistent; the growing gap between demand and supply of water; and the effective exploitation of the potentials of agroecology, biotechnology, and information technology.
