World Environment Day: The Need for Tools, Technology & Regulations that Drive Sustainable Food Production

By Dr. Sianghee Tan, Executive Director, CropLife Asia

The Challenge: Sustainability & Food Production

People are more concerned than ever about where their food comes from, how it is grown, and its impact on the environment. Sustainability in food systems has become much more than just a buzzword – it’s a growing societal expectation driven by concern for dwindling natural resources, healthier diets and lifestyles, and greater awareness of the impact food production has on the world around us.

As the collective level of awareness about the impact of food production on our environment grows, so too does the world’s population. It’s estimated that by 2050, there will be over 9 billion people globally. This means our food production will need to increase in tandem to meet the world’s needs. In their How to Feed the World in 2050 report, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) projected that feeding this larger population will require raising overall food production by 70%.

The reality is, to increase global food production by 70%, production in developing countries, like so many across much of South and Southeast Asia, would need to almost double. To compound that already ambitious target, 80% of the necessary production increases will need to come from greater yields and cropping intensity – and only 20% from expansion of arable land.

So how do we do it? How can we feed our growing population while being good stewards of the land at the same time?

If you asked 10 people, you may get 10 different answers. But one common thread and component is technology.

Lessons of COVID-19

The global pandemic has exacerbated existing flaws in food supply systems around Asia, and exposed new ones as well. One example is what transpired in Malaysia.

When COVID-19 hit Malaysia in full force in 2020, the government understandably put ‘movement control order’ (MCO) restrictions in place. This unfortunately led to disruptions across the supply chain – and the heartbreaking images of many farmers left with no alternative but to dump fruits and vegetables as a result of lack of transport. National farmers and fishermen turned to social media and e-commerce platforms to navigate MCO restrictions; and there’s evidence the technology is taking root for farmers.

According to the nation’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI), three e-commerce platforms (Agro Bazaar Online, Nekmatbiz, and e-peladang) have recorded over RM300 million in agriculture sales revenue since the pandemic hit.

Digital and Drones

The rise of agriculture digitization is underway – and it’s driving farmer capability.

There is a growing number of precision agriculture platforms that are providing tools, data and meaningful analysis directly to farmers like never before. Many of these – in concert with integrated pest management (IPM), no-till agriculture, biocontrol agents, green chemistries and responsible use practices – are enabling farmers to not only increase productivity, but also ensure protection of biodiverse and natural lands.

Meanwhile, the use of drones with pesticide application is proving to be a valuable tool for farmers in meeting a number of challenges.

Specifically, as growers face increasing pest pressures, drones enable monitoring of crop health and precision application of pesticides. In the face of rising production costs, they help lower labor and fuel costs while yielding more efficient application of inputs. Using drones for pesticide application also reduce water consumption and operator exposure.

The Role of Plant Science

Another technological tool that can help us produce more food sustainably while protecting our natural resources is plant science.

Plant science innovations continue to enable farmers to produce more safe and nutritious food with less impact to the world around us. In particular, biotech crops have been developed with improved traits such as increased yield, better resistance to pests and/or improved nutrition, among others – and allow for sequestration of carbon in the soil through practices such as no-till farming.

New plant biotech traits are being added to crops such as corn, rice and cotton that help crops use less water and even improve productivity during periods of drought. With traditional agriculture accounting for roughly 70% of water use globally – that development is a monumental step forward in protecting this precious natural resource.

It’s estimated that agriculture accounts for 70% of water use globally. Did you know it requires 3,000 liters of water to produce the daily food requirements for just one person? Plant science is reducing the amount of water needed to drive agriculture, which is imperative given that water is a critical component of food production. New plant biotech traits are being added to crops such as corn, rice and cotton that help crops use less water and even improve productivity during periods of drought.

Another critical plant science tool in helping us address looming global challenges such as food insecurity, environmental impact and climate change is the responsible use of crop protection products (or pesticides).

Farmers rely on these products to grow more food on less land and raise productivity per hectare. Without pesticides, 40% of the global rice and corn harvests could be lost every year, and losses for fruits and vegetables could be as high as 50-90%.

When used correctly, pesticides also help conserve the environment. They enable farmers to produce more crops per unit area with less tillage, thus reducing deforestation, conserving natural resources and curbing soil erosion. They are critical for the control of invasive species and noxious weeds, and help farmers use water more efficiently by reducing weeds’ use of moisture.

Science-based Regulatory Frameworks

Sadly, no matter how critical a technology is for food production and environmental protection, if the regulations aren’t on the books to ensure their access, the benefit is never realized.

Specifically, science-based, transparent and dependable regulatory frameworks for all technologies provide the opportunity to encourage innovation and enterprise while setting the standards for safety and sustainability. Conversely, an absence of these regulations can have the opposite effect.

This World Environment Day, it’s important to highlight not only the food production tools and technology that enable better stewardship and conservation of the land around us – but also the science-based regulations that make sure these game-changing innovations reach those who stand to benefit from them the most: our farmers.