Jerry Glover is helping to build more resilient food and agricultural systems. One of the ways he does this is by supporting women in deciding for themselves what is best for their families and their farms (Glover explained this approach backstage at the 2017 Food Tank DC Summit). As a Senior Sustainable Agricultural Systems Advisor with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Glover seeks to change the perception that the only goal of agriculture is increasing production: agricultural impacts on the environment, economics and social networks must also be taken into account.

As the world population reaches 7 billion, many countries regions confront a scarcity of those basic resources essential for human life—namely adequate food and water. More than just humanitarian crises, resource scarcities and conflicts challenge American security interests in strategic regions such as the Middle East and Asia. Scientists and engineers have the skills and technologies necessary to mitigate scarcity, reduce instability, and fight resource security challenges.

Water Security

Depending on lifestyle and consumption patterns, each person on the planet can generate tons of waste over the course of his or her life. The total amount of trash skyrockets with the farm, mine, and industrial wastes generated during the production of food, power, and consumer items.

“Working with Waste,” the 10 August special issue of Science, highlights the fact that trash can often be turned into treasure—a feedstock that the human race can’t afford to overlook as a burgeoning world population tries to use (and reuse) its resources more efficiently.

Scientists must sharpen their message and do more to engage the public as they seek to influence policy on issues such as climate change, representatives of AAAS and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre said in report issued 3 July at the Euroscience Open Forum 2010 (ESOF2010) in Turin, Italy.