Agricultural research in the UK could face a serious skills shortage at a time when the world is struggling to ensure that it can feed the human population.

The warning comes from the Royal Society, which is midway through a major study exploring how science can help to enhance global food production.

It coincides with renewed interest in this area by funders - last week, the research councils announced a new programme focusing on "food security".

John Beddington, the Chief Scientific Adviser, recently said that the world faced a "perfect storm" of dwindling food, water and energy supplies that would strike in around 2030 unless action was taken.

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But scientists on the Royal Society's food-crop production working group have said that the science required to tackle the problems could be hampered by a lack of researchers in relevant areas. They highlighted the falling number of students pursuing agricultural sciences and university departments teaching the subjects over many years.

Ian Crute, a member of the group and director of the Rothamsted agricultural research centre, said: "Unless we address the decline in researchers working in this area now, we may not have enough scientists to train the next generation."

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There was some cause for hope in figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, which show that about 2,400 students applied to study agriculture this year, a rise of 7.2 per cent compared with last year.

The Royal Society's study is due to be published in November.

zoe.corbyn@tsleducation.com.