home news forum careers events suppliers solutions markets expos directories catalogs resources advertise contacts
 
Forum Page

Forum
Forum sources  
All Africa Asia/Pacific Europe Latin America Middle East North America
  Topics
  Species
 

No new Malthus: disruptive technologies will help feed 9 billion people by 2050 - Technologies like crop genomics and precision agriculture will help surmount challenges from climate change, falling yield growth, and growing demand, Lux Research says


Boston, Massachusetts, USA
July 23, 2013

A perfect storm created by a confluence of climate change, falling yield growth, and rising demand is reviving the centuries-old Malthusian fear of food supply not keeping pace with population growth. However, an analysis from Lux Research finds that science will once again help keep the dire predictions from coming to pass.

The sharp spike in food prices this century has raised question marks about agriculture’s ability to meet rising demand. Indeed, current demand and production trends will lead to a global shortfall of wheat, rice and soybeans by 2030 – however, new disruptive technologies are emerging that will avert the crisis.

 

“Technologies that achieved food security in the 20th century will prove inadequate in the 21st,” said Aditya Ranade, Lux Research Senior Analyst and the lead author of the report titled, “Combating Malthus: Technologies to Feed 9 Billion by 2050.” "However, advances such as precision agriculture and genomics-enabled modified crops will help dispel Malthusian fears, at least for the two major food grains – wheat and rice."

 

“But the high demand for soybean as animal feed means that even disruptive technologies won’t be able to meet the projected demands by 2030, creating a global shortfall. This creates a unique opportunity for alternative animal feed crops such as Cassava,” he added.

 

Lux Research analysts examined emerging technologies spanning the entire agricultural value chain and the major agricultural production countries such as the U.S., Brazil, India, China, Indonesia, Russia, Canada and Argentina. Among their findings:


  • Agriculture will need to go high-tech. Higher yields derived from better agricultural technologies are key to the future. Promising technologies include crops that can incorporate genes from other organisms; precision agriculture using information technology, geo-positioning and sensing technologies; and high-throughput breeding.
  • Higher yields are key to wheat and rice. Transgenic C4 wheat and C4 rice, the best prospects for yield growth, can help close the supply-demand gap by 2040 and 2030, respectively. However, regulations on transgenic crops may hinder this potential.
  • Rich nations well endowed in agricultural resources will gain. Rich countries such as the U.S. and Canada stand to gain the most in the emerging environment, notably from modified crops with specific nutritional benefits such as low glycemic index and higher linoleic acid content.

The report, titled “Combating Malthus: Technologies to Feed 9 Billion by 2050,” is part of the Lux Research Agro Innovation Intelligence service.


 

About Lux Research

 

Lux Research provides strategic advice and ongoing intelligence for emerging technologies. Leaders in business, finance and government rely on us to help them make informed strategic decisions. Through our unique research approach focused on primary research and our extensive global network, we deliver insight, connections and competitive advantage to our clients. Visit www.luxresearchinc.com for more information.



Published: July 25, 2013



SeedQuest does not necessarily endorse the factual analyses and opinions
presented on this Forum, nor can it verify their validity.

 

 

12 books on plant breeding, classic, modern and fun
 

12 livres sur l'amélioration des plantes : classiques, modernes et amusants

 
 

The Triumph of Seeds

How Grains, Nuts, Kernels, Pulses, and Pips Conquered the Plant Kingdom and Shaped Human History

By Thor Hanson 

Basic Books

 
 

 

 

Hybrid
The History and Science of Plant Breeding
 

Noel Kingsbury
The University of Chicago Press

 

 
1997-2009 archive
of the FORUM section
.

 


Copyright @ 1992-2024 SeedQuest - All rights reserved