Each night, as many as 828 million people go to sleep with a hungry stomach, and around forty million face life-threatening levels of hunger, according to United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power.
During a session at the World Food Prize event in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, Power shared that there are already readily-available technologies helping agricultural production, but more investments are needed.
Aside from the GMO (Genetically modified organism) technology, there are already innovations like CRISPR gene editing, which "allow scientists to quickly and precisely introduce specific changes into a crop’s genome that don’t involve gene transfer,” Power explained.
From genetic engineering techniques to the latest AI-powered equipment, innovative technologies don't often reach smallholder farmers because of funding issues. However, governments and private institutions can address the disparity by supporting homegrown innovations. "Innovation that tailors new seeds to their environments, and builds trust with local farmers by showing them that taking risks on agricultural innovation pays off,” Power said.
Between 2008 and 2018, disasters from natural hazards alone cost developing countries more than $108 billion in crop damage and lost harvests, she added. The agriculture sector needs to step up and be more sustainable and resilient through innovative technology, though this will only be possible with the help of governments and private institutions.
“I urge government partners to invest in research and development within their own borders, to partner with private companies and nonprofits to bring new seeds to environments too often overlooked, and to develop regulations and policies that encourage the development of safe, cutting-edge agricultural innovation,” Power said.