Nobel and World Food Prize Laureates highlight the urgency of innovation to meet future food needs

More than 150 Nobel and World Food Prize Laureates have issued a public letter calling for urgent global action to address the growing hunger crisis and develop transformative solutions to secure future food supplies. The appeal emphasizes the need for significant investment in agricultural research to feed a projected 9.7 billion people by 2050.

The open letter, endorsed by 153 leading thinkers and experts, warns of a “tragic mismatch” between global food supply and demand. It highlights how climate change, conflict, and resource degradation are exacerbating food insecurity, leaving humanity at risk of an “even more food insecure and unstable world” within the next 25 years.

The appeal, spearheaded by Cary Fowler, a 2024 World Food Prize Laureate and outgoing U.S. Special Envoy for Global Food Security, stresses the need for ambitious, science-driven approaches to address this challenge. “With 700 million food-insecure people today and global population growth expected to add another 1.5 billion mouths to feed, the world is not on track to meet future food needs,” Fowler stated. “Agricultural research and innovation must be a central lever for ensuring food security, improving health, and fostering economic development.”

The letter outlines several scientific advancements with the potential to significantly boost food production despite the mounting challenges. Key areas of focus include improving photosynthesis in staple crops like wheat and rice, developing cereals capable of sourcing nitrogen without fertilizers, and increasing research into indigenous crops with higher nutritional value and resilience.

Another priority is enhancing food storage and reducing post-harvest losses, particularly for fruits and vegetables. The signatories also call for greater exploration into using microorganisms and fungi to create nutrient-rich food sources.

“This is an ‘Inconvenient Truth’ moment for global hunger,” commented Mashal Husain, incoming president of the World Food Prize Foundation. “If we can put a man on the moon, we can certainly marshal the resources and collaboration needed to address food insecurity here on Earth. The scientific community has the tools to deliver these breakthroughs, but we need urgent financial and political support to make it happen.”

The laureates highlight the disproportionate burden of climate change on regions such as Africa, where food production is already under threat. Rising temperatures and erratic weather patterns are predicted to drastically reduce yields of staple crops like maize, leaving populations in these areas particularly vulnerable.

Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank and a 2017 World Food Prize Laureate, emphasized the urgency of addressing these inequalities. “In low-income countries, productivity needs to almost double by 2050 compared to 1990 levels, yet it is likely to rise by less than half. The stark reality is that we have just 25 years to change this trajectory.”

The letter calls on governments, international organizations, and the private sector to prioritize agricultural research as a critical component of addressing hunger. The signatories argue that sustained investment, particularly in regions most at risk, can drive a new wave of innovation similar to the Green Revolution of the mid-20th century.

Brian Schmidt, a 2011 Nobel Laureate in Physics, underscored the solvable nature of the issue: “This is a relatively inexpensive problem to address, with enormous benefits for all of humanity. Investment in agricultural research today will help avert crises tomorrow.”

The appeal will be discussed at the 'Agricultural R&D Moonshot: Bolstering U.S. National Security' event in Washington, D.C., followed by a webinar on 16 January. The laureates hope these discussions will inspire decisive action and mobilize resources to address the pressing issue of global hunger.

As the international community grapples with the twin challenges of feeding a growing population and combating climate change, this call for a collaborative, science-driven response underscores the critical need for immediate action to secure a sustainable and equitable food future.