By 2050, 120 million hectares of natural habitats will be converted to farming in developing countries, the World Wildlife Fund estimates. In many parts of the world, current agricultural land is not reaching its potential, yielding 50 percent less than what it could produce. Closing the gap between what is being produced and what could be produced would both reduce the need to clear land for agriculture and feed 850 million people
2 Use fertilizer more efficiently
the use of fertilizers with nitrogen and phosphorus on wheat, rice and maize crops could be reduced by 13-29 percent and still produce the same yields. Further efficiency could be gained through adjustments in the timing, placement and type of fertilizer.
3 Raise low water productivity
Improving irrigation systems and planting crops that use less water would be an effective way to tackle this. For example, rice and sugar cane are among the crops that need the most water.But it¡¯s not simple to change the types of crops grown since farmers make decisions of what to grow based on market values.One way to encourage change would be to provide economic incentives, but that can change based on regional differences and cultural tastes.
4 Reduce food waste
Globally, 30-50 percent of food production goes to waste because of inefficient preparation or inadequate storage facilities. The United States is one of the biggest culprits for this and needs an agricultural land base that is 7 to 8 times larger than a land base in India to compensate for this waste. Reducing food waste in the United States, India and China could feed 413 million people per year.
1 Close the yield gap
By 2050, 120 million hectares of natural habitats will be converted to farming in developing countries, the World Wildlife Fund estimates. In many parts of the world, current agricultural land is not reaching its potential, yielding 50 percent less than what it could produce. Closing the gap between what is being produced and what could be produced would both reduce the need to clear land for agriculture and feed 850 million people
2 Use fertilizer more efficiently
the use of fertilizers with nitrogen and phosphorus on wheat, rice and maize crops could be reduced by 13-29 percent and still produce the same yields. Further efficiency could be gained through adjustments in the timing, placement and type of fertilizer.
3 Raise low water productivity
Improving irrigation systems and planting crops that use less water would be an effective way to tackle this. For example, rice and sugar cane are among the crops that need the most water.But it¡¯s not simple to change the types of crops grown since farmers make decisions of what to grow based on market values.One way to encourage change would be to provide economic incentives, but that can change based on regional differences and cultural tastes.
4 Reduce food waste
Globally, 30-50 percent of food production goes to waste because of inefficient preparation or inadequate storage facilities. The United States is one of the biggest culprits for this and needs an agricultural land base that is 7 to 8 times larger than a land base in India to compensate for this waste. Reducing food waste in the United States, India and China could feed 413 million people per year.