Urgent Increase in Public R&D Investment Needed to Sustain US Agriculture

A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences indicates a need for significant increases in public research investment in U.S. agriculture, estimating a 5% to 8% annual growth or an additional $2.2 billion to $3.8 billion per year to counteract climate change effects on productivity. The research underscores the need for urgency in addressing R&D funding to ensure sustainable agricultural practices through 2050.

Recent research underscores the urgency for significant increases in public sector funding for agricultural research in the United States to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on productivity. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals that an annual growth rate of 5% to 8% in research investments is necessary to sustain agricultural productivity through 2050. Alternatively, an incremental fixed investment of $2.2 billion to $3.8 billion per year would also alleviate the projected productivity decline due to climate change.

Senior author Ariel Ortiz-Bobea emphasizes the need for such investments, pointing out, “What we find is that we need a very steep growth rate – but it’s not unprecedented. We’ve seen the US step up in the past. We can do this, but the time is now.” The necessity for immediate action arises from the extended timelines intrinsic to agricultural research, which must be localized and subsequently adopted by farmers for effective implementation.

The researchers analyzed 50 years of data showing that temperature increases relate negatively to productivity, estimating that a rise of 3 degrees Celsius can yield declines exceeding 10%. They also emphasized that public R&D spending, which stands at approximately $5 billion, has stagnated after minimal growth rates from 1970 to 2000.

Ortiz-Bobea advocates for the required funding growth, noting, “The current environment is one where any public spending is seen as a waste, and obviously any use of taxpayer dollars should be assessed in a systematic way. But decades of research show that agricultural research has a very high return on investment for the country.”

The potential consequences of inadequate investment are severe, including declining agricultural productivity, increased dependence on foreign sources, and heightened environmental harm. The researchers highlight the distinctions between public and private R&D, clarifying that public investments yield broader benefits without the costs typically associated with private technology developments.

To sustain agricultural productivity amid the escalating challenges presented by climate change, a commitment to bolstered public R&D investments is critical. Ortiz-Bobea concludes, “We’ve done it before, so it’s about the will. This paper is about how bad climate change is but also the ability to do something about it.”

In summary, substantial increases in public sector research investment are imperative to combat declining agricultural productivity due to climate change. The study identifies a necessary annual growth of 5% to 8% or fixed additional funding ranging from $2.2 billion to $3.8 billion to maintain productivity levels. The call to action stresses both the urgency of addressing climate challenges and the proven high returns from agricultural research investments.

Original Source: www.technologynetworks.com