A new study by the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) has warned of the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change on global food systems, suggesting that significant changes will be required to prevent widespread food shortages, famine, and instability.
The study, published in the Trends in Plant Science journal, notes that not only are crops facing higher temperatures, but pest outbreaks and diseases are also on the increase.
Given that agriculture also contributes to more than a quarter (26%) of global greenhouse gas emissions, the food supply chain finds itself in a ‘vicious cycle’, the authors note.
In their report, the researchers outline five key recommendations to address the growing food crisis.
- Global research initiatives. Create global research initiatives that bring together scientists from developed and developing nations to share resources and expertise.
- Real-world plant studies. Shift focus from controlled lab environments to understanding how plants perform in actual field conditions.
- Stronger partnerships. Establish stronger, more practical partnerships between laboratory scientists and farmers.
- Public trust. Build public trust and acceptance of new crop development technologies
- Rethink regulations. Streamline regulations to speed up the implementation of innovative solutions.
“We’re in a race against time,” commented Silvia Restrepo, president of the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) and one of the paper’s co-authors. “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.”
According to the authors, despite the key role that agriculture plays in the global food network, just 4%, or around $35 billion, of global climate funding currently goes towards developing climate-resilient food systems.
In addition, with most of this funding going towards sustainable agriculture solutions in developed nations, smaller farms and developing countries are left behind, the authors state.
“We need to completely rethink how we approach this challenge,” said co-author Andrew Nelson, an associate professor at BTI. “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.” Read more here.
