Yesterday’s news that British scientists have decoded the genome of wheat is likely to have a massive impact on world food production. I found it extraordinary to learn that the human genetic code is five times smaller than that of wheat. Isn’t it weird that what looks like such a simple life form is actually so much more genetically complex than we are?
This news is being heralded as the most important agricultural discovery in 10,000 years, with evidence that wheat was first planted and harvested that long ago.
The breakthrough means that new breeds of disease-resistant crops could be producing higher wheat yields in as little as five years' time, raising the prospect of lower bread prices and greater food security in a more populated world. The implications could be huge.
With the population having grown from a little over two billion when I was born to 6.5 billion today and an estimated 10 billion by 2050, we urgently need these scientific discoveries if we are going to find a way to feed everyone in the years to come.
While I believe we must always move ahead with caution when it comes to dabbling with nature, it is important for us to find out ways for humankind to benefit from such scientific discoveries. The key will be to focus this new knowledge on helping people rather than just enriching companies.
In terms of the consequences for the world, this is probably the most important piece of news since your birth, my darling Yael.
