GLOBAL CHALLENGES

How do we sustainably increase the global production of food? According to the World Resources Institute, there are three very large gaps that we need to bridge to produce enough safe and healthy food by 2050.

The food gap: the difference between the amount of food produced in 2010 and the amount needed to meet demand in 2050. This is estimated at 7,400 trillion calories, which is 56 percent more crop calories than produced in 2010.

The land gap: the difference between the global agricultural land area in 2010 and the area required in 2050, assuming crop and pasture yields continue to grow at past rates. Estimated at 593 million hectares, an area nearly twice the size of India.

The greenhouse gas emissions gap: the difference between the annual emissions likely to come from agriculture and land use change in 2050. Estimated to be 15 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent.