Nanotechnology as a foundational tool to combat global food insecurity

With a global population racing toward 10 billion people in the next 25 years, the challenge to global food production, storage, and distribution will be immense. There are a range of technologies and strategies that could, at least in theory, be successfully applied to improve food security in a sustainable way. Nanotechnology is one such strategy that is being increasingly recognized as having great potential. Here, we present examples of how nanotechnology can be applied from farm to fork and help to improve availability, access, and utilization of food. We also discuss major challenges associated with efficient production and deployment at industrial scale, regulatory and safety concerns, and consumer acceptance. Recognizing that issues of food security are highly contextual, we recommend increasing discipline convergence and multisectorial collaborations from a one-health perspective to guide the development and commercialization of impactful nano-enabled solutions that will combat global food insecurity. With a global population racing toward 10 billion people in the next 25 years, the challenge to global food production, storage, and distribution will be immense. There are a range of technologies and strategies that could, at least in theory, be successfully applied to improve food security in a sustainable way. Nanotechnology is one such strategy that is being increasingly recognized as having great potential. Here, we present examples of how nanotechnology can be applied from farm to fork and help to improve availability, access, and utilization of food. We also discuss major challenges associated with efficient production and deployment at industrial scale, regulatory and safety concerns, and consumer acceptance. Recognizing that issues of food security are highly contextual, we recommend increasing discipline convergence and multisectorial collaborations from a one-health perspective to guide the development and commercialization of impactful nano-enabled solutions that will combat global food insecurity.