Agricultural Advances Help Manage Climate Change

February 20, 2013
Climate Change 

As climate change continues to cause unusual and unpredictable weather around the world, it creates new challenges for farmers, who already have a difficult time getting Mother Nature on their side. Excessive heat, drought and flooding are predicted to increase as the earth’s temperatures rise 2-3 °C in the next 50 years. At the same time, farmers are being tasked to produce more food for a rising global population.

Excessive heat, drought and flooding are predicted to increase as the earth’s temperatures rise 2-3 °C in the next 50 years.

Plant science technologies can help. They are being used to make crops tolerant to environmental stresses, allow for more sustainable farming practices and maximise the use of available farmland. Existing biotech traits like herbicide tolerance and disease resistance as well as crop protection products directly and indirectly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing the need for tillage as well as maintaining and increasing crop yields.