
Show Notes
With rising temperatures and shifting climates imperilling our crops, the food chain – from planting to consumer – is under threat. This could lead to higher food prices, poor nutrition, hunger and migration. Alisha is in conversation with Professor Ruth Defries, a global expert in ecology and sustainable development, to discuss how the world has become reliant on a small number of crops such as corn and rice, leaving us in a vulnerable position if these staples do not grow well as the planet heats. So how can we encourage climate resilience through crop diversity? They hear from a multi-country research project which is exploring whether indigenous crops could hold the key to creating more sustainable food systems, and meet a South African farmer who is helping keep these old growing traditions alive.
More from When Science Finds a Way
When we say we trust science, what are we actually trusting it to do? And who gets a say in where it goes next?
How much do people around the world trust in science? How has that trust changed since 2018?
We may think of carbon dioxide as the main culprit in climate change, but could tackling "super pollutants" provide an emergency brake for global warming?
Tuberculosis has been with us so long that traces appear in mummies. But today, the challenge is different: how do we respond to TB that's resistant to modern drugs?
We know how extreme heat impacts us physically, but science is still uncovering its effects on mental health.