Super plants of the future grown in the US

Americas Now

Climate change is increasing the risk of hunger and the breakdown of the food system according to the World Food Program.  It is estimated that hunger and malnutrition could increase 20 percent by the year 2050. So what’s being done about it? 

Correspondent John Zarrella visits the Land Institute in Salina, Kansas to talk to research scientists about the agriculture of the future.

Founded in 1976 by Wes Jackson, the Land Institute uses life on the prairie as a model for developing new grains and plants. The quality of the soil is of utmost concern. At the Land Institute no chemical boost, like fertilizer or pesticides, is given to the soil or plants. This ensures the nutrients and natural organisms are not destroyed. As the Land Institutes website declares “We must stop treating soil like dirt.

Wes Jackson and his team are trying to create “perennial” grains verses “annual” grains. The hope of is to create the “Super Plants” of the future.

The procedure they follow is to allow nature to take its course and protect the soil. Current agricultural practices contribute to runoff and soil erosion.

It’s projected there will be 9 billion people on the planet by 2050.  To feed the world, the United Nations says overall food production will need to increase by 70 percent.

Join John Zarrella as he gets a behind-the-scenes look at how tomorrow’s “Super Crops” are being produced. It could change the way crops are grown.

https://landinstitute.org/
@johnzarrella 

Super plants remake how crops are grown in the U.S.

Correspondent John Zarrella visits the Land Institute in Salina, Kansas to talk to research scientists about the agriculture of the future. Founded in 1976 by Wes Jackson, the Land Institute uses life on the prairie as a model for developing new grains and plants. The quality of the soil is of utmost concern. At the Land Institute no chemical boost, like fertilizer or pesticides, is given to the soil or plants. This ensures the nutrients and natural organisms are not destroyed. As the Land Institutes website declares “We must stop treating soil like dirt.”