More than 150 Nobel and World Food Prize laureates released an open letter on January 14, 2025, highlighting the urgent need for increased research and innovative food distribution methods to combat global hunger.

Cynthia Rosenzweig, a NASA climate scientist and World Food Prize winner, emphasized that while existing research is promising, it requires accelerated funding and public support to transition breakthroughs into agricultural practices.

The appeal for action was coordinated by Cary Fowler, the outgoing U.S. envoy for food security, who emphasized that a continued decline in food productivity will lead to inequality and instability.

Ultimately, the letter emphasizes that the planet is straying dangerously from the collective goal of eradicating hunger by 2030, calling for radical increases in ambition and transformative research projects.

Specific agricultural challenges, such as declining corn production in Africa and increased soil degradation and water shortages globally, pose critical concerns for future food security.

The letter warns that approximately 700 million people are currently food insecure, a number expected to rise due to climate change and population growth unless significant initiatives are undertaken.

Rosenzweig compared the necessary commitment to the U.S. moonshot program initiated by President John F. Kennedy, stressing the importance of collaboration among scientists, engineers, and the public.

Brian Schmidt, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, described the challenge of increasing food production as a solvable issue that requires significant funding and global leadership.

Schmidt advocates for a collaborative approach involving both governments and private organizations, such as the Gates Foundation, to lead initial funding efforts for food production solutions.

Geoffrey Hawtin, another World Food Prize co-recipient, warned that global food production is stagnating or declining in staple crops, necessitating a 50% to 70% increase in production over the next two decades.

The letter originated from a meeting of food accessibility experts in the fall of 2024, underscoring the urgent need for increased funding for food research and improved distribution methods to avert a hunger crisis.

To address this crisis, the letter calls for transformational efforts, including enhancing photosynthesis in crops, developing nitrogen-fixing cereals, and extending the shelf life of produce.