Radically Rethinking Agriculture for the 21st Century

N. V. Federoff et al., correctly advocate the use of all possible technologies and approaches to produce enough food for the world's growing population while limiting environmental impact ("Radically rethinking agriculture for the 21st century," Perspectives, 12 February 2010, p. 833). In addition to improving yields, we must emphasize improving the nutrient quality of food. Traditionally, crop yields, physical appearance and shelf-life of produce have taken priority over nutritional content. Efforts to replace missing micronutrients in food take place during downstream processing and formulation of food products rather than at the source of nutrient development—crop production. Success depends largely on the health of the soil in which crops are grown, as well as varieties used. To most efficiently produce nutritious food for the world's population, we must re-invigorate the links between agriculture, environment, and nutrition. Plant breeders need to revise varietal selection criteria, and policy-makers must consider creating appropriate incentives for the nutritional value of crops. A logical starting point would be to prioritize crops for which nutritional and environmental benefits are aligned and clear. For example, oats are an excellent source of iron and thiamin and are also rich in antioxidants and soluble fiber, which has been shown to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease (1). In addition, the crop usually requires little or no soil tillage, less irrigation water and commercial fertilizer than other crops, and its fibrous root system can be used to control soil erosion.

Finally, the divide must be bridged between sustainable production and consumption. We must use and distribute the food we already produce much more efficiently. The world currently produces twice as much food as people need to consume but only 60% reaches consumers, while a billion people remain hungry (2). New public-private partnerships are needed that harness the capabilities of the private sector in supply chain, storage and logistics design, processing and distribution to reduce food waste.

Tara Acharya, Daniel Bena, Beth C. Sauerhaft, and Derek Yach

PepsiCo, 700 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY 10577, USA.

References

1. M. B. Andon, J. W. Anderson, Am. J. Lifestyle Med., 2, 51 (2008).

2. J. Lundqvist, C. de Fraiture, D. Molden, Saving Water: From Field to Fork—Curbing Losses and Wastage in the Food Chain (SIWI Policy Brief. SIWI, Stockholm, 2008).