The Role of Plant Breeding in Enhancing Food Security: A Review of Recent Developments and Challenges

Plant breeding is important in securing food for a larger population in the world. With the issues of climate change that the world has to deal with, rising food demand, and population growth, we need to enhance crop production by performing innovative breeding processes. The given review is devoted to the developments in plant breeding, in particular, traditional breeding, as well as to the new genetic methods for breeding: genetic engineering and gene editing. The plant breeders are keen to come up with crops that give better outputs, are adaptable to adverse environmental conditions, and better nutritious. This paper discussed the impact of biotechnology in breeding practice and how it may help in countering issues in the form of drought, disease, and nutritional deprivation. Practical examples presented in the review, such as Golden Rice, Bt cotton, and drought-tolerant maize, demonstrate the roles these modern developments can play in feeding a growing population across the world. Moreover, ethical, regulatory/legal issues and environmental implications of genetically modified creatures, which are referred to as genetically modified organisms (GMOs), were discussed. Plant breeding in the future should focus on maintaining a balance between technology and the sustainable process to produce global food security in the long term. Emphasis was put on some of the advances taking place in crop improvement plans, the contribution of policy and the significance of teamwork in order to satisfy the rising food requirements. More funding on research and development is necessary so as to overcome the challenges that are increasingly evident in the form of climate change, growing population and evolving dietary requirements. Accordingly, by marrying scientific advancements with sustainable practices, this review presents a snapshot of information that may help researchers, policymakers, and practitioners formulate approaches to supporting long-term global food security.