All our food systems like agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, are under the stress because of rising temperatures leading to wildfires, droughts, floods and storms. If no action is taken to limit the climate crisis, the world may end up witnessing devastating crop losses.
With technological advancement and progress in farming methods, scientists and farmers have almost altered and perfected every food we eat. The result is a lack of genetic diversity and dependence on one type or variety of crop.
Producing genetically-similar crops has a major drawback. If one pathogen or climate factor affects the crop, the entire production/population will be susceptible to it.
The simple solution is to introduce more genetic variety in the farmer’s fields, the Guardian said. However, this is easier said than done. Scientists have taken an alternative route of making gene banks that store seeds of different will species and genetically diverse crops, vegetables, and fruits.
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Private firms are employing biotechnology that involves genetic editing and transgenics which rely on publicly funded gene banks for raw material. Agroecologists and regenerative farmers, however, argue that the most efficient and sustainable food systems are those which use techniques that mimic Nature, rather than the artificial ones.
