A team of scientists warns of a potentially devastating impact of climate change, which is currently accelerating. It could seriously undermine our food supply worldwide and threaten global food security.
In this article, the term 'food security' refers to our ability to ensure that everybody worldwide has consistent access to enough safe, nutritious, and affordable food to meet their dietary needs and support a healthy population.
Twenty-one scientists, from the US, Mexico, Ghana, Japan, Chile, Uganda, Australia, and Germany, wrote about their study and findings in the peer-reviewed journal Trends in Plant Science (citation below).
Their paper warns that unless we implement rapid changes to how climate-resilient crops are developed, there could be widespread food shortages, famine, mass migration, global instability, and even war.
Team member and co-author, Silvia Restrepo, president of the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI), said:
"We're in a race against time. The crops we depend on for food are increasingly struggling to survive extreme weather, from heat waves to droughts and floods. Meanwhile, our current approaches to developing tougher, more resilient crops simply aren't moving fast enough."
Crops are facing multiple problems, including higher temperatures, more frequent and longer-lasting droughts, and the growing prevalence of diseases and pests.
Moreover, agriculture -- which contributes to 26% of global *greenhouse gas emissions -- perpetuates a vicious cycle.
* Greenhouse gases absorb and emit radiation -- they keep the planet's surface warm. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor, and fluorinated gases are greenhouse gases. We do not focus on water vapor because its atmospheric levels are controlled by natural processes like evaporation and condensation, not by human activities.
The scientists propose five essential strategies to tackle this crisis:
We should create research initiatives that bring scientists from developing and developed economies together.
Apart from studying plants in controlled lab settings, they should also be examined and tested in real-world conditions.
There needs to be stronger partnerships between farmers and laboratory scientists.
Efforts must focus on building public trust and promoting acceptance of innovative crop development technologies.
Regulations should be streamlined to enable the faster implementation of innovative solutions.
The authors pointed out that despite agriculture's crucial role in our survival, a mere four percent of global climate funding -- approximately $35 billion per year -- goes toward the development of climate-resilient food systems.
Most of this funding goes toward research that focuses on large-scale farming in advanced economies, leaving smaller farms in emerging and developing nations behind.
Co-author Andrew Nelson, an associate professor at BTI, said:
"We need to completely rethink how we approach this challenge. Instead of starting in the lab and hoping solutions work in the field, we should begin by understanding farmers' real-world challenges and then work backward to develop practical solutions."
The researchers highlight that success will need scientists, farmers, policymakers, and the public to work together like never before.
They also point out the need to make new technologies available to all regions, especially in the Global South, where the effects of climate change are often the most severe.
They urge the creators of new technologies to make them accessible to all regions, especially the Global South, where the impacts of climate change tend to be more severe.
It is now too late for incremental changes because climate change is accelerating, the researchers warn.
If we commit to implementing the authors' five recommendations outlined above, we have a good chance of creating agricultural systems that are resilient to the negative effects of climate change while also safeguarding food security and improving nutrition.
Rhee, S. Y., Anstett, D. N., Cahoon, E. B., Covarrubias-Robles, A. A., Danquah, E., Dudareva, N., Ezura, H., Gilbert, K. J., Gutiérrez, R. A., Heck, M., Lowry, D. B., Mittler, R., Muday, G., Mukankusi, C., Nelson, A. D. L., Restrepo, S., Rouached, H., Seki, M., Walker, B., Way, D., & Weber, A. P. M. (2024). The role of plant science in addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Trends in Plant Science, 29(12), 1234-1245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2024.11.002