The UK government’s failure to fund the nation’s public agricultural science base over the past decade has led to a “catastrophic” drop in British scientists’ ability to assist in international development, parliamentarians have said.

In a report on global food security published today, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Agriculture and Food for Development, says, it is an “embarrassing failure” that in 2009, world hunger increased for the first time in a decade given the level of resources, skills and scientific know-how at the disposal of the international community.

The report criticises the Department for International Development’s neglect of agriculture over the past decade and expresses concern that experts with a background in agricultural science in the department are now “severely underrepresented”. Andree Carter, Director of the UK Collaborative on Development Sciences, a partnership of research funders and policy-makers, estimates that the UK needs 500-1000 new agriculture science staff by 2020.

The report calls on the UK government to rebuild it leadership in agricultural science to help find solutions to the world’s need to produce 50 % more food by 2030 without increasing energy, water and fertiliser use.

The green revolution in 50s and 60s doubled the production of many food crops, but also trebled the amount of water used in agriculture, the report notes. This option which is no longer available, it says.

The recommends the UK help develop several African centres of excellence in science, technology and agriculture, and support university partnerships between UK and the global south, including funding PhD scholarships in developing countries. It also calls for improved efforts to translate science into on-farm practice.

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