The Future of Agriscience is Bright

Transcription

1 The Future of Agriscience is Bright Briana Young Introduction Agriscience involves the use of technology and science to improve the production, nutritional value and quality of the food we eat. The cornerstone of agriscience is biology. Agriscience is being used to develop drought resistant seeds to enable people living in dry environments to grow food. It is also being used to help protect countries from bioterrorist attacks. For example, in the field of biodefense, scientists are developing methods for detecting toxic pathogens in food before it enters the food supply chain. Agriscience allows a scientist to delve into a variety of interrelated disciplines. For example, a person studying hydroponics must understand water chemistry and how nutrients can be absorbed by roots in water rather than in soil. The field of agriscience is linked to the conservation of the broader ecosystem. For example, farmers are working with agricultural scientists to develop pesticides that do not damage crops or cause harm to wildlife (e.g. birds, deer). There Are Too Many Hungry People in the World The world's current population is nearly 7 billion people. By 2020, it is expected that the world's population will grow to over 9 billion people. This is a problem because the global food system can not meet future demand. Food is scare in many countries. According to the United Nations World Food Program, about 1 billion people do not have enough food to eat. Many people living Page 1 of 5

2 in developing countries, such as Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cambodia are among the world's most malnourished (Figure 1). According to a 2010 report from the UN Food and Agricultural Organization, nearly 239 Million people living in Sub Saharan Africa are malnourished. From 2005 to 2009 there was an increase in the number of hungry people around the world (Figure 2). Figure 1. Number of Hungry People-2010 Figure 2.Number of hungry people, Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is the most lethal form of hunger. It is basically a lack of calories and protein. Protein is necessary for key body functions including provision of essential amino acids and development and maintenance of muscles. On average, Americans consume 2,500 calories per day, while an average Ethiopian only gets about 800 calories per day. Page 2 of 5

3 The Way Forward: AgriScience to the Rescue Agriculture is the most powerful business because farmers produce the food we eat everyday. You just don't have to be a farmer to make money in the agricultural business, you can do a variety of jobs such as being a agronomist, an irrigation manager or a food scientist. An agronomist is a plant and soil scientist that focuses on improving the process of growing agricultural crops, while an irrigation manager ensures that the crop fields are getting enough water and nutrients. A food scientist monitors food production and ensures that the food-making process is working correctly. They also spend time analyzing food to determine the amount of nutrients, sugars, vitamins and fats in them. This information is used by manufacturers for printing nutrient information on food labels. The average salary of an agromnist is $51,200 per year, an irrigation manager's average annual salary is $46,000, while the average annual salary for a food scientist is $64,209 per year. There a large number of companies involved in agribusiness. Some of the companies involved in crop seed science are Monsanto and Cargill. Major stakeholders in the farm equipment business include John Deere and Speeco Ltd. Some of the companies involved in food processing are Sarah Lee, Kellogg Cereal, and General Mills. My Internship Experience at Michigan State University-The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) During the summer of 2012 I participated in the Multicultural Apprenticeship Program (MAP) at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. MAP is a 6-week program within the College of Agricultural and Natural Resources. During my time on campus I worked in the Page 3 of 5

4 Department of Horticulture. I was supervised by Dr. Han, Chair of the Department of Horticulture and Department of Forestry. While on campus I conducted research to better understand plant genetics. My lab work focused on culturing and growing plant tissue from the Arabidopsis plant in a petri dish. The Arabidopsis plant is a small flowering plant that is widely used in plant biology. It takes six weeks for the plant to grow. Arabidopsis is a member of the mustard (Brassicaceae) family, which includes cultivated species such as cabbage and radish. It is a good plant to study genetics because it has one of the smallest genomes in the plant kingdom. Approximately 115 Mb of the 125 Mb genome has been sequenced and annotated. I used Murashige and Skoog media to culture and clone my Arabidopsis plant. The experience at Michigan State University provided me with many benefits. It increased my understanding of cell biology and plant genetics. It allowed me to get additional research experience outside of Ecotek Lab. It also helped me to be more mature and responsible. With my experience at Michigan State University, I believe that I am positioned to be a part of the bright future in agriscience. Page 4 of 5

5 References 1. U.S. Drought 2012: Farm and Food Impacts 2. Improving Information On Women's Contribution To Agricultural Production For Gender- Sensitive Planning-Project Findings And Recommendations 3. Lessons from Hanoi: The Imperative of Implementing Climate-Smart Agriculture 4. Average Irrigation Manager Salaries 5. Model Organism for Biomedical Research 6. Agricultural Literacy World Hunger and Poverty Facts and Statistics Page 5 of 5