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Productivity in Agriculture for a Sustainable Future
Steensland, Ann; Zeigler, Margaret (Springer, 2021)
In 2050, the number of people living on our planet will grow to nearly 10 billion, and that could double the demand for food, feed, fiber, and biofuels from 2005 levels (von Lampe et al. 2014). It is imperative that this demand be met in a way that is economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and socially beneficial. Our food and agriculture systems face enormous challenges to sustainably producing sufficient, nutritious affordable food, feed, fiber, and biofuel for a growing world. At present, agriculture is the largest user of water globally; agriculture also is the single largest use of land, covering a third of the planet’s surface. Competition between food production and other uses of water and land will increase in the coming decades. In addition, climate change threatens agricultural productivity due to increased temperatures and shifts in weather patterns (Box 2.1), thereby making it difficult for crops and livestock to grow and thrive and for agricultural laborers to endure the physical challenges.