It’s 2050. The global population has increased to nearly 10 billion, and while we’re still working to ensure every person on the planet has the opportunity to live their best life, we have eliminated one of humanity’s oldest foes: tonight, no one will go to bed hungry. Here’s how we’ll (maybe) do it.

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New breeding techniques

While genetically engineered foods aren’t brand new, new breeding techniques (NBTs) like CRISPR are making it easier for scientists to manipulate the genomes of crops in ways that make them more resilient toward climate change.

Precision agriculture

While new breeding techniques can make crops more climate-resilient, a trend called “precision agriculture” is improving farming itself, using everything from drones and robots to AI and GPS.

The core idea behind precision agriculture is that farmers can use data to make smarter decisions about how they use water, pesticides, and other inputs — this can increase a farm’s efficiency and crop yields, even in the face of a changing climate.

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Biologicals

While precision agriculture can help farmers be more deliberate with their use of fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals, another growing trend — the use of biologicals — could reduce the need for them altogether, helping make farming more sustainable without affecting outputs.

Biologicals are farming products that contain natural ingredients, such as plant extracts, living microbes, and even insect pheromones. Some are designed to protect crops from pests and other threats, while the goal of others is to encourage plant growth.

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