Will Technology Feed a Warming World?

thivest.com:

• by Aid for Africa

A recent blog noted that climate change will negatively affect African agriculture, particularly production of the most important staple crops– millet, cassava, rice (West Africa), maize, bananas and plantains. More than 70 percent of the world’s cocoa is also threatened. As the earth warms, weather patterns shift, causing droughts and floods that threaten agriculture. Scientists and farmers alike are looking for ways to ensure that food production keeps pace with need under these circumstances.

While many pin their hopes on technology, others suggest there are limits to how much agricultural technology — drought-tolerant seeds, for instance — will help. Mark Hertsgaard of Slate.com examined this question and found that “better seeds alone” are not the answer. Instead, feeding the world under climate change will require a broader strategy........  more