Drought and global hunger: biotechnological interventions in sustainability and management.

Abstract

Drought may be efficiently managed using the following strategies: prevention, mitigation, readiness, recovery, and transformation. Biotechnological interventions may become highly important in reducing plants' drought stress in order to address key plant challenges such as population growth and climate change. Drought is a multidimensional construct with several triggering mechanisms or contributing factors working at various spatiotemporal scales, making it one of the known natural catastrophes. Drought is among the causes of hunger and malnutrition, decreasing agricultural output, and poor nutrition. Many deaths caused in children are due to hunger situations, and one in four children face stunted growth. All this hunger and malnutrition may be responsible for the reduction in agricultural productivity caused due to the drought situations affecting food security. Global Hunger Index has been accelerating due to under-nutrition and under-5 deaths. Drought has been covering more than 20% of the world's agricultural areas, leading to significantly less food production than what is required for consumption. Drought reduces soil fertility and adversely affects soil biological activity reducing the inherent capacity of the soil to support vegetation. Recent droughts have had a much greater effect on people's lives, even beyond causing poverty and hunger. Drought may have substantial financial consequences across the globe it may cause a severe impact on the world economy. It is a natural feature of the environment that will appear and disappear as it has in history. Due to increasing temperatures and growing vulnerabilities, it will undoubtedly occur more often and seriously in the coming years. To ensure sustainable socio-economic and social development, it is critical to reducing the effects of potential droughts worldwide using different biotechnological interventions. It's part of a long-term growth plan, and forecasting is essential for early warnings and global hunger management.