Interrogating food security and infectious animal and plant diseases: a critical introduction

Abstract

As part of a themed section, this introductory paper provides critical insights into important social science debates associated with food security and animal/plant diseases. Continued volatility in the price of basic foodstuffs on international commodity markets has ensured that food security will be one of the 'master frames' of early twentieth century public policy. While increasing food production through 'sustainable intensification' characterises the essentially scientific solution to food (in)security issues, other 'framings' of food security are also important. These include providing access to affordable and good quality food, reducing food waste and encouraging more urban-based agriculture. Animal/plant diseases are a considerable threat to food security because of growing trade, travel, transport and tourism. A range of national/international and scientific control measures help to reduce the risk of disease spread, but micro-scale studies are needed to help understand the practicalities of applying biosecurity controls at local geographical scales.KEY WORDS: food security, animal and plant diseases, sustainable intensification, biosecurity Food securityAccording to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), food security exists when 'all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary bs_bs_banner References Beddington J 2010 Food security: contributions from science to a new and greener revolution Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 365 61-71 Bridge J and Johnson N eds 2009 Feeding Britain The Smith Institute, LondonFood security and infectious animal and plant diseases 311

Framing the agricultural use of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance in UK national newspapers and the farming press

“…Given this history it might be anticipated that antibiotics would have been a technology subject to one of these forms of analysis. Second, biosecurity has become a central concept within rural animal studies (Donaldson, 2008;Donaldson et al, 2004;Enticott, 2008a;Enticott and Franklin, 2009;Enticott et al, 2012;Ilbery, 2012;Mather and Marshall, 2011;). Arguably, antibiotics constitute an important technology in the 'securing of life ' (Hinchcliffe and Bingham, 2008) in animal agriculture and yet their role within this process has been ignored.…”

Seed Potatoes, Virus Management, and the Nonadoption of an Agricultural Innovation

“…Our study also contributes to the sparse social science literature on farm‐level disease management. Specifically, it meets the call for more microscale studies of risk perceptions and disease management strategies (Ilbery ). Our study serves as a U.S. counterpart to the important work on the human factors that influence the management of plant diseases in the U.K. potato and wheat sectors (Ilbery ; Ilbery et al , ; Maye et al ).…”

“…Specifically, it meets the call for more microscale studies of risk perceptions and disease management strategies (Ilbery ). Our study serves as a U.S. counterpart to the important work on the human factors that influence the management of plant diseases in the U.K. potato and wheat sectors (Ilbery ; Ilbery et al , ; Maye et al ). Moreover, our work meets the call for partnerships among natural scientists, social scientists, and on‐farm decision makers when attempting to understand plant disease management practices (Breukers et al ; McRoberts et al ; Mills et al ; Wilkinson et al ).…”

“…Relatively few social science studies have focused on the factors that influence farmers' decisions to adopt (or reject) management practices that can help reduce the spread of plant viruses, which can cause significant losses in crop quality, yield, and income. In recent years, social scientists have been “critical of macro‐scale and scientific/technical approaches to biosecurity, calling for more micro‐scale and farm‐level studies” that focus on farmers' risk perceptions and disease management strategies (Ilbery :310). How farmers “encounter, comprehend, and manage disease” (Ilbery :311) can have important implications for agricultural biosecurity, crop production, food supply chains, and food security (Ilbery ; Maye et al ; Mills et al ).…”

“…Commercial potato growers, university researchers, and extension personnel have not focused on the larger context in which Washington seed potato growers operate, nor explored in depth the experiences and perceptions of seed potato growers. However, gathering information about the sociocultural context of farmers' perceptions (especially with regard to innovation attributes and potential risks) is essential for understanding farm-level disease management decisions (Breukers et al 2012;Ilbery 2012;Maye, Ilbery, and Little 2012;McRoberts et al 2011;Mills et al 2011;Rogers 2003). The purpose of this article, therefore, is to offer a broader perspective on PVY management decisions in Washington State.…”