Nine billion people, on a hotter planet with scarce water and energy resources, represent the ‘Perfect Storm’ for humanity. By 2050, crop demand for human food and animal feed will at least double. At the same time, water resources are diminishing, arable land is being degraded, and rural populations are moving to cities.

By itself, conventional agriculture—the intensive production of major crops on the best soils—will not meet humanity’s needs without using more resources than the planet can afford. In hotter, more volatile climates, business as usual will become ever riskier.

If we look to nature for inspiration, we can see that biodiversity provides a Green Ocean for agricultural diversification.  New technologies can help identify the best, underutilized crops for novel foods, feeds, and livelihoods.

New thinking can extend beyond simply growing more crop species to include the optimal use of rural and urban landscapes. New solutions can transform agriculture—for the good of humanity, the planet, and future generations.

These will include diverse ways in which we produce food, deliver knowledge, advance technologies, and attract a new generation of farmers and investors. Agricultural diversification provides a huge opportunity to transform agribusiness into enterprises that the planet can afford.

Read the full article on the future of crops by Sayed Azam-Ali at Food Tank