Are agricultural researchers working on the right crops to enable food and nutrition security under future climates?. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Manners, Rhys; van Etten, Jacob
• Is Part Of: Global environmental change. Volume 53(2018)
• Page Start: 182
• Page End: 194
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: Climate change -- Agriculture -- Crop science -- Research priority setting -- Food and nutrition security; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Human ecology -- Periodicals; Nature -- Effect of human beings on -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Politique gouvernementale -- Périodiques; Écologie humaine -- Périodiques; Homme -- Influence sur la nature -- Périodiques; Environmental policy; Human ecology; Nature -- Effect of human beings on; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 333.7
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2018.09.010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-3780

Abstract

Highlights: Current research investments are positively correlated with the energy output of crops. For crops with the same energy output, investment levels tend to be lower for crops that are better adapted to future climates and that contribute more to healthy human nutrition. Sweetpotato, potato, wheat, broad bean, and lentil are underresearched relative to their contribution to healthy human nutrition yet show promise under climate change. Reallocation and redistribution of research funds for potential climate change adaptation option for food and nutrition security needs urgent discussion. Abstract: This study examined how crop-specific agricultural research investments can be prioritised to anticipate climate change impact on crops and to enable the production of more nutritious food. We used a simple crop modelling approach to derive expected future changes in regional climate suitability for crops. To determine if different starch-rich and pulse crops are currently underresearched or overresearched, we examined the global relation between crop-specific research output (number of publications) and the total nutrient output available for human consumption. Our analysis shows that current research investments are mostly associated with the current energy output of crops. Other things equal, investment levels tend to be slightly lower for crops better adapted to future climates and tend to decrease as crop nutrient richness increases. Among starch-rich crops, maize, barley, and rice receive substantially more research investment than justified by their current nutrient output. Sweetpotato, potato, and wheat show substantial current research deficits. Sweetpotato is most strongly underresearched in regions with improving climate suitability. For potato, research deficits occur in regions where these crops will experience less suitable climate conditions. For wheat, the deficits are distributed equally across regions with negative and positive climate effects. Three crops are significantly over-researched, namely maize, rice, and barley. Among pulses, cowpea, and lupin are generally overresearched. Common bean is highly underresearched, but these deficits concentrate in areas where it will likely suffer from climate change. Lentil, broad bean, and chickpea are underresearched, with deficits concentrating in regions where these crops will tend to benefit from future climates. Agricultural research investment allocations will need to consider additional factors not taken into account in this study, but our findings suggest that current allocations need reconsideration to support climate adaptation and enhance healthy human nutrition.