How microbes can increase food security in unpredictable times
The destabilizing impact of climate change
As human populations have increased across the globe scientists have noted a significant escalation in carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) gases. These aptly named ‘greenhouse gases’ have the ability to form an ‘atmospheric blanket’ that traps radiating heat from our earth. For millennia this ‘blanket’ has provided stable temperatures critical to our very existence. But as humans have evolved and industrialized we’ve altered a crucial atmospheric balance that has amplified this heat trap. What is coming out of it are some powerful and destructive atmospheric outcomes. Put simply, as heat is trapped in the atmosphere our air and ocean temperatures rise which in turn produce more intense weather patterns on a more frequent basis. Scientists have already recorded increases in the frequency and severity of intense rains, droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes, heat waves, cold waves and more. Farmers have always known stressful weather systems, but present-day frequencies are unprecedented in our agricultural history. |
How climate change impacts hunger and cultural stability
In the last 30 years the world has made a substantial reduction in global hunger, going from 980 million undernourished people to 850 million. Unfortunately, this momentum is at risk of being threatened by climate change. The change in rainfall patterns, as well as frequency and severity of heat, and extreme weather patterns will unequivocally destabilize food production systems in the coming years. When agricultural crops are assailed by intense weather cycles crop yields commonly decrease and unfortunately, those that are already living on the margins get affected the most. The simple fact is when people don’t have enough to eat it leads to instability, political unrest and human conflict. This worst-case scenario is currently adding to the biggest human migration crisis the world has ever seen. Climate resilient crops are a critical component of breaking this chain of disruption and peril. |
How microbes can mitigate the effects of climate change
Our crop treatment microbes originated roughly 400 million years ago; a very long time to cultivate a steadfast symbiotic relationship between microbe and plant. They have been specially selected for their dynamic ability to program plants to become climate resilient and capable of thriving during periods of water, temperature and chemical stress. This fact makes our microbes uniquely well suited to help crops adapt to the stresses of environmental climate change. We call this 'climate mitigation technology'. |
How we're using microbes to help growers in developing countries
Since 2016 we’ve undertaken field trials around the globe in order to better understand agricultural production in different soils, climate zones & cultures. We have collaborated with an array of growers in developed, and developing countries, to test our microbes on their local crops. We recognize that each growing location is unique in its physical make-up, potential stress conditions and available resources. We’re focused on developing the best ways to mitigate this broad range of challenges for local growers to help increase their crop yields. The results have been remarkable with farmers obtaining yield increases of 30-100% on a wide range of crops. In addition, the synergy in our fungal and bacterial products has allowed farmers to achieve higher crop yields with substantially reduced amounts of fertilizer. |
- Check out our history, field data and pictures of yield results in Ghana and India.