Biomaterial Database

Leverage points for improving global food security and the environment. 2014

Paul C West, and James S Gerber, and Peder M Engstrom, and Nathaniel D Mueller, and Kate A Brauman, and Kimberly M Carlson, and Emily S Cassidy, and Matt Johnston, and Graham K MacDonald, and Deepak K Ray, and Stefan Siebert

Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA. pcwest@umn.edu.

Achieving sustainable global food security is one of humanity's contemporary challenges. Here we present an analysis identifying key "global leverage points" that offer the best opportunities to improve both global food security and environmental sustainability. We find that a relatively small set of places and actions could provide enough new calories to meet the basic needs for more than 3 billion people, address many environmental impacts with global consequences, and focus food waste reduction on the commodities with the greatest impact on food security. These leverage points in the global food system can help guide how nongovernmental organizations, foundations, governments, citizens' groups, and businesses prioritize actions.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007194	India	A country in southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan. The capitol is New Delhi.	Republic of India
D008460	Meat	The edible portions of any animal used for food including cattle, swine, goats/sheep, poultry, fish, shellfish, and game.	Meats
D011153	Population	The total number of individuals inhabiting a particular region or area.	School Age Population,School-Age Population,Population, School Age,Population, School-Age,Populations,Populations, School Age,Populations, School-Age,School Age Populations,School-Age Populations
D002149	Energy Intake	Total number of calories taken in daily whether ingested or by parenteral routes.	Caloric Intake,Calorie Intake,Intake, Calorie,Intake, Energy
D002681	China	A country spanning from central Asia to the Pacific Ocean.	Inner Mongolia,Manchuria,People's Republic of China,Sinkiang,Mainland China
D004777	Environment	The external elements and conditions which surround, influence, and affect the life and development of an organism or population.	Environmental Impact,Environmental Impacts,Impact, Environmental,Impacts, Environmental,Environments
D005523	Food Supply	The production and movement of food items from point of origin to use or consumption.	Food Supply Chain,Chain, Food Supply,Food Supplies,Food Supply Chains,Supplies, Food,Supply Chain, Food,Supply Chains, Food,Supply, Food
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012275	Oryza	A genus of grass family (Poaceae) that include several rice species.	Oryza sativa,Rice,Rices
D014481	United States	A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.