KPI of the Day – State Government: # Food production per capita
Definition
Measures the food production (all edible agricultural products that contain nutrients, with the exception of coffee and tea), after deduction for seed and feed, of a country’s agricultural sector per citizen of that country.
It shows the relative level of the aggregate volume of agricultural production for each year in comparison with the base period 1999-2001.
Purpose
To indicate the capability of the agricultural sector of one country to secure the necessary food levels for its citizens.
Recommendations
One of the greatest challenges of the present is providing sufficient nourishment for a progressively larger population. This goal is to be reached with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and by protecting valuable ecosystems.
According to increasingly strict international standards that want to advance development in rural and secluded areas, this will ensure adequate water resources, prevent transformation of raw ingredients for healthy consumption etc.
Climate change also negatively impacts crop yields, which has devastating effects especially in areas where world hunger is a persisting issue. Declining mortality rates, prolonged life expectancy and a younger population in regions with high fertility (which is generally higher in low income areas), all contribute to an increase in food demand. All these and more become valid reasons for every country to start monitoring its food production.
Furthermore, it is estimated that around one quarter of the world population is directly or indirectly linked to the food production sector. Thereby, allocating resources in order to develop the agriculture industry is a practice recommended to all governments, on the one hand for local economic development, and as an important contribution towards closing the worldwide food gap, on the other.
By calculating # Food production per capita, governments are able to ensure food sufficiency for their population and also plan on import and export capacities.
In order to contribute to closing the food gap, supporting economic development and reducing the environmental impact of agriculture, recommendations include the following:
- Boosting plant crop yields through farming practices that are tailored to the specifics of each region;
- Encouraging healthier and more sustainable eating habits since meat, especially beef, is a less efficient source of calories and protein, and at the same time promoting grain crop productions;
- Shifting agricultural land expansion to degraded lands and identifying plant species likely to adapt to these conditions.
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Tags: Food and Beverage performance, Government - State / Federal performance, KPI
