Unlocking Genetic Diversity: The Future of Food Security

Global food security faces severe challenges due to wars, inflation, and climate changes. The solution lies in developing crops with enhanced genetic diversity through pangenomics, incorporating traits from both domesticated plants and their wild relatives. This innovative approach promises resilience against future environmental stresses and ensures a stable food supply.

Food security is becoming a monumental global challenge, exacerbated by conflicts, inflation, and extreme weather. Basic food prices such as eggs and vegetables have shot up, highlighting the issue's severity.

More than half the world's nations now report food price inflation surpassing overall inflation, emphasizing the need for increased crop production. Yet, given challenges like flash droughts and plant diseases, traditional agricultural methods fall short.

A promising solution lies in pangenomics, which taps into the full genetic potential of crop species by incorporating genes from both domesticated varieties and their wild relatives. This approach, known as the "super-pangenome," could be key to developing resilient crops that can withstand future environmental pressures.

(With inputs from agencies.)