AI-designed enzymes increasing the global vegetable oil supply without expanding farmland.
Massive scale, mounting pressure.
Massive Scale, Growing Pressure
Global vegetable oil output hit 200M tonnes in 2024, but the crops are land-inefficient. Palm oil yields are highest yet still need 17 ha per 100 tonnes, while soybeans produce about 10× less and drive major land expansion.
Destructive, wasteful extraction
Extraction rates are low (20–22% and falling), so expanding land to meet demand accelerates deforestation, peat loss, fires, and biodiversity decline. Palm oil mills also produce 3 tonnes of wastewater per tonne of oil, over 225B tonnes yearly, causing pollution and methane emissions. Other oils likewise generate large amounts of under-used by-products.
Food Security Challenge
294M people face food insecurity, and a 33% rise in vegetable oil prices in 2024 has driven food inflation. With output flattening, yields must increase without expanding farmland, or deforestation will worsen and food will become even less accessible.