Dr. Patricio Arce discussed the challenges of ensuring food sustainability in the context of climate change. His research seeks to develop crops capable of adapting to water scarcity and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals.

In a new edition of Carver GlobalTalks by GAN, we were joined by Patricio Arce, PhD in Science with a specialization in Plant Genetics Engineering from the National Polytechnic Institute, Irapuato Unit, Mexico, and current Director of Applied Sciences
at the University Autónoma de Chile. With more than 30 years of experience, Dr. Arce is a renowned international expert in biotechnology, physiology, and plant molecular biology.

 
During his lecture entitled “Food sustainability in the context of climate change,” the specialist delved into the global outlook for 2050, when the world population will reach 10 billion people. He warned that “feeding that number of people will not be a trivial task” and noted that the planet's agricultural soils are declining, which will require doubling productivity. This challenge, he said, becomes even more complex in the midst of deforestation and changes in land use.

 
The expert warned that “places where arable land still exists will face serious problems due to water shortages,” stressing that “in Chile, we are working to produce food that can adapt to the climatic conditions that are going to intensify.”

 
Along these lines, he discussed some of his research, which focuses on seeking food sustainability under drought conditions, with the aim of ensuring food security. His work aims to identify the genes that allow plants to reduce their size and grow with
less water, a key strategy in the face of climate change and global water scarcity.

 
Finally, Dr. Arce emphasized that much of this research is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda, including combating climate change, promoting sustainable production and consumption patterns, and ending hunger.

 
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