Climate change is an important risk factor for food production and development. According to the World Bank’s World Development Report 2008, increasing crop failures and livestock deaths are already imposing high economic losses and undermining food security in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, and they could get more severe as global warming continues. By 2025, it is estimated that about 1.8 billion people will be living in regions with absolute water scarcity. In the face of this pressing need around the globe, biotechnology offers solutions to help farmers address changing weather patterns.

Drought-tolerant and water-efficient crops can provide higher yields while saving precious water resources and protecting the environment. Drought-tolerant crown is expected to be widely available as early as 2012. Plants with improved nitrogen use efficiency will reduce the need for added fertilizer, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Plus, new biotech crops are being developed to tolerate salinity, heat and provide yield stability in extremely wet climates.

Conservation agriculture techniques made possible by biotech crops are another tool to help mitigate climate change. This farming practice prevents wind and water erosion and loss of ground moisture, improves soil biodiversity, increases soil fertility, and reduces carbon emissions. In 2007 alone, greenhouse gas emission reductions from the use of biotech crops were equivalent to removing nearly 6.3 million cars from the road for one year.