Soy in Feed the Future:Promise and Challenge

Rob Bertram U.S. Agency for International Development

The Global Challenge

About 870 million people suffer from chronic hunger

More than 3.5 million children die from undernutrition each year

The world’s population will increase to more than 9 billion by 2050Food production will have to increase by 60% by 2050 to feed the world

Agricultural production will be significantly impacted by climate change

Food price spikes and volatility

Global cereal prices (US$/ton) Projected changes in global agricultural commodity prices, 2010-2050

0% 20% 40% 60%

Maize

Pork

Poultry

Rapeseed

Wheat

Rice

Soybean

Beef

Milk

Lamb

0

200

400

600

800 MaizeWheatRice

Source: Data from FAO 2014Source: Rosegrant et al. 2013

Notes: The changes are calculated assuming current policies are maintained

Gra

inY

ield

(kg

ha)

EXPECTED DEMAND ON EXISTING FARM LAND! source: FAOSTAT

Year

1966 1976 1986 1996 2006

2000

4000

3000

Maize Yieldy = 2260 + 62.5xr2 = 0.94

Rice Yieldy = 2097 + 53.5xr2 = 0.98

Wheat Yieldy = 1373 + 40.1xr2 = 0.97

1000

Global Cereal Yield Trends, 1966-20065000

THESE RATES OF INCREASE ARE NOT FAST ENOUGH TO MEET

+2.8%

+1.3%

Challenges• Climate change• Water scarcity• Biofuel demand• Income• Population growth

Growing threats to:• Land • Water• Environmental preservation • Biodiversity

Enhanced investment in agricultural research + technological change Game-changer for productivity and food security

Lack sufficient knowledge on• Disaggregated impacts of specific technologies by country • Agroclimatic zone

Source: IFPRI

Higher food prices

Business as Usual: Challenges and Threats = Continued Scarcity

1. Help farmers produce more

2. Help farmers get more food to market

3. Support Research & Development to improve smallholder agriculture in a changing climate

4. Strengthen Regional Trade

5. Create a better Policy Environment

6. Improve Access to Nutritious Food and Nutrition Services

What Does Feed the Future Do?

• Advancing the productivity frontier• Transforming key production systems• Improving nutrition and food safety

Three research themes:

• Indo-gangetic plains in South Asia• Sudano-sahelien systems in West

Africa• Maize-mixed systems in East and

Southern Africa• Ethiopian highlands

Anchored by key geographies:

Overarching Goal Emerged: Sustainable Intensification

FTF Research Strategy

USAID Food Security Research Program Areas

8

3 Major Research Programs

IntegratedCross-Cutting Programs

Program anchoring research in key farmingsystems

Program for Safe and Nutritious Foods

Program for PolicyResearch and Support

Program for Human and Institutional Capacity Building 8

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Washington State University Climate Resilient Wheat

Colorado State University Adapting Livestock Systems

to Climate Change

Oregon State University Aquaculture & Fisheries

University of California, Riverside Climate Resilient

Cowpea

University of California, Davis Assets & Market Access Climate Resilient Chickpea Climate Resilient Millet Genomics to Improve

Poultry Horticulture

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Soybean Value Chain Research

Michigan State University Grain Legumes Food Security Policy

Tufts University Nutrition

The Pennsylvania State University Climate Resilient

Beans

University of Texas, El Paso Rift Valley Fever Control in

Agriculture

Kansas State University Applied Wheat Genomics Reduction of Post-Harvest Loss Sorghum & Millet Sustainable Intensification

Texas A&M University Small Scale Irrigation

University of Georgia Climate Resilient

Sorghum Peanut Productivity &

Mycotoxin Control

Virginia Polytechnic and State University Integrated Pest

Management

★ Lead Institution • Collaborating Institution

•Puerto RicoHawaii

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Feed the Future Innovation Labs

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Purdue University Food Processing &

Post-Harvest Handling

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Soybean Value Chain Research

Why Soybean?Soybean is the fastest growing agricultural crop over

the last 20 years, expanding at a rate of 8% per yearSoy is grown in over 85 countries on a total of almost

