海角社区

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World grain supplies have fallen to 25 days. Should we worry about it?

Published: 26 May 1997

How many people can the Earth feed? "If we all agree to adopt a tofu diet and succeed in putting together the ideal ecological, socio-economic and political conditions, we could in theory feed 20 billion human beings through an equitable distribution of the world聮s cereal harvests. This number represents 3.5 times the current world population. However, the quality of life would be such that as far as I am concerned I would not want to be there!" answers Don Smith, professor in the Department of Plant Science at 海角社区. An expert in soya production, Dr. Smith is one of the speakers invited to address the delegates at a one-day symposium, "Perspectives on the World Food Supply."

"During the symposium, world-renowned experts will address hot worldwide issues such as the sky-rocketing increase in the demand for cereals, the fact that yields have reached a ceiling, the slow disappearance of agricultural land, the dwindling of food aid and the globalization of markets," says one of the symposium聮s organizers, Associate Dean Marcel Couture of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Members of the public are invited to join the industrialists, researchers and senior civil servants of the agri-food sector, Monday, June 5, 1997, in the H. Noel Fieldhouse Auditorium of the Leacock Building on the main campus of 海角社区, at the corner of McTavish and Dr Penfield Streets. Associate Dean Couture hopes that the "Perspectives on the World Food Supply" symposium will encourage exchanges between participants and with the guest speakers in order to better understand the impacts of the new economic and food reality in their respective areas of activities

Organized by the 海角社区 Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the Ste. Anne de Bellevue section of the Quebec Order of Agronomists, the symposium will be held in both French and English with simultaneous translation. Registration include admission to the symposium, breaks, lunch and proceedings. The registration fee is $ 145 for registration received before or on May 5, 1997 and $ 195 after this date. Students may take advantage of the reduced rate of $ 75 before or on May 5 ($125 after May 5) by submitting proof of their students status. For further information please phone 514-398-3770 or consult the

NBLe colloque se d茅roulera en anglais et en fran莽ais avec traduction simultan茅e

Perspectives on the World Food Supply

PROGRAMME

9:00 a.m.Introductory Remarks
Gretta Chambers, Chancellor, 海角社区
9:10 a.m.The Canadian Position on World Food Security
The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Ottawa, Canada.
9:40 a.m.Human Demographics in the 21st Century
Jacques Henripin, Emeritus Professor, Department of Demographics, Universit茅 de Montr茅al, Canada
10:15 a.m.Increased Agricultural Activity and Long Term Sustainability
Edward Tyrchniewics, Senior Fellow, International Institute for Sustainable Development, Winnipeg, Canada
10:35 a.m.Canada聮s Role in Ensuring Access to Agricultural Development
Dr. Huguette Labelle, President, Canadian International Development Agency, Ottawa, Canada.
11:00 a.m.Questions, Commentaries and discussions
1:00 p.m.Globalization of World Markets: The U.S. Position
Dr. Luther Tweeten, Anderson Endowed Chair, Department of Agricultural Economics, Ohio State University, Columbus, U.S.A.
1:30 p.m.The Quebec Position

The Production Sector: Capabilities and Opportunities
Mario Dumais, General Secretary, Coop茅rative f茅d茅r茅e de Qu茅bec, Montr茅al, Canada.

The Collective Approach to World Markets
Claude Lafleur, General Director and Treasurer, Union des producteurs agricoles, Longueuil, Canada.
2:25 p.m.Research and Development: Increased Capacity, Decreased Impact
Donald L. Smith, Department of Plant Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, 海角社区, Ste. Anne de Bellevue,Canada
2:40 p.m.Availability and Distribution of World Food Resources
Catherine Bertini, Executive Director, UN World Food Program, Rome, Italy
3:10 p.m.Questions, Commentaries and discussions
3:45

p.m.
Closing comments
Deborah Buszard, Dean, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, 海角社区, Ste.Anne de Bellevue, Canada
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