A group of 146 scientists in the United States has picked five priorities for research for agriculture and food.
Described by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) as a "blueprint" for transformational innovation, the just-released report, "Science Breakthroughs 2030,"details how research can transform the fields of agriculture and food production.
"Agriculture is confronting a crisis no less epic than the dustbowl of the 1930s," said Thomas Grumbly, president of the Supporters of Agricultural Research (SoAR) Foundation.
"The American scientific community has now mapped out how we can transform food production, answering many of the challenges that have emerged to getting dinner on the table every night.
“It's on us now to implement this blueprint,” Grumbly said.
The five critical areas for research are:
1. The potential of microbiomes, primarily in the animal gut and in soil--to increase efficiency and overcome obstacles in production.
2. Advancements in genetic evaluation and editing, including making the most of CRISPR and other technologies to accelerate the evolution of food production.
3. Expanding and analyzing many pools of data involved in growing and producing food.
4. Developing and improving sensors and biosensors across all agricultural sectors to increase productivity and better target interventions.
5. Examining, through transdisciplinary collaborations, entire systems in food production and finding the keys to adapting and transforming them to overcome challenges and increase production.
According to NASEM, advocates plan to use the "Science Breakthroughs 2030" report to support efforts to increase the federal government's investments in agricultural research. Since 2009, USDA has received less than four percent of the federal research budget, down from almost 40 percent in 1940.
The situation is similar in Canada where the federal agriculture department once was the leading employer of researchers with a roster topping 1,000.
The U.S. now trails China in both government investments in agricultural research and agricultural production.
Canadian agriculture ministers routinely stress the importance of research, yet keep cutting budgets and staff.
