New Research Challenges 2050 Agriculture Production Needs

New research suggests the world's agricultural production may not need to double by 2050, but offered a wide range in what the increase in production may need to be.  Penn State University researchers say production likely will now need to increase between 25% and 70% to meet 2050 food demand.

The first “double production by 2050” claim originated roughly 12 years ago.  Since that time, researchers said agricultural production has increased.  However, much of the research announced by Penn State University focused mostly on what researchers say is an “out of balance” narrative in agriculture, between food production and ensuring a healthy environment.

The researchers say agriculture needs quantitative targets for both food and environmental impacts to “clarify the scope of the challenges” agriculture will face in the coming decades.

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