Cactus Pear Is Poised To Become A Key Sustainable Crop: Here's Why, According To Experts

Many of the staple crops we grow have a flaw: They're picky about growing conditions, including the temperature, humidity, or location. Those flaws will only become more relevant as our global climate continues to shift.

"Dry areas are going to get dryer because of climate change," explains John Cushman, Ph.D., a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Nevada. "Ultimately, we're going to see more and more of these drought issues affecting crops such as corn and soybeans in the future."

Over five years of research, the University of Nevada team investigated how successful different varieties of cactus pear could fare in warm, dry climates. They found that a variety known as Opuntia ficus-indica, also known as prickly pear, produced the most fruit—and used up to 80% less water than other crops to do so.

The other, entirely separate, opportunity for cactus cultivation is as a food source, both for humans and animals. While many cultures do eat cactus fruit (and even cactus pads themselves), they are certainly not a key crop in the United States—and that's a missed opportunity.

The fruit of the cactus can be used like many other fruits (it's particularly great in jams because of its natural sugars). A variety of cactus pads may be more familiar in kitchens as nopales, a common ingredient in Mexican cuisine. You can eat the pads fresh or preserve them with canning and pickling methods (once you remove the spines and hairs). Their high water content makes them a good crop for feeding livestock, too.

Climate change is going to affect our food systems—in fact, it already is doing so. Making your kitchen sustainable is about more than reusable shopping bags and glass containers; it extends to the foods we buy, too. One of the easiest shifts to make is making sure you limit your food waste by not letting produce waste away in the back of your fridge but instead eating it when it's fresh. Other practices include eating with the seasons, buying local products, and working to make sure your grocery store trips are as sustainable as possible.