Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
to consuming healthier foods and improved lifestyles. In Europe the number of
people aged 65 years and over will double from 17 % in 2012 to more than 30 %
by 2050. For example, in Italy the age at which people retire in 2050 will need to
be 77 years of age if the country is to maintain its worker to retiree ratio. These
changing demographics have largely come about because of lower fertility rate.
Similarly, Europe's share of the world's population in 2050 will be 7 %, compared
with 12 % today, whereas a century ago Europe had 25 % of the world's population.
These numbers have a significant impact on society and its needs for horticultural
produce and the availability and quality of green spaces. From a production horti-
culture perspective in many less-developed countries consumers currently purchase
fresh produce every day. But in western countries horticultural produce is purchased
directly from a retail store or supermarket at irregular intervals on the presumption
that it can be retained in refrigeration until it is needed. Also in these countries
there is a demand for fresh produce to be available all the time. Retail consumers
want complete convenience so that if they wish to shop during the night then that
facility is available. The result is that the socio-economic composition and structure
of human settlements is changing radically. This is forcing planners to rethink the
connections between people, plants and places and will have considerable impact
on all facets of horticulture.
Horticulture's Future
Today horticulture stands at a crossroads. After a sustained period of improvement
in food production and world crop yields, threats such as exacerbated climate
change, water scarcity, food security, energy shortages, limited natural resources,
and increasingly limited land resources all lead to a challenging and problematic
production environments. A new global “green revolution”, is required as described
by Mittochner (
2012
) and by van Latesteijn and Andeweg (
2011
). This must strive
for increased food production and wealth creation but in the context of a cleaner,
healthier and sustainable environment. Horticulture is well placed for a substantial
role in these social changes because of its environmental and social dimensions.
Horticulture can justly claim considerable credit for the creation of rich environ-
ments in which people can live, work and play. There are considerable social at-
tributes related to horticulture which are of increasing importance in an ever more
crowded world. Horticulture provides for the social welfare and well-being of
people and this aspect will come to be its dominant facet which will become the
driver for both its production and environmental aspects. The challenge will be to
learn from the past and provide through partnered research with a range of different
scientific and humanitarian disciplines. The aim will be to develop smarter sustain-
able solutions which achieve sufficiency in nutritious food in a cleaner environment
while adding to the world's store of resources.
