To feed the growing global population, estimates suggest we’ll have to increase food production by as much as 68 percent by 2050. And that’s not the only challenge; there’s also the fact that the middle-class population is growing, which generally brings with it increased demand for meat over grains, legumes, and wheat. Satisfying this demand for more food – and, most likely, more meat – presents a huge challenge for our already struggling planet, especially when you consider that the food system accounts for 26 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions. (Agriculture, forestry, and land use make up 18.4 percent of this, while the rest is down to things like packaging, refrigeration, and transport.)

The obvious, and arguably the simplest, solution is for us all to adopt a plant-based diet. (Research shows that excluding meat and dairy is the single most impactful way for people to reduce their environmental impact.) But, if we’re honest, getting billions of people to switch overnight to a fully vegan diet is, at best, unlikely. After all, meat is deeply ingrained in many cultures, as is dairy.

With all this in mind, it’s clear that we need urgent new innovations in agriculture and food production. In this article, I outline the two broad trends that I believe will revolutionize our food system.

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