Of the annual global production of 4 billion tons of food per year, a quarter is lost. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), about 1.3 billion tons of edible food is wasted. According to the University of Edinburgh, this percentage is even higher, with as much as 44 percent of agricultural production never consumed by humans.
“The planet currently has about 7.8 billion inhabitants, and each person needs on average 1.4 kilograms of food,” according to a recent study by the British news agency Bloomberg Green. “This means that roughly 3.7 billion tons of food are needed annually to feed the entire world population.” At the same time, it is important to avoid clearing large areas of natural land for food production.
“Developing countries waste as much food as developed countries,” the researchers acknowledge. “Only the form of waste differs. In wealthy countries, more than 40 percent of losses occur in stores and at consumers’ homes. In poorer countries, where households waste far less, more than 40 percent of losses occur between harvest and delivery.”
Figures from the Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) show that ultimately only between 30 percent and 50 percent of potential production is actually consumed. The wasted potential of poorly used farmland is highlighted, as better techniques and management could significantly increase yields per hectare. It should be possible to reach an annual food production of 9 billion tons.
“According to research by the United Nations, 2.2 billion hectares of degraded former agricultural land could be restored through responsible use of fertilizers and irrigation. Some of this restored land would be used for reforestation, but the rest should be able to produce approximately 500 million tons of food annually,” the Bloomberg study states.
“Not all edible crops are intended for food,” Bloomberg adds. “Almost 600 million hectares of land are used to grow crops for ethanol, as automotive fuel. A shift to electric cars could free up farmland for food production, potentially feeding another 280 million people.”
“Of course, these are only theoretical calculations. Politics, economics, culture, and trade also influence the food chain. No agricultural system will ever be optimal. But even with more realistic targets, there is more than enough farmland to continue to guarantee food supply for the growing world population.”