Sir John's speech will also be streamed over the internet so that 6th formers from Nottingham schools can hear what he has to say.

He will say: "We are facing a huge challenge in making sure that everyone is fed equitably and sustainably by 2050 – the Foresight report published in January clearly identified that the global food system is failing and nothing short of a redesign is urgently needed. The report identifies the multiple actions required and shows the solution is not just to produce more food, or change diets, or eliminate waste, but to balance competing pressures and demands across the food system. We also need to invest in new science and technology to raise the limits of sustainable production and address new threats. No one technology or type of research will be a silver bullet for addressing sustainable production. All can contribute something, but we will need to increase our understanding of animals to improve yields while still increasing water, nutrients and other efficiencies."

The conference is organised by the British Society of Animal Science with a number of other scientific societies and scientists for the UK's top BBSRC research organisations.

Conferences like this enable scientists to explain their research and its impact in the context of debates over feeding nine billion people, environmental sustainability and climate change.