{"id":11459,"date":"2016-11-04T13:09:02","date_gmt":"2016-11-04T17:09:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/monsanto-will-help-lead-the-battle-against-climate-change\/"},"modified":"2016-11-04T13:11:58","modified_gmt":"2016-11-04T17:11:58","slug":"monsanto-will-help-lead-the-battle-against-climate-change","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/monsanto-will-help-lead-the-battle-against-climate-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Monsanto will help lead the battle against climate change"},"content":{"rendered":"

Climate Change on Agriculture<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The effects of climate change on the global agricultural industry can no longer be ignored.\u00a0 Drought, changing wind patterns, and destructive weather events over the past decade have contributed to roughly a 30% reduction in crop yields. (1)\u00a0 Like productivity and efficiency in a manufacturing process, crops have many factors that affect its year to year yield.\u00a0\u00a0 There are harder to control environmental aspects such as temperature and moisture supply, but also the threat of insects and weeds destroying the crop.\u00a0 Figure 1 below illustrates a variety of sources that can affect a crop\u2019s yield.<\/p>\n

\"yield\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Figure 1: Sources of Yield Variability (2)<\/p>\n

The Monsanto Company (referred to as Monsanto) has specialized in the production of genetically modified seeds, also known as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).\u00a0 GMOs have improved crop yields for farmers not only by increasing the number of fruit that the plant produces but also by engineering the plant to be more resilient to pest and weed infestations. (3)\u00a0 According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the increase in world population is outpacing the improvement in crop yield by roughly 50% (4).\u00a0 In light of this gap, the agricultural industry has an immediate need for scientific innovation to offset this future food supply and demand gap.<\/p>\n

Monsanto can\u2019t have its Cake and Eat it too!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

As of December 2015, Monsanto began to campaign its model for a \u201cCarbon Neutral Crop Production\u201d (CNCP) that incentivizes farmers to adopt a new process for crop production management that will in theory, reduce agriculture\u2019s carbon footprint to zero.\u00a0 The CNCP crop production management system is comprised of three key areas which includes seed production, crop protection, and sharing data, all of which are services that Monsanto provides to the consumer. (5)\u00a0 Unfortunately, seed production, also defined by Monsanto as \u201cplant biotechnology\u201d or GMOs, and crop protection (use of herbicides and pesticides) have been areas of large public debate.\u00a0 Figure 2 below is a survey conducted in 2014 by the Pew Survey Center showing that 57% of adults in the United States still find that GMOs are \u201cGenerally Unsafe.\u201d (6)<\/p>\n

\"survey\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Figure 2: Safety of GMO\u2019s Perceived by the United States Public (6)<\/p>\n

As for crop protection, Monsanto has generated several large headlines in the news over the past few decades, and most recently has been battling California over their plan to add glyphosate, a main ingredient in the company\u2019s herbicide, to the list of known carcinogens. (7)<\/p>\n

Monsanto\u2019s CNCP plan forces the end consumer of the food to decide between two things: protect your health by selecting organic produce or do you choose GMO or reduce the industry\u2019s carbon footprint by selecting herbicide treated crops.\u00a0 At this point, Monsanto can\u2019t have it both ways.\u00a0 With such negative publicity for its products, the company is unable to satisfy both needs, thus ultimately hurting\u00a0you, the future growing population, and the climate.<\/p>\n

Monsanto\u2019s Change for Climate Change<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Monsanto has the technology and workforce (roughly 20,000 employees) that can innovate new crops to withstand the effects of climate change and ultimately feed the growing population.\u00a0 Monsanto\u2019s current GMO seed Research and Development (R&D) pipeline focuses on weed resistant plants rather than addressing the climate change concerns of the farmers. (8) With the need for plants to adapt to the lack of water supply and rising temperatures, Monsanto should focus its R&D efforts on creating GMO crops that can handle a versatile climate.\u00a0 In addition to its R&D pipeline, Monsanto needs to focus its efforts on repairing the image of GMO products.\u00a0 A prime example of the public\u2019s disdain for GMO products is Golden Rice. \u00a0Golden Rice (Figure 3 below) has generated quite a bit of publicity due to its ability to reduce blindness and death in the developing world by providing people with Vitamin-A. However, Greenpeace is attempting to block this life-saving crop from being grown. (9)<\/p>\n

\"golden-rice\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Figure 3: Golden Rice compared to White Rice (10)<\/p>\n

In addition to the revitalization of GMO seed production, Monsanto has partnered with Novozymes to harvest and develop naturally occurring microbes found in soil to improve crop yields. (8)\u00a0 Partnerships like this, if publicized correctly, can help Monsanto mend its relationship with the public.\u00a0 Monsanto has a unique opportunity to reduce the agricultural industry\u2019s carbon footprint through sustainable farming efforts as well as improving crop efficiencies by engineering crops to withstand the effects of climate change.\u00a0 If the company correctly allocates its funds to not only innovate GMO seeds but also other crop yield improvements, Monsanto can uniquely position itself as the agricultural leader fighting climate change.<\/p>\n

(Word Count 762)<\/p>\n

<\/h1>\n

1) Henderson, Rebecca M. 2016. “Climate Change in 2016: Implications for Business.” 性视界 Business School<\/em> 4.<\/p>\n

2) Canola Council of Canada. 2016. “Basis of Canola Yields.” Canola Council of Canada.<\/em> Accessed November 2016. http:\/\/www.canolacouncil.org\/crop-production\/canola-grower’s-manual-contents\/chapter-1-the-basis-of-canola-yields\/the-basis-of-canola-yields.<\/p>\n

3) 2016. Pocket K No. 1: Q and A about Genetically Modified Crops.<\/em> International service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications. September. Accessed November 2016.<\/p>\n

4) Ronald D. Sands, Carol A. Jones, and Elizabeth Marshall. 2014. Global Drivers of Agricultural Demand and Supply.<\/em> USDA.<\/p>\n

5) Monsanto Company. 2015. Advancing Products and Practices to Fight Climate Change.<\/em> December. Accessed November 2016. http:\/\/www.monsanto.com\/improvingagriculture\/pages\/carbon-neutral-crop-production.aspx.<\/p>\n

6) Rainie, Cary Funk and Lee. 2015. “Public Opinion About Food.” Pew Research Center.<\/em> July. Accessed November 2016. www.pewinternet.org.<\/p>\n

7) Reuters. 2016. “Monsanto Sues California over Herbicide Classification.” New York Times.<\/em> January. Accessed November 2016. http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2016\/01\/22\/business\/monsanto-sues-california-over-herbicide-classification.html.<\/p>\n

8) Monsanto Company. 2015. 2016 Research and Development Pipeline.<\/em>\u00a0 Accessed November 2016.\u00a0 http:\/\/www.monsanto.com\/products\/pages\/research-development-pipeline.aspx<\/p>\n

9) Achenbach, Joel. 2016. “107 Nobel Laureates Sign Letter Blasing Greenpeace over GMOs.” The Washington Post.<\/em> June. Accessed November 2016. https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/speaking-of-science\/wp\/2016\/06\/29\/more-than-100-nobel-laureates-take-on-greenpeace-over-gmo-stance\/.<\/p>\n

10) Golden Rice Humanitarian Board. 2016. “A New Golden Rice Generation.” Golden Rice.<\/em> Accessed November 2016. http:\/\/www.goldenrice.org\/Content2-How\/how1_sci.php.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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