Everything we produce in agriculture is constantly fighting off plagues. From insects, bacterial, fungal and virus infections. It is constantly under attack.
In crops on average farmers have to change to new varieties every 10 years. In some species it’s every 3-4.
Global warming is also making it much harder for agriculture. Higher temps = diseases come earlier in the season and last longer. Pest populations are not reduced as much over the winter.
We have also reached the limits of traditional breeding in many species for disease/pest resistances.
There is ways we can prevent the pending collapse but not without some massive investments, a complete overhaul of the laws, and fundamental changes in how we do agriculture.
mpox and bird flu are both out there evolving, and I remain a bit worried.
You want to really get worried?
Everything we produce in agriculture is constantly fighting off plagues. From insects, bacterial, fungal and virus infections. It is constantly under attack.
In crops on average farmers have to change to new varieties every 10 years. In some species it’s every 3-4.
Global warming is also making it much harder for agriculture. Higher temps = diseases come earlier in the season and last longer. Pest populations are not reduced as much over the winter.
We have also reached the limits of traditional breeding in many species for disease/pest resistances.
There is ways we can prevent the pending collapse but not without some massive investments, a complete overhaul of the laws, and fundamental changes in how we do agriculture.
Yes, I remain a bit worried. Today the WHO declared mpox a global health emergency