Production of four major crops won’t keep up with global demand unless the U.S. and other countries boost research aimed at beating climate change, a government study said.
The report from the Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service projects global demand and production of corn, soybeans, rice and wheat in the decades ahead. Research and development, the agency said, will be key to making sure the warming climate doesn’t sacrifice those crops.
“Reduced crop yields diminish agricultural productivity, affecting not only agricultural quantities, but also food prices and ultimately food security,” the authors said. “This challenge arises at a time when increasing incomes contribute to an increased demand for food — especially for meat, where crops are a crucial input for animal feed.”
The study underscores how the combination of a growing world population and the challenges of farming amid worsening drought, floods and heat waves will put increased stress on agriculture. It also comes as Congress faces increasing pressure to boost research funding in the farm bill an annual appropriations.
