Reaping the Benefits: Science and the sustainable intensification of global agriculture

TLDR

Food security is an urgent global challenge worsened by population growth, consumption, climate change, and resource scarcity, and although agricultural production has risen, its environmental impact remains unsustainable and benefits are uneven, highlighting the need for science to advance crop production sustainably within broader social, economic, and environmental contexts. The study aims to guide crop production improvements toward reducing global inequalities to support economic development. The report concludes that significant reforms are required in how scientific research is funded and utilized to achieve major improvements in food crop production.

Abstract

Food security is an urgent challenge. It is a global problem that is set to worsen with current trends of population, consumption, climate change and resource scarcity. The last 50 years have seen remarkable growth in global agricultural production, but the impact on the environment has been nsustainable. The benefi ts of this green revolution have also been distributed unevenly; growth in Asia and America has not been matched in Africa. Science can potentially continue to provide dramatic improvements to crop production, but it must do so sustainably. Science and technology must therefore be understood in their broader social, economic and environmental contexts. The sustainable intensifi cation of crop production requires a clear defi nition of agricultural sustainability. Improvements to food crop production should aim to reduce rather than exacerbate global inequalities if they are to contribute to economic development. This report follows other recent analyses, all arguing that major improvements are needed to the way that scientific research is funded and used.