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The world's population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050; how to feed this population is one of the challenges facing policymakers around the world. The combination of a growing global population, rising incomes in many countries, increased use of biofuels, and potential reductions in agricultural production due to climate change has created an urgent need for investments in sustainable agricultural productivity. Traditional agricultural technologies will not be enough to meet these challenges.

Research into more productive varieties of staple crops is an important part of agricultural R&D. Agricultural conditions can vary greatly among regions, countries, and even micro-regions; thus, seeds that produce well in one area may not be as productive in another. And with climate change posing even greater agricultural challenges for poor producers, this research is even more critical.

Today marks the 19th annual World Water Day, a campaign designed to draw attention to pressing issues related to sustainable global water use. The theme of this year's World Water Day is Water and Food Security, an issue that will only grow in importance as the world approaches a population of 9 billion.

According to a Hazards Outlook released by FEWS NET on Wednesday, a slow start to the rainy season has resulted in seasonal rainfall deficits across the Greater Horn of Africa. The delay in seasonal rainfall has already impacted some crops in the region. Heavy rainfall forecast for Ethiopia next week could mitigate the moisture deficit; however, other areas of the region will continue to see only light rainfall.

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GIEWS has released a special alert for the Syrian Arab Republic, citing continued civil unrest that is threatening food security in the country, particularly for vulnerable groups. According to the World Food Programme, approximately 1.4 million people have become food insecure since the start of the civil unrest. The outlook for the 2012 winter cereal crops could suffer due to disruptions in overall agricultural activities and limited access to fertilizer and seeds.