Scientists call for radical changes to agriculture

Food production will have to change radically to continue to feed the world in the face of climate change, a major new report by more than 400 scientists has said.

The study, published by the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD), was presented to an intergovernmental plenary in Johannesburg, South Africa.

It found that modern agriculture has significantly increased food production, but at the cost of environmental degradation and the livelihood of small-scale farmers.

Benefits have also been spread unevenly, with developing countries the ones that are losing out and set to suffer more without reforms.

"The incentives for science to address the issues that matter to the poor are weak," said Professor Robert Watson, director of the IAASTD.

"The poorest developing countries are net losers under most trade liberalisation scenarios."