Meeting the challenges of global food security and climate change through innovation
Climate change and its consequences are increasing the pressure to develop regionally adapted strategies for adaptation. The impacts of climate change are already clearly noticeable. The importance of using plants and other natural resources sustainably continues to grow — both for climate protection and for the efficient use of resources. This is also reflected in the bioeconomy strategies of Germany and the European Union. These strategies include agricultural by-products that are important for value creation, such as straw, as well as co-products generated during processing, like rapeseed meal.
A good example is the entire production chain of biofuels made from cultivated biomass. It begins with plant breeding, continues through the testing of new varieties, and extends to actual cultivation. The goal is to produce raw materials in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way.
Legally mandated minimum requirements for greenhouse gas savings compared to fossil fuels motivate agricultural operations to design cultivation practices with the lowest possible greenhouse gas emissions — for example, by using organic fertilizers — and to make meaningful use of co-products. In the case of rapeseed, these by-products offer significant potential: they can replace soy as a protein feed and may even be used in the future as a plant-based protein source for human food.
Given the existing time pressure, it is also essential that new breeding technologies are regulated clearly and fairly. Otherwise, there is a risk of continued relocation of research and development to third countries. This concerns not only practical applications but also the expertise and knowledge of scientists themselves.
This holistic approach should also apply to crops grown in the Global South that are important for local nutrition. Policymakers bear responsibility for ensuring that people threatened by hunger have enough to eat. At the same time, this alone does not solve the problems of poor or undemocratic governance. This is currently a major humanitarian and political challenge — particularly in parts of Africa.
The current report shows that, in principle, there is sufficient food available worldwide, even when crops are used for biofuels or for new products of “green chemistry.” This time should be used to secure existing farmland and to open up new opportunities. In addition, raw materials intended for biofuel production can be redirected to food use at any time. This “reserve function,” as an alternative to physical stockpiling, should be properly assessed by policymakers and recognized as an important precautionary measure.
Torsten Krawczyk Chairman UFOP