First Words

Abstract

With more than 7 million mouths to feed, world food security (insecurity would be a better description), is high on the international radar. In his article, Les Baxter points out that the term food security means that sufficient quantities of food must be available, that people must have sufficient resources to obtain nutritious food, that it is used appropriately, and that a consistent food supply is not subject to sporadic or periodic shocks. Plant pathogens adversely affect all of these factors. They reduce the quantity and quality of food, they reduce income through reduced marketable yield, and disease epidemics result in sporadic reductions in food supply.