The most critical scientific & technological breakthroughs required for food security & agricultural development
The main purpose of the 50 Breakthroughs study by LIGTT is to identify where game-changing technologies for sustainable development are most required. The study’s main objectives are to: 1) foster a thought-provoking conversation about the role of technology in solving the world’s most pressing problems, 2) provide contextual background for technologists; and 3) provide decision-makers a guide to asking the hard–but important—questions. This report on food security & agricultural development focuses on the key factors that can improve food production and smallholder farmer incomes: increasing yield, preserving food, improving market access, reducing workload (especially for women), and making agriculture more sustainable. The report is divided into chapters on: irrigation; fertilizers and plant nutrients; biotic stresses; post-harvest handling and storage; extension services; livestock; and sustainable agriculture. Each chapter covers three parts: core facts and analysis, key challenges, and scientific and technological breakthroughs. The study identifies a number of breakthroughs that are needed in agriculture such as new methods to produce fertilizers to replace current processes, which are extremely capital intensive and have significant environmental footprints.