K-State welcomed Professor Jules Pretty to campus Monday evening for a lecture on agricultural sustainability practices and the need for new methods to farming as the world’s population continues to grow.
Pretty is an expert on food systems from the University of Essex in England, and brought his expertise to a full lecture hall of students, faculty and local farmers. Pretty has served in many positions, including chair to the U.K. government’s Advisory committee on Releases to the Environment.
Though much of Pretty’s message was geared towards farmers and students that will one day enter the industry, Pretty had a message for everyday consumers as well.
“Think about food. Think about it carefully. Have an idea where it came from…ask questions about whether you think the production systems that produce food were good or not so good. Ultimately we all have a role to play in making sure the food and agricultural systems across the world are effective.”
Pretty said this problem is a global one, though there are already examples of sustainable, productive food systems the rest of the world can model itself on. This is important, because Petty says new methods will be needed by this half of the century when the world’s population increases by another 2 billion, and K-State students can be part of the bigger picture.
“Students here today, I hope they have the sense they can go out into the world- all parts of the world- whether it’s in Kansas itself or in remote countries and positively contribute to making a better world.”
