The reliance of the world on four main crops is an inherent weakness in humanity’s response to climate change and the need to maintain optimal levels of biodiversity at a global level.
This is the strongly held view of University of Oxford academic, Dr. Nicola Ranger, who recently gave the 2025 George Scott Memorial Lecture at Queen’s University Belfast.
The four ‘breadbasket’ crops are wheat, maize, rice and soya beans.
According to Dr. Ranger, the continuing threat posed by the degradation of nature and the reduction in biodiversity around the world could act to severely limit mankind’s ability to feed itself into the future.
Currently, the four breadbasket crops account for 90% of the food calories consumed by populations around the world.
One obvious response to this threat would be to expand the range of food crops grown globally, which Dr. Ranger pointed out was the case 100 years ago.
Significantly, she also expects climate change to act in ways that will move the geographic focus of the world’s food production systems to more northerly latitudes.
Climate change
Dr. Ranger also believes that food crops can be grown more sustainably and in ways that do not increase their cost to the consumer.
But she said that making this happen will require the combined efforts of farmers, food processers, governments, and communities, all committed to the development of more sustainable food production systems.
With trade being a vital part of the UK economy, Dr. Ranger recognises that the country is extremely exposed to breakdowns in the global food production and supply systems.
Given this reality, the Oxford academic points to the need for an assessment of what currently constitutes ‘food security’ within the UK.
This was a point specifically referenced by Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) president, William Irvine, who attended the lecture.
Food security
According to Dr, Ranger, nature underpins human existence.
She pointed out that natural capital underpins a very high proportion of the entire economic risk that confronts all countries. And the UK is no different in this regard.
The Oxford academic cited water quality as being one of the most significant nature-based risk factors now confronting many countries around the world amid climate change.
And she said it will take significant financial investment to successfully address this challenge.
Poor air quality and the impact of pollutants on natural systems is another challenge in a growing number of countries.
The Oxford academic also pointed out that natural systems, when working in harmony, represent the world’s line of defence when it comes to mitigating the impact of floods and other natural disasters.
Meanwhile, she emphasised that healthy soils are at the very heart of sustainable food production systems.
