Solutions for better yield

IT IS NO secret that food demand will continue to increase as a result of population growth and improved incomes. Unfortunately, production is made more complicated by the effects of climate change, prompting the need for better agricultural technologies to ensure food sustainability in the future. A study released by the International Food Policy Research Institute, an organisation that seeks sustainable solutions for ending hunger and poverty, says that the combination of technologies are likely to be adopted by farmers in developing countries to ensure continued supply of crops like maize, rice and wheat.

The book titled Food Security in a World of Natural Resource Scarcity: The Role of Agricultural Technologies, evaluates agricultural practices and technologies and how these could help farmers improve the sustainability of growing the three aforementioned staples, maize, rice, and wheat. Using a first-of-its-kind data model, the IFPRI was able to identify the farming technologies and practices that can most significantly reduce food prices and food insecurity in developing nations. The study profiles 11 agricultural innovations: crop protection, drip irrigation, drought tolerance, heat tolerance, integrated soil fertility management, no-till farming, nutrient use efficiency, organic agriculture, precision agriculture, sprinkler irrigation, and water harvesting.

Of these methods, the study points to no-till farming, nitrogen-use efficiency, heat-tolerant crops, and crop protection from weeds, insects, and diseases, as the technologies that can make the most impact on agriculture. According to the report, no-till farming alone could increase maize yields by 20%, but also irrigating the same no-till fields could increase maize yields by 67% in 2050. Nitrogen-use efficiency could increase rice crop yields by 22%, but irrigation increased the yields by another 21%.

Heat-tolerant varieties of wheat could increase crop yields from a 17% increase to a 23% increase with irrigation.

“One of the most significant barriers to global food security is the high cost of food in developing countries,” said Mark Rosegrant, lead author of the book and director of IFPRI’s Environment and Production Technology Division. He added, “Agricultural technologies used in combinations tailored to the crops grown and regional differences could make more food more affordable – especially for those at risk of hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.”

Stacked technologies could reduce food insecurity by as much as 36% based on current projections. For this to happen, farmers must gain access to these technologies and learn how to use them.This underscores the need for improved agricultural education to ensure that farmers are able to use the best available technologies for their region and resources.

According to the IFPRI highlights, there are three key areas for investments that prioritise effective technology use:

1.Increasing crop productivity through enhanced investment in agricultural research

2.Developing and using resourceconserving agricultural management practices such as no-till farming, integrated soil fertility management, improved crop protection, and precision agriculture

3.Increasing investment in irrigation

When these technologies are adopted, there is a better chance that farmers will be able to increase food production even as the efMens Nike Cortez