Track: B6. Evaluative Strategies for Sustainability

Background/Objectives

Achieving and sustaining global food security apace with a steadily warming planet is an unmet scientific and engineering grand challenge.  Success in meeting this challenge will require, among other goals, a sustained and sustainable increase in global agricultural production driven by : 1) closing crop and animal yield gaps (i.e., the difference between maximum potential and observed yields); 2) increasing agricultural production limits; and 3) reducing food waste.  Closing yield gaps requires greater on-farm efficiency.  Increasing agricultural production limits requires greater investment in research and development.  Reducing food waste requires novel ways to manage supply chains. This paper explores determinants of success in achieving sustainable progress in each of those three goals as they are impacted by climate change.

Approach/Activities

The paper will be based on previous work done by the author as part of a USDA assessment of climate change impacts on global food security and an extensive literature review of crop and animal yield gaps, agricultural production limits and food waste. 

Results/Lessons Learned

TBD