The Global Harvest Initiative (GHI) is a private-sector voice for productivity growth throughout the agricultural value chain to sustainably meet the demands of a growing world. The initiative, established in 2009, includes agricultural industry stakeholders such as DuPont, John Deere, Monsanto and now Elanco.

“This is the first time for Elanco joining this effort,” said GHI board member Claudia Garcia, Elanco Senior Director Global Corporate Affairs. “Elanco is very invested in technology. We truly believe that we need to do more to produce more food, not necessarily adding more animals, but becoming more productive because we’re concerned about the environment. But we cannot do it alone.”

GHI released its 3rd annual Global Agricultural Productivity Report (GAP Report) at the World Food Prize in Des Moines Wednesday and Garcia says the report puts the data in perspective and breaks it down to make it more manageable. “This year we decided to put an emphasis on regions, because if you keep talking the world, the world – it’s too big,” she said. “This is also the first year that we’re including the importance of animal production.”

The year 2050 seems like a long time away to have to worry about how we will feed a population of 9-10 billion people, but Claudia says it is not too early to work on it. “2050 is really now and we have to start working now to ensure that all of the production is there so that at the end there is going to be safe, affordable, abundant food on every table, regardless of how much you make or who you are,” she said. Well said!

Listen to or download my interview with Claudia here: Elanco's Claudia Garcia at WFP

View the World Food Prize Photo Album here.