Soil Degradation Threatens Food Supply for 71 Million People
A multinational research team that includes scientists from the Institute for Geo‑Hydroinformatics at the Technical University of Hamburg analysed global cropland in 10‑km grid cells. Their study, published in *Nature Food*, found that damaged soils account for an annual loss of roughly 20 million tonnes of major crops – wheat, maize, rice, barley, sorghum, cassava, soybeans, rapeseed, oil palm and sugarcane – which together provide about 83 % of worldwide caloric intake. The lost yield represents roughly 52 trillion kilocalories, enough to feed approximately 71 million people for a year at 2 000 kcal per day. The researchers identified erosion, compaction and other forms of soil degradation as primary drivers, noting that data gaps remain for salinisation and nutrient imbalances.
Entities: 71 million people · BBC Science Focus · Future Self · Global agricultural crops (wheat, maize, rice, etc.) · Gloria Mark · Institute for Geo‑Hydroinformatics (GHI) · Nature Food · Technical University of Hamburg (TUHH) · University of California, Irvine
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- [● 4 SOURCES] Using the visualization reduces the impulse to check email and social media during the day. (all articles)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Studies from 2016 to 2020 show people stay on a single screen window for an average of 47 seconds before switching. (all articles)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Gloria Mark is a professor of computer science at the University of California, Irvine. (all articles)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Mark's research focuses on how workplace distraction affects productivity and well‑being. (all articles)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Mark authored a BBC Science Focus article describing the “Future Self” visualization technique. (all articles)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The “Future Self” technique involves visualizing an evening scenario at the start of the day to improve focus. (all articles)