THE Southern Downs is a significant contributor to the nation's food production, and scientists in the region are working to cater for a growing population.

Dr Andrew Borrell is a crop physiologist with the University of Queensland, and Centre Leader of the Queensland Government's Hermitage Research Facility, a centre of excellence for crop improvement.

"Science is underpinning our food security," Dr Borrell said.

"You think about the global challenge of feeding seven billion people now, and that number is expected to grow to 9.5 billion by 2050 - how are we going to do it?

"We have to double the crop production which is an enormous challenge with scarce resources."

Dr Borrell said research done at Hermitage is helping local grain growers to increase profitability by using scarce water resources more efficiently.

Trials are carried out on local properties so drought-adapted material can be tested in multiple environments.

"Food security and quality are important issues both locally and globally," Dr Borrell said.

"For Australia's northern grain belt, if you talk to any farmers, they grow crops in highly-variable environments from year to year.

"But with good genetics for drought adoption, combined with suitable management strategies, their farming can be flexible and reliable."

Clifton-based grain producer Leyton Free is one local producer who has worked with the Hermitage facility.

He said he is happy to collaborate with researchers to ensure the industry is viable.

"They have the best equipment and the best knowledge - not many facilities available to us as growers left as good as that," Mr Free said.

"The majority of growers do not realise that a lot of the parent plant material for key local crops comes from Hermitage.

"Without a doubt more growers could take advantage of the research being done here."

Dr Borrell presented a lecture on food security at the School of Total Education during National Science Week.

He said agricultural scientists were eager to welcome students to the profession.

"If you listen to scientists, they love what they do and they're passionate and want to share it with the rest of the world," he said.

Mr Free agreed the industry needed more people.

"Growers need to be sustainable and viable to manage the different seasons that we get," he said.

"That can only be challenged through knowledge and economic prosperity and youthful enthusiasm, and to maintain that the industry needs need to be economically attractive."