Technology solutions for global challenges

Technology solutions for global challenges Mike Bushell Brussels 16 th October 2008

What’s Happening in Agriculture?
Food price rises and protests worldwide
Era of cheap food may be over?
Plenty of speculation as to why the prices have risen
Reawakening of interest in Agriculture
Media, International agencies, Governments, NGO’s
Humanitarian responses
Policy development for the future
Wake up call to the world
The real challenge lies in planning now for sustainable systems that will feed 8 billion people before 2025 and >9 billion before 2050

The challenge of feeding 9 billion people
The world must grow more crops on the currently available land to meet the increasing demand for food, feed and fuel

Yield gains: further increases needed and possible

Higher yields reduce poverty

Technologies for Yield
How have we met the increased demand since 1950’s?
There are only 4 major technologies
Mechanisation including irrigation
Synthetic fertilisers (NPK)
Crop Protection Chemicals (HIF)
Better seeds

Drivers for agricultural fungal control : New disease issues and Resistance
New disease pandemics can occur
Example : Soybean rust - dramatic yield losses (up to 80%).
Rapid spread from Zimbabwe in 1998 to S. Africa, S. America and USA by 2004
Septoria tritici in EU wheat
Strobilurin resistance
Rapid spread
Fungicide treated vs. untreated soya in Brazil

Formulation Science – a key technology area
Example : Adjuvant can improve activity by :
increasing droplet spread - leaf uptake
Controlled Release
Immediate or extended action
No adjuvant With adjuvant

“ Seed enhancement system“ -> selected AI‘s in appropriate ratios -> seed technology (e.g. disinfection, priming, coating, pelleting) Seed Treatment Technology

Biotechnology provides powerful tools for seed innovation
Biotechnology - Transgenic crops
Introduces genes from other species e.g. insect resistance, vitamin content
Stacked traits
Precision breeding
Modern techniques improve efficiency and speed of conventional breeding
Traits native to species (drought tolerance, enhanced yield, disease resistance)
Usually complex multi-gene traits
Undifferentiated transformed plants under selection

Marker Assisted Trait Selection Early screening to reduce selection costs in germplasm improvement Healthy Diseased disease resistance marker ID’ed disease-resistant plants selected by markers DNA analysis of young plants

Meeting the demand for better food and more choice
Our technology enhances the flavor and nutritional content in food
Kumato tomatoes are among the tastiest and juiciest you can buy
Dulcinea seedless watermelon have great sweet watermelon flavor with less waste
Toscanella tomato are a direct response to consumer demand for a tastier high quality tomato

Agricultural output suffering from unsustainable water use Source: World Bank, World Development Report 2008, p. 183
Water stress indicator in major basins
Overexploited (more than 1.0)
Heavily exploited (0.8 to 1.0)
Moderately exploited (0.5 to 0.8)
Slightly exploited (0 to 0.5)
‘ Food supply’ bubble
~15-35% of irrigation unsustainable
Depletion of aquifers for growing demand
Local water scarcities
Wheat yields, China: minus ~23% in 8 yrs
Cotton area, Australia: minus ~30% in 2 yrs
Yellow River running dry on last 100 km: 1972: 15 days 1996: 133 days 1997: 226 days Lake Aral Only ~25% of original size Rio Grande failed to reach the Gulf of Mexico in 2001 for first time

Drought Tolerant Corn
M ultiple new trait constructs currently in field trials
Native traits and functional genomics
Several lead gene candidates with excellent drought tolerance

WHEAT: Invinsa delayed senescence in both stems/leaves and heads when applied at flag leaf and/or heading stage Control Invinsa Chemical approaches to crop enhancement Invinsa UTC Oil

What is Sustainable food production?
Strategies & Practices that promote the long term well being of the environment, society & the farming economy. To meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs*
*Brundtland Commission Definition of Sustainable Development Improved Productivity Sustainable farming Triple bottom line – Economic, Social, Environmental Environmental Protection Welfare of Rural Communities

What is in a typical carbon footprint? Conventional Corn (Iowa, Rain-fed, 175 bu/ac) Note : footprints can also be developed for water and other elements of sustainability ~3 lb C/bu

Modern technologies play an important role in sustainable production Lower Impact Higher Impact Eliminating tillage Decreasing fuel use Optimizing Fertilizer Practices Preventing Pest Losses Cover crops and N 2 O Emissions Reducing Pesticide Applications Managing biodiversity Using less water and pumping energy The primary impact of CP is enabling other improvements

Corn and soybean– nitrogen use efficiency and drought tolerance traits

Syngenta CP products help in Sustainable Ag Improved water use efficiency Improved nitrogen use efficiency Optimal water solubility f or high efficiency drip irrigation Improved vigor and drought tolerance Improved water use efficiency Source: Syngenta Soybeans Brazil Untreated Examples

Improving root growth Agrisure RW Isoline Bt corn rootworm resistance Cruiser seed treatment

Sustainability factors
Soil
Water
Energy
Waste
Productivity
Environment
Quantity & Quality Minimise use / Crop Footprint Minimise / Valorise as energy Economics / Reduce land use changes Fertility / Moisture / Erosion

Cover crop April Desiccated cover crop September Cover crop re-generated November Erosion on conventional plot September

Reduced methane production and water use in rice through no-till, hybrid rice and irrigation technology

Corn and Sugarcane ethanol efficiency improvement alpha-amylase Endogenous cellulase enzymes

Tropical sugarbeet in Sudan – new high yields in dry conditions

Protecting the environment …
Our products help:
farmers to adapt to changing climate conditions
to prevent soil erosion
to conserve water
To manage biodiversity locally
reduce the need to expand farmland into natural habitats

Summary – Meeting the global challenge
Technology is a critical component of the solution
What we need is here today; promise of more for the future
The question is, how can we deploy technology safely in sustainable agricultural systems locally?
Many problems to be overcome
Climate Change
Technophobia
Infrastructure, Policy, Regulation, Finance
Investment in creating a rural economy that sustains itself
Training – reinvigorating agricultural extension services
Effective Public Private Partnerships

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Technology solutions for global challenges

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