2021-12-16

BRUSSELS - Climate change is causing extremes in weather, such as more frequent heat waves, periods of drought and intense rainfall. Our farmers notice the consequences of the climate crisis on their fields, in fluctuating yields and failing crops.

Aided by science, they are trying to adapt to this new reality at lightning speed, for example by focusing on crops that can withstand drought better. These crops are imported from warmer regions, or adapted to the drought through breeding. Meanwhile, modern breeding techniques, such as the Nobel Prize-winning gene editing tool CRISPR/Cas, promise a cheat code. In this two-part series, I examine the state of this search for drought-tolerant crops.

Photo: ©Layla Aerts

Team members

Tom Peeters

Tom Peeters is a Belgian freelance journalist.

Supported
€ 4.660 allocated on 28/06/2021.
ID
FPD/2021/1837

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