The world faces an enormous challenge over the next 50 years, to double the amount of food produced globally, but without further depleting the soil, water, and other natural resources. This challenge will require a great deal of ingenuity and effort, and will rely on the capacity of the scientific community to develop new and improved crop varieties, to combat pests and diseases. It will require farmers and scientists to make better use of poor soil while addressing droughts, and to communicate about the importance of science and technology in agriculture.