Investing in research and development (R&D) in agriculture can help increase crop and livestock productivity, reducing the need for using land for energy crops and improving food security. By using a computer model, researchers found that investing in R&D can offset the negative effects of large-scale bioenergy plantations. The costs of R&D investments are relatively low compared to the benefits, with industrialized countries needing more investment due to longer time lags. Overall, investing in agricultural R&D can lead to decreased land use and improved food security in the future, making it a cost-effective strategy to address concerns about bioenergy plantations.