The Norwich Institute for Sustainable Development will focus on enabling farmers all over the world to build resilience to variability in rainfall, drought and other unpredictable weather events. The Institute has been launched with £750,000 of funding from the John Innes Foundation.
Research shows that yields of major staple foods including grains, fruits and vegetables are expected to decrease by 3-10% per degree change as a result of global warming.
Professor Nitya Rao, director for the new Institute, said: “This is the most critical issue facing the world today. If we don’t act now crop yields will continue to reduce and become more unreliable over time.
“People in the UK and across the world could soon see everyday foods like bread, cereals and tomatoes becoming more scarce and more expensive. This will affect those who are most vulnerable who may be unable to access adequate, nutritious and affordable food for themselves and their families.
“A key focus for us is to change the way we work – to make sure that innovations meet farmers’ needs around the world, supporting farming communities to make agriculture more resilient and supporting the world’s food supply.”
The Institute supports continued progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.