100 million hectaresThis impressive growth has occurred despite being a

non-native crop in 94% of regions currently producing soybeanRecent expansion has occurred in the lower latitude

regions of the world where food insecurity rates and poverty rates are highest and where poor populations are often deficient in protein consumption

The dramatic rise of soybean in global agriculture can be attributed to: the nutritional value it offers users given its

high protein and oil content, and the economic benefits it provides farmers

by being both a highly productive and profitable crop. dietary shifts towards livestock and poultry semi tropical and tropical production systems supports soil fertility enhancement through

legume-based nitrogen fixation--rotations

Benefits of Soybean

Goal: Help African farmers participate in the soy revolution

• Global Farmer Soybean Revenue– $126,000,000,000

• African Farmer Soybean Revenue– $1,012,500,000 (.8%)

• African Farmer Soybean Revenue (ex-South Africa)– $610,000,000 (.48%)

• The driver is poultry feed (also pork, aquaculture)

• Soybean is a proven powerful driver of rural economic development and malnutrition reduction– Very high human development indices in

districts where soybean is grown

• Soybean meal has long been considered the best source of supplemental protein in diets for poultry and swine.

• Soybean meal is by far the most widely used protein source in the USA and throughout the world

• Aquaculture—replacing fishmeal in fish feeds

Animal Feed

What is Feed the Future Innovation lab for Soy Value Chain Research? A consortium of leading soybean researchers in the

U.S. and Africa with the support of local research partners have designed the Foundations for Soybean in Africa Project The approach of the Foundations Project is based on

four research pillars (I) Genetic Improvement (II) Enhanced Crop Productivity and Quality (III) Nutrition (IV) Value Chains and Socio-Economic Research

Soybean Value Chain Lab: Univ. Illinois-led Consortium

These four pillars comprise the essential components of sustained production improved household nutritionsustainable market linkages for smallholder

farmersThe Foundations Project’s architecture is based on a

novel SMART Farm concept (Soybean Management with Appropriate Research and Technology) as its platformhttp://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/

Where we work: African countries where soybean emerging

Foundations for Soybean Research

1. Plant Breeding and Germplasm Development

2. Seed and Grain quality and storage

3. Plant Breeding education and training

4. Production and Agronomics

5. Human nutrition6. Livestock nutrition7. Gender Implications8. The Economics of Value

Chains9. Environmental Impact

1. Drs. Diers and Nelson, UI– Crop sciences

2. Drs. Bilyeu and Clark, UM– Crop sciences

3. Dr. Mumm, UI– Plant Breeding Center

4. Drs. Reynolds and Awuni, MSU– Crop sciences

5. Drs. Gundersen and Nash, UI– Human Nutrition

6. Dr. Lacy, UG– Poultry Nutrition

7. Drs. Ragsdale and Peterson, MSU– Sociology and Anthropology

8. Dr. Findeis, UM– Economics

9. Dr. Guest, UI Env. Engineering

Soy Innovation Lab: Addressing critical needs for smallholders

• Established a SMART farm in Ghana– Soybean Management with Appropriate Research and

Technology– Production, agronomic, and varietal testing station

• Varietal Improvement Program for Soybeans– Working with IITA and NARs to establish a coordinated

continuous and transparent varietal testing program• Masters degree in Soybean Breeding

– University of Ghana and West African Center for Crop Improvement

• Development of a low processing soybean– Increases household utilization by reducing labor and

energy costs

Filling gaps for a sound foundation for smallholders

• Technical support and germplasm exchange NARs – Direct technical advisory partnerships

• Bradyrhizobia persistence in tropical soils • Soybean seed germination evaluation • Poultry Nutrition Centers

– Local processing, marketing and utilization of meal• The environmental impact of soybean production • Smallholder adoption, gender, and economics• Soy Cows and Vitagoats for human nutrition and

entrepreneurship • Tropical Soybean Information Portal (TSIP)

What are the benefits of Soybean Innovation lab to US Soy producers

1) Foster market demand for soy in Africa

2) Increased understanding/awareness of biotechnology based crop improvements

3) US-friendly industry standards established

Please See our Feed the Future Website

Thank You!www.feedthefuture.gov