Ensuring adequate food availability to an increasing world population constitutes one of the biggest challenges faced by humankind. Scientific and technological advances in food production during the last century enabled agriculture to cope with the concomitant increase in food demand. For example, cereal yields have more than doubled from a global average of 1.5 metric tons per hectare in the 1960s up to 3.2 metric tons per hectare in 2018. This was made possible by the work in different research fields such as agronomy, engineering, and plant sciences, showing that an inter and multidisciplinary approach is indispensable for significant progress. This manuscript is aimed at generating reflexion and analysis about the challenges that agriculture faces at present to satisfy projected food demands, which implies a further doubling of food production by 2050, according to the latest estimates. Relevant issues related to food production (climate change, pollution of water and soils by pesticides and fertilizers, loss of germplasm and biodiversity) are discussed and potential solutions to achieve food security in quantity and quality are reviewed, mainly from the plant breeding and crop‐production perspectives, always associated with environmental health preservation and improvement. A broad transdisciplinary effort is needed to increase the impact of science and technology to provide more people with healthier and safer food, produced in a sustainable way. Nonetheless, science and technology alone will not succeed to meet those challenges. Education and knowledge transfer strategies are needed to guarantee responsible production and consumption everywhere, therefore allowing the benefits of scientific and technological progress reach the world population. Simultaneously, adequate action by regulatory authorities and governments concerted at international level, with thorough application of the Precautionary Principle, and aiming at environmental and social justice are imperatively required to meet the challenge and achieve the goal.

The analysis of the impact assessment of social programs allows to identify whether they fulfil the established objectives and evidencing the weaknesses to be strengthened in future actions, and modify or propose new intervention strategies. In Peru, the substantial economic progress since the 90s decade promoted dramatical investments in the social sector, especially on children well‐being, as around 30% of the total Peru population are children under the age of 15, being the age group most affected by poverty in the country. This review was aimed to present an overview of the current situation of social programs in Peru in terms of food (and nutritional) security (FS), emphasizing on the institutional framework and the impact of the social programs implemented by the Government, as well as some social programs implemented by nongovernmental organizations. To this end, information available on the world wide web, including peer‐reviewed papers on databases (mainly SciELOand LiLACs for their relevance for the Latin American region) regardingFSin Peru from 1989 onwards, and information published by the Peruvian official organisms directly involved inFS, was used. Studies addressing at least four of the seven points of the food and nutritional security in Peru analyzed in this paper (access, availability, consumption, biological use, stability, current situation, and institutionality) were considered. It was concluded that investment and resources should be used to improve social programs strategies designed according to the reality of each focused area, as in Peru, the achievements show an enormous potential for replicability of the interventions. Children must be prioritized through child‐sensitive programs, instead of considering them just as indicators and investments for the future—especially in rural areas whipped by the past internal conflicts—in order to contribute to the sustainable development of the country and assuringFS.

Panonychus citri McGregor (“Citrus red mite”) and Phyllocoptruta oleivora Ashmead (“Citrus rust mite”) are key pests of citrus crops in the Chancay valley, Peru, causing dramatical losses in yield and fruit quality. These pest‐mites affect food security in the area, where the small farming prevails, as the citrus crop is the main generating income source for most of households. Small farmers fight against these pest‐mites by spraying nutritional elements on leaves, as it is cheaper and less harmful than using a chemical miticide. Thus, the aim of this work was determining the influence of the foliar application of elements currently used by farmers (Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Copper, Iron, Manganese, and Boron) and a mix of all of them at two dosage levels on the population dynamic of these two key citrus pests on tangerine cv. Clemenules, along a whole crop season in the Chancay Valley. Panonychus citri was detected on leaves during the whole crop cycle, while Phyllocoptruta oleivora was visible during the third leaf and bloom shooting period. There were not statistical differences between dosages, but statistical differences were observed between treatments and the control, the latter registering the highest population level of both mites during the whole crop cycle. Application of Cu, Mn, Mg, and Zn did show the lowest P. citri population rates, while Fe, Mix, Cu, Mg, and Zn did show the lowest population levels of P. oleivora. The foliage analysis revealed that the nutritional content of leaves of tangerine trees under study during the crop cycle was mostly at optimal levels, according to the standards for the crop. These results support the current practice of farmers and confirm that the foliar application of microelements represents a potential pesticide alternative method for management/control of citrus mites, lowering production costs, avoiding excessive pesticide applications, and increasing yield and fruit quality.

The food security of Lima—Peru’s capital city, which shelters over 30% of the total country’s population—depends on the food production of its nearest agricultural areas, the Chancay-Huaral and Chillón valleys, wherein agrochemicals are widely used. This study primarily aimed to determine the characteristics of pesticide use in these two valleys, located 83 and 30 km north of Lima City, respectively. A second aim was to assess whether proximity to Lima provides access to technical assistance regarding agricultural activities. A questionnaire-based survey assessing socioeconomic aspects, occupational exposure, and agrochemical-related knowledge was conducted on a sample of 102 participants (farmers and fieldworkers). The results revealed that the average age for starting to handle pesticides was 15 years, while life-long occupational-exposure averaged 30 years. Most pesticides used were organophosphates and carbamates. Personal protective equipment was not used and, therefore, dermal exposure and inhalation were major routes of intoxication. Despite their proximity to Lima, both valleys lack an official agronomic advisory agency, and this void has been occupied by agrochemical manufacturing companies and trading houses focused on increasing their sales. Based on the results, it is urgent to implement an official technical advisory service and a capacity-building program on pesticide use in Peru, as well as the implementation of measures for improved control, trade, and storage of pesticides. Simultaneously, a permanent epidemiological surveillance at the country level is needed to improve public health and to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda in Peru.