Purdue Researcher: Innovation is Key to a More Sustainable Agriculture

"Feeding the world's growing population in a manner that doesn't compromise the needs of the next generation is a balancing act, but one that can be handled through innovation and environmental stewardship," said Purdue University agronomist Gebisa Ejeta. Ejeta was the recipient of the 2009 World Food Prize for his research in drought- and Striga-resistant sorghum varieties. Working in Sudan in the early 1980s, Ejeta developed Dura-1, the first ever commercial hybrid sorghum in Africa. The hybrid was resistant to drought and out-yielded traditional varieties by up to 150 percent.

"Sustainability is an important agenda because we have to pay attention to meeting the needs of today without compromising the needs of the future," Ejeta said. "It has everything to do with the stewardship of our natural resources, while at the same time effectively using those resources to meet the food and fiber needs of today's population."

Ejeta recognized the productivity of American agriculture and according to him, this productivity "may have brought about some neglect of our natural resources because of the overuse of inputs that have made agriculture so productive." The scientist, however, remains positive that the technology can provide the tools to be able to continue to produce enough food for the current population. "It can be done, and a lot of people are doing research toward that goal."

Visit http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/general/2010/100203EjetaSustainability.html for the complete story.