Did you know agricultural innovation saves an extra continent?

Today, the world’s farmers grow nearly three times more cereals (280%) than in 1961. This was mainly achieved by producing more on the same land. Without innovation, an additional area of land the size of Europe and Mexico combined would have been needed to meet demand, destroying an estimated four times more forestry [1].

FAO’s Director-General Mr Dongyu emphasized at COP26 that increasing agri-food productivity to meet the new demands of a growing population and halting deforestation are not mutually exclusive objectives [2]. Agricultural innovation and higher yields will continue to help reduce the environmental footprint of food and save land for natural habitats, but we can all also contribute by reducing food waste and optimizing our diets.