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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Range Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #417237
Research Project: Knowledge Systems and Tools to Increase the Resilience and Sustainablity of Western Rangeland Agriculture

Location: Range Management Research

Title: The vision for adapted crops and soils: How to prioritize investments to achieve sustainable nutrition for all

Author
item Herrick, Jeffrey - Jeff
item FOWLER, C - Department Of Lands
item SIBANDA, L - Consultative Group On International Agricultural Research
item LAL, R - The Ohio State University
item NELSON, A - Department Of Lands

Submitted to: Nature Plants
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2024
Publication Date: 11/29/2024
Citation: Herrick, J.E., Fowler, C., Sibanda, L.M., Lal, R., Nelson, A.M. 2024. The vision for adapted crops and soils: How to prioritize investments to achieve sustainable nutrition for all. Nature Plants. 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-024-01867-w.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-024-01867-w

Interpretive Summary: This paper provides the blueprint for the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS), a global movement that was launched in 2023 in response to the challenge of improving human nutrition in a rapidly changing climate on degraded lands. VACS emphasizes an integrated approach to integrated investments in crops and soils, with an emphasis on leveraging the relatively untapped potential of traditional and indigenous “opportunity crops” to simultaneously improve human nutrition and soil health. We also describe a framework for prioritizing investments by farmers, governments and development organizations in four key decisions: where to plant, what to plant, how to manage, and how to adapt management during the year. In addition to sustainably improving nutrition for current and future generations, VACS effectively addresses a variety of other priorities, including but not limited to climate change and drought, biodiversity, soil fertility, gender equality and women’s empowerment, and water, sanitation and health.

Technical Abstract: The Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils(VACS) is a global movement, launched in 2023, to improve human nutrition in the face of a changing climate and degraded lands. VACS emphasizes an integrated approach to investments in crops and soils, concentrating on the potential of traditional and indigenous ‘opportunity crops’. VACS also addresses priorities, including climate change and drought, biodiversity, soil fertility, gender equality and women’s empowerment, water, sanitation and health.