A quantum leap for food security

Brazil is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of food. In an era of geopolitical turmoil, with climate crisis threatening crop yields, Brazil is one of the few global breadbaskets with the agricultural capacity to feed a world whose population is forecasted to increase from 8.2 billion to 9.8 billion by 2050.

“If we look at any prediction for food production – aiming at food security, essentially, for all – Brazil has to step up,” says Paulo Nussenzveig, a professor of physics at the University of São Paulo. “If you want to fight hunger, Brazil’s role in that, as a supplier for humanity, is huge.”

Until recently, Nussenzveig was research and innovation provost at the University of São Paulo. As his term ended, he was excited to go back to the laboratory. Working with partners in the agrifood industry, he wants to apply his expertise in quantum research to the challenges facing Brazilian agriculture, such as using laser spectroscopy for real-time monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions.

“We really need to know what the emissions are, and to be able to diagnose and to change the way food is produced in order to minimise those emissions,” says Nussenzveig. “It is a challenge in terms of increasing production, increasing yield and, at the same time, reducing the negative effects that we’re causing on the environment.”

There are three main pillars of quantum science. Computing generates the most headlines. Quantum communications open pathways for innovation in cryptography, using the properties of nature to secure systems and networks instead of mathematical complexity. Then there is quantum sensing, which Nussenzveig believes could give Brazil a “competitive advantage” in both quantum and agriculture.

This research will require interdisciplinary collaborations on every level. It also highlights one of the fundamental rules of technological development: location matters. “It basically has to be developed here, next to where production arises,” says Nussenzveig. “This is one of the main tenets of innovation – something that I learned over the past four years. Innovation is a local process, especially when you’re talking about deep technology, because you must go back and forth between development labs and where it will be employed.”

Nussenzveig believes Brazil has untapped potential in quantum sciences and it needs to be nurtured. “We have quite strong groups in quantum information science, but we generate very little technology,” he says. To address this hurdle, Nussenzveig has been involved with a group of physicists developing a dedicated quantum initiative.

The potential is huge. By working across disciplines, researchers can turn theory into technology with real-world applications. But as with the most ambitious scientific projects quantum requires support, and as Nussenzveig argues, it is essential that we acknowledge failure as part of the process and take a long-term view of success. These projects take time to bear fruit.

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