Global Crop Report By Mohammed

Introduction
The food eaten by people around the world varies by culture, preference and geographical
location, but generally the foods we eat are one of the following categories:
 fungi
 the products of plants
 the plants themselves
 the products of animals
 the animals themselves
This report focusses on the global food production from plants and the risks to future supply.
Plants grown in great quantities for the purpose of harvesting are known as crops. A steadily
increasing global human population will require a steadily increasing food supply. This report
looks at the challenges our crops face and what is being done to tackle them.
Crop Diversity defences then all of that crop type is
vulnerable to the same attack. This has
Some crops are for purposes other than happened in the past with devastating
food, such as cotton used to make consequences for the people that
clothing or maize to produce biofuel. depended on the affected crop.
Some crops are grown to feed livestock
A staple crop is a crop that is a major part
such as hay. There is a wide range of
of our diet or provides a large proportion
edible vegetation, ranging from the
of our energy and nutrient needs. If
entire plant being fit for human
staple crops are threatened by drought,
consumption to produce that requires
pests or nutrient deficiency, is can
careful and specific processing make
dramatically affect the global food
them edible.
supply. Staple crops are traded across
There are more than the world but it is the poorest
50,000 plants identified as communities that are often the most
being edible or producing dependent on staples as they cannot
edible products, but 90% of afford to buy alternatives. More than half
the calories ingested by the humans in the world rely on just
humans globally comes from just 15 three staple crops; maize, rice and
plant types. In fact, more than half of the wheat. The next most common food
world’s food supply comes from just 3 staples are millet and sorghum; tubers
crops; maize, rice and wheat. such as potatoes, cassava, yams, and
Crops On Which Humans Are Most Dependent taro.
Crop Global Human Calorie Dependency There are on-going efforts in many
Maize 20%
countries to diversify crop types to
Rice 17%
reduce our dependence on so few plant
Wheat 15%
Cassava 3% varieties. Local farmers are being
Potatoes 2% encouraged to use crops that are native
Soybeans 2% to their area. A more diverse collection
Sorghum 1% of sub-varieties are also being grown,
such as different types of wheat.
Scientists have been warning that our
Another problem identified is the way
reliance on so few crop types leaves us
large farms grow entire fields of just one
vulnerable to sudden losses. The lack of
crop type, depleting nutrients specific to
biodiversity leaves our crops vulnerable
that crop and allowing the rapid spread
because if a disease or a pest manages
of any infestation that gets hold.
to get past a specific plant’s natural

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Climate Change for flavour which is morally controversial.
Less controversial gene manipulation is
Shifting weather patterns are
that done for the addition of known plant
threatening the environments in which
abilities that are closely related to the
our crops are grown. Changes to
target crop. For example, rice is an
temperature, rainfall and season length
ancient crop which utilises an early
are happening too rapidly for plants to
photosynthesis gene that has become
adapt without our help. Farmers are
known as the C3 gene. Plants that
adapting by swapping to different crops
evolved more recently have a modified
in an area that is affected by climate
photosynthesis gene that has been
change. A great deal of research is
called the C4 gene. The C4 gene is
being done to analyse and understand
more efficient than the C3 gene and by
the ideal rainfall, climate and soil types
giving rice the C4 gene it has been
for each crop sub-type. This allows
shown that yields have increased by up
farmers to make an informed choice of
to 50% simply because the rice plant
which crop will maximize yields in the
had more efficient photosynthesis.
specific conditions of their land. For
example, if the annual rainfall is Only 55% of the world’s crops go to
declining then farmers could select a feeding humans. A third goes to feeding
crop sub-type that is more drought livestock animals and the rest go to
resistant. producing biofuels and other industry. If
humans ate less meat then more of the
Increase in Yields world’s crops could go to feeding
Choosing the most ideal crop for the humans rather than livestock. Three
given local conditions will help to quarters of the world’s agricultural land
increase the amount of produce that is is devoted to housing or feeding
produced. The crop yield, which the livestock. Less livestock would mean
amount of produce from a given area of more agricultural land is available for
cultivated land, can be increased in growing food for humans.
other ways. This can be achieved with Education
more efficient use of fertilizers tailored
for the specific varieties in use. This will Farmers and the general population are
reduce wastage and the amount of becoming increasingly aware that their
fertilizer running into rivers and water choices collectively affect the entire
tables. planet. We can all make changes to our
habits which will benefit the planet, such
Genetically engineering plants is also
as eating less meat and even growing
being done to increase plant resilience
some of our own food.
and production. Humans have been
selectively breeding plants for Individuals could also make more of an
thousands of years, which is how crops effort to grow their own edible produce.
have been cultivated from their wild Window sills provide enough light to
ancestors. Unfortunately, increased grow smaller herbs and human habitats
yield has regrettably been bred at the are typically maintained at temperatures
expense of some of the plant’s natural favourable to plant growth. People lucky
defences against pests and diseases. enough to have access to a garden or an
Modern science has added genes to allotment can grow more diverse
plants to produce their own pesticides selection of plants depending on the
although this form of modification is climate zone in which they live. Seeds
highly controversial as little is known are readily available from local shops
about the long term effects of eating the and online companies that offer a
produce of genetically modified plants. diverse range of varieties which will
Animal genes have been added to plants further promote diversification of the
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plants in our meals.
Conclusion
A lot of scientists are dedicated to identifying and addressing potential issues with our food
supply before the problems become unmanageable. In this way food shortages can be
averted before they become a crisis. We will all benefit from a more diverse, plentiful and
interesting range of food on our plates. Finally, we can all do our part, however small, to
grow our own food.

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