There is a growing need to produce food on less land.
Scientists now estimate that world food production will need to double by 2050.
Over the last decade, the world's population has grown 13pc and diets have become richer, while farmers have met increased needs with only 6pc more land.
Meanwhile, global incomes have risen 35pc. Growth in world meat consumption increased 25pc, growth in corn consumption increased 32pc and growth in soybean consumption grew 59pc.
Global productivity has increased exponentially. In the US, for example, domestic farmers now produce four times more corn than in 1930 on one-third less land.
Since 1981, global corn yields have increased 56pc, while land use has only increased 9.8pc. This has essentially created 150 million "virtual acres". As the figure shows, many developing countries have the opportunity to double or even triple production.
Asia and Africa have the highest population growth rate in the world, making it difficult to maintain adequate food supplies.
Still, in the past two decades, agricultural productivity has stagnated or even declined in many countries in those regions for many reasons, including low soil fertility, poor seed varieties, shortage of arable land, inadequate rainfall and an abundance of pests and diseases.
While some countries have embraced agricultural biotechnology to improve crops and yields, many have not.
In addition, lack of infrastructure prevents global productivity gains. This includes poor transportation, storage, land use and water control. It also includes soft infrastructure such as government policy, property rights, market news and information.
Other setbacks in developing countries include a lack of modern equipment, credit and insurance.
Innovation at work
The Alliance for Abundant Food & Energy is one group that is helping support innovation. Its four founding members - Monsanto, DuPont, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and Deere & Co. - believe that through innovation, today's farmers can meet the growing global demand for both food and energy.
Many agricultural innovations remain unknown today, with behind-the-scenes work helping to advance agriculture domestically and globally, explained Mark Kornblau, executive director of the alliance.
The founding members have made important innovations throughout the agricultural process, including seeds that yield more per acre, tractors that use global positioning system technology to avoid reseeding rows and processing techniques that allow the industry to make even more from a simple grain of corn.
At the same time, these companies have sought to share their advances with farmers through donations and training programs in the US and worldwide.
Biotech seed provider Monsanto is developing new maize varieties that are more water efficient and drought tolerant for farmers in Africa. Through a public/private partnership with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation, Water Efficient Maize for Africa was formed in response to a growing call to address the devastating effects of drought on small-scale farmers and their families. Frequent droughts lead to crop failure, hunger and poverty.
DuPont, the parent company of Pioneer Hi-Bred, is introducing better-quality seeds in areas such as West Africa and Indonesia. Its particular focus is on commercial maize hybrids to boost productivity in the region. Simply switching from open-pollinated varieties of corn to hybrid seed can quadruple yields on the same land.
Innovation often begins with education. ADM is working with Ivory Coast farmers to attend field schools in order to learn the most advanced farming techniques.
The John Deere Foundation is supporting long-term development and sustainable approaches to help eliminate hunger through its Solutions for World Hunger. As part of the program, the foundation established a relationship with KickStart, a nonprofit organization that helps farmers in Kenya, Tanzania and Mali get out of poverty.
Future needs
Kornblau explained that the agriculture industry can't advance innovation on its own. The Alliance for Abundant Food & Energy is calling on the US government to reorganise, refocus and adequately fund its foreign agricultural economic development efforts.
This includes creating a high-level role in government to coordinate and oversee efforts among various organisations with agricultural development activities. It also calls for making agricultural development a higher priority for US government organisations conducting economic development activities.
In addition, the US needs to provide assistance in developing nations for improving infrastructure that supports agriculture, such as farm-to-market roads, storage facilities, water control, shipping, etc., along with farmer extension programs and improved market information, Kornblau explained.
The alliance is also calling on a coordinated and expedited sharing of scientific and agricultural market information with developing countries, facilitated by land-grant university counterpart partnerships and counterpart collaborations with the US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service.
Importantly, a massive expansion of research and development is needed domestically and abroad.
Here's the point
Don't dismiss the incredible, innovative nature of today's farmers in their drive to meet a growing world population's needs for food and fuel.
According to the Alliance for Abundant Food & Energy, more than 75pc of the public believes in encouraging innovation in farming in the developing world so there are more crops for food and energy globally. In addition, more than 70pc believe that if done properly, agricultural sources can be effectively used as both energy and food.
Many agribusinesses are already stepping up to the plate to help developing countries grow more food on less land. In addition, through collaborations such as the Alliance for Abundant Food & Energy, companies are calling on the government to reinvest and refocus funding efforts on foreign agricultural economic development activities.
Moving forward, it is important to continue investing in increasing global production while also conserving the land currently in production. World governments, as well as private and public partners, will play a crucial role.
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