The Sun (Yuma, AZ)(KRT)—March 16, 2008—Today’s researchers are already working to solve tomorrow’s challenges for agriculture, assured the keynote speaker to a gathering of the agriculture community.

“How to produce more with less” was the message brought by Hugh Grant, chairman, president and CEO of Monsanto, during the 2008 Southwest Ag Summit. Thursday’s event, in its second year, was attended by about 700 people.

“In the next 40 years, there will be twice the demand for food in the world,” predicted Grant.

Taking an apple and asking his audience to perceive it as the globe, he proceeded to cut it into ever smaller pieces, laying aside all but a small slice to represent the parts of the world covered with oceans and mountains, places too cold or too hot or covered over with houses—all unavailable for crop production.

That leaves 1/32nd of the globe to feed the entire world, Grant said. He then peeled the slice to represent the top soil, noting that it takes 100 years to make 1 inch of that critical resource.

“We’re growing a lot of stuff on this tiny sliver,” he said. “A few years ago, the apple was bigger and the peel thicker. That tiny sliver we need to grow more food probably will be thinner and more fragile. The challenge for our industry is how to produce more with less.”

Add to that the challenge of not enough water coupled with the shift in climates, he said.

Not only will there be more mouths to feed, Grant said, but a rapidly growing middle class in such heavily populated countries as China and India are wanting more for dinner than rice and fish. As their lifestyle improves, they’re wanting bread, meat and fresh fruits vegetables—all of which take more resources to produce.

That’s a challenge Grant is optimistic can be met.

Three elements will make a difference, he said: seed development, relationships and learning from the past.

Seed development is where Monsanto comes in, Grant said, explaining that the company is investing $2 million a day to look for and bring to market innovative technologies—new seed that produces higher yields with less water and containing more nutrition.

“You’re looking for the next generation, we’re looking toward new technology.”

A major breakthrough in seed research is being achieved as scientists unlock the mysteries of plants—the “street map” to their genetic makeup, he said. Those street maps will enable researchers to find and breed the desirable characteristics of new varieties.

“With the street maps, we won’t need to ask for directions. We’ll know where we’re going.”

Developing relationships will be as critical as developing new seed varieties, Grant said, and will take as long.

“The more complex technology becomes, the higher premium for relationships. No one company will be able to figure this out.”

Equally important are relationships with consumers who are driving demand for products, he said. “Agriculture isn’t just farming anymore. More and more it’s listening to consumers … their wants and needs and concerns. And building their trust.”

It’s also important to learn from the past, Grant said, acknowledging that Monsanto made mistakes when it first introduced bioengineered crops.

“We will be careful with biotechs. I don’t think the world is ready for it.”

He expects that will change as consumers see the advantages of bioengineered crops.

Already, he said, several countries are embracing it as the answer to increasing yields to feed their hungry people. At last count, 23 countries are growing biotech crops, from a 2-acre cotton farmer in India to a 700-acre farmer in the Mississippi Delta. China even has its own research program.

“I don’t think any other industry faces such challenges,” Grant said. “But I’m optimistic we’ll be able to do more with less.”

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