Sustainable Development
Source: (United Nations, 2015)
Agriculture and access to food are major influencing factors behind many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Security and replenishment within the food supply is essential not only to human health but to the global economy. This is especially true in Texas, with farms comprising 74% of the state’s land (USDA, 2019). Texas hosts a diverse variety of farmers, including small, family-owned farms as primary producers alongside corporate and state owned farms. As Texas has stagnated or fell behind in the achievement of the SDGs, we believe synthetic biologists possess the unique ability to bridge these gaps through scientific innovation. Our project offers inclusive, versatile, and sustainable solutions to the challenges faced by modern producers. Our crop protection method has the possibility of benefitting producers at every level while also contributing to relevant SDGs.
Fig 1.Overview of project impact. Created with Canva.com
Agriculture and access to food are major influencing factors behind many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Security and replenishment within the food supply is essential not only to human health but to the global economy. This is especially true in Texas, with farms comprising 74% of the state’s land (USDA, 2019). Texas hosts a diverse variety of farmers, including small, family-owned farms as primary producers alongside corporate and state owned farms. As Texas has stagnated or fell behind in the achievement of the SDGs, we believe synthetic biologists possess the unique ability to bridge these gaps through scientific innovation. Our project offers inclusive, versatile, and sustainable solutions to the challenges faced by modern producers. Our crop protection method has the possibility of benefitting producers at every level while also contributing to relevant SDGs.
Fig 1.Overview of project impact. Created with Canva.com
The SDGs our project primarily contributes are:
Fig 2. The 2021 United Nations Sustainable Development Report found that challenges still remain in achieving almost all SDGs in Texas (SDSN, 2021). The percentage of SDG achievement has stagnated for SDGs 9, 11, and 12 while decreasing for 2. Additionally, Texas remains one of the lowest scoring states in the leave “no one behind” index.
SDG2: Zero Hunger
Goal:
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Fig 3. Texans depend on local agriculture. Created with Canva.com
Fig 3. Texans depend on local agriculture. Created with Canva.com
The Problem
The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that 30% of the global food supply is lost or wasted annually, and one third of this waste occurs during agricultural production (FAO, 2023). While crop loss during production can be due to a variety of factors, bacterial plant pathogens can play a significant role. These pathogens can destroy entire crops yields, which is especially devastating for small farmers that rely on their production for food. Rural Texans are especially vulnerable to food insecurity as they often lack access to food, increasing reliance on small-scale farming (Feeding Texas, 2023).
To gain a better understanding of the issue of food loss and challenges facing local farmers, we consulted with Dr. Mercedes Roca, a plant pathologist who serves as the Executive Director of Bioscience Think Tank and Senior Fellow of the Institute on Science for Global Policy. Dr. Roca provided valuable insight into how bacterial pathogens uniquely impact food security and small farmers. Dr. Roca mentioned that smaller producers in poor regions lack access to advanced technology, making them disproportionately susceptible to crop loss caused by pathogens. She also called attention to the many Texans that grow their own food, highlighting that reducing loss of food in agriculture is not only essential to achieving sustainability but to improving the lives of millions of Texans.
Project Impact
Our project addresses the need to prevent food loss while working in harmony with nature. Using native plant symbionts as chassis organisms for our microcin secretion system would allow protection to come from the local plant microbiome rather than applied chemicals. This system has the potential to save large amounts of crops, which can vastly improve food security for farmers and the communities that rely on them. This would also allow small farmers to spend less on unsustainable chemicals, expensive screening equipment, and labor intensive practices.
SDG9: Infrastructure and Industrialization
Goal:
Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation
Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation
The Problem
According to the International Labour Organization, about 65% of global farmland is operated by large-scale farmers, meaning that industrial agriculture accounts for the majority of farms (FAO, 2014). To better understand the challenges faced by industrial farmers, we consulted with Dr. du Toit, a plant pathologist and a project coordinator for Stop the Rot, a USDA initiative focused on combating onion bacterial diseases. When discussing her experience working directly with producers, Dr. du Toit explained that methods of crop protection within state farms and industrial agriculture can be expensive, labor intensive, and harmful to the environment. For instance, some large-scale farms currently rely on x-ray machines to identify center rot due to Pantoea. This expensive technology, in addition to the use of pesticides, can negatively impact the sustainability of industrial agriculture.
After discussing unsustainable practices in industrial agriculture, we talked about biocontrols, a sustainable crop protection method using organisms that naturally attack a pest or pathogen. Regarding the current use of biocontrols in agriculture, Dr. du Toit informed us that while some biocontrols are used against Pantoea, such as Bacillus mycoides, disparities in the efficacy of biocontrols have limited their use. Still, Dr. du Toit highlighted that innovations upon this concept could increase the usefulness of biocontrols and contribute to sustainable agriculture.
Project Impact
Our project builds upon crop protection methods currently being used in industrial agriculture while also introducing innovation. Currently, biocontrols can be difficult to implement as they must be found in nature, typically target just one pathogen, and are not entirely specific to their target. Our approach innovates upon the concept of biocontrols by allowing farmers to target bacterial pathogensthat may not have a natural biocontrol. This innovation would allow farmers to easily target a broad range of pathogens while using bacteria already found on their crops, which reduces likelihood of harming the plant microbiome. This concept could also foster the further innovation of natural crop protection within industrial agriculture, further promoting sustainable industry.
Fig 4. Overview of use of Biocontrols in our project. Created with Canva.com
Fig 4. Overview of use of Biocontrols in our project. Created with Canva.com
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Goal:
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable
Fig 5. Overview of the challenges faced by urban agriculture. Created with Canva.com
Fig 5. Overview of the challenges faced by urban agriculture. Created with Canva.com
The Problem
When considering the impact of our project on SDG 11, we initially looked at the impact of rapid urbanization on farming. To gain perspective on this issue, we reached out to Jessi Drummond, the staff advisor for UT Austin’s Campus Environmental Center. Drummond’s past experience with sustainability non-profits as well as UT’s microfarm initiative provided us with insight into the biggest issues regarding urbanization and farming. While we initially believed our project could help farmers maintain their land by protecting crops, Drummond pointed out that this application of our system may be better suited to small-scale farmers in developing nations. As for local applications, she highlighted the potential uses of our system in urban agriculture
Further discussing urban agriculture with Drummond, we discovered that urban farming provides food security to many farmers as well as income. However, Drummond informed us that urban farming faces a unique set of challenges, such as health of the soil microbiome and accumulation of standing water, both of which increase susceptibility to pathogens. Drummond pointed out that there is a need for sustainable solutions to these issues that work within a plant’s natural defenses. We concluded from our meeting that the main issues our project could address within SDG 11 were protecting farmland in developing nations and supporting sustainable urban farming.
Project Impact:
As many farmers in developing nations lack the same advanced equipment and resources as large-scale farmers, crop protection is essential for maintaining crops and land. Therefore, our project provides increases support to small farmers struggling to maintain crops yields. Not only would it save money in crop losses, but our project would also prevent small farmers from relying on unsustainable protection methods, such as pesticides. Our system would ultimately ensure farmland remains in the hands of farmers and urbanization can proceed at a responsible pace.
As highlighted by Drummond, water often collects in urban farming due to less soil absorption. This standing water can allow pathogens to proliferate, increasing the likelihood of infection. Moreover, it can be difficult to maintain a healthy soil microbiome in urban agriculture as the soil is often more compact. Our project tackles both of these issues by providing increased protection from pathogens and preserving the soil microbiome through the specificity of microcins. Using our microcin expression system within urban farming will help reduce crop losses while ensuring the sustainable development of urban centers.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Goal:
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
