According to the FAO State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, the world continues to face significant challenges in the fight against hunger. In 2023, 9.2% of the global population—approximately 735 million people—suffered from hunger. Although this represents a slight improvement compared to the previous year, it remains above pre-pandemic levels. The global situation has worsened compared to 2019 when 8.4% of the population faced hunger.
In this challenging environment, sustainable agriculture practices are essential. By addressing agricultural challenges using science and technology, we can contribute to food security while reducing the environmental footprint of farming.
A dramatic increase in prices for critical foods like wheat, barley, rice, rapeseed, and sunflower oils is moving vulnerable countries into a food crisis. Increasing costs for critical inputs are partly to blame. And the changing climate is increasing pests and diseases, all while changing the nutrient makeup of staple crops.
By the numbers, two-thirds of those experiencing acute food insecurity are rural food producers. In 2023, 2.3 billion people—representing 29.6% of the world’s population—still cannot afford a healthy diet. This includes vulnerable populations, such as women, who remain 15% more likely than men to be moderately or severely food insecure. In addition, 2.4 billion people were moderately or severely food insecure in 2023, with around 900 million people being severely food insecure. This stark reality underscores the importance of addressing hunger from multiple angles, including improving agricultural production systems and ensuring equitable access to food. As the FAO has evolved, it has benefitted the expanding world economy and increased global freedom from hunger.
Production By the Numbers
Agriculture significantly contributes to the global economy, with value added from agriculture, forestry, and fishing growing by 78% from 2000 to 2023. It employs 26% of the global workforce. During this period, primary crop production reached record levels, with sugar cane, maize, wheat, and rice accounting for half of global output. Vegetable oil production more than doubled, driven by palm oil demand, while meat production increased by 47%.
The leading food-producing countries are China, India, the United States, and Brazil, benefiting from vast land, favorable climates, and large populations. China, the largest agricultural producer with $1.6 trillion in annual output, produces one-fourth of global grains but imports nearly 24% of its food due to declining soybean output and farmland loss.
India, the second-largest producer, leads in milk, jute, and pulses and ranks second in rice, wheat, and sugarcane production. It was the largest exporter of refined sugar and milled rice in 2023.
The U.S. follows, focusing on corn, soybeans, dairy, and wheat, leading global agricultural exports in 2023, with California contributing 13% of U.S. production. Brazil ranks fourth, emphasizing agriculture with top exports in soybeans, raw sugar, and poultry, while China imported nearly $32 billion of Brazil’s agricultural exports in 2023.
By 2050, the global population is expected to reach nearly 10 billion, necessitating a 70% increase in food production. Developing countries will need to nearly double agricultural output, with a significant rise in cereal and meat production to combat food insecurity.
How Can We Continue to Produce Better Food? Agmatix Can Help
Agmatix is dedicated to equipping farmers and their advisors with tools for using high-quality, standardized data to improve food production with a lower environmental impact. As food production volume and quality become more critical with population growth and changes in climate, increased precision agriculture and data-based decision-making will be required to help advance food security.
Agmatix’s agro informatics tools support global agriculture production. From corn to coffee, over 150 different crops and crop-essential nutrients are represented in our data. The Agmatix platform empowers field-level decisions with high-level data and powerful insights.
Agronomic Trials & Insights
On-farm experiments, pilots, and field trials help to understand the localized response to a specific production approach. Using the outcomes of an on-farm field experiment to inform decision-making can be a powerful tool to improve productivity, but the process of executing the trial and analyzing the outcome can be burdensome. Agronomic field trial management can be a challenge for growers.
With Agmatix, standardizing collected data is easy, allowing users to perform agriculture data analysis. A user-friendly data collection tool unlocks data for comparison and prevents data loss. And instant reports and analysis allow for quicker decision-making.
With Agmatix, agronomists can harness the power of using agricultural technology to streamline field trials and do their part to advance food security.
Global Crop Nutrient Removal Database
Understanding the sustainability of crop nutrient programs goes hand-in-hand with long-term food security. Agmatix has partnered with the Consortium for Precision Crop Nutrition, whose Global Crop Nutrient Removal Database is a resource to scientifically estimate nutrient removal and efficiency in the agriculture production environment. This database helps create site-specific recommendations for the most sustainable nutrient management.
Crop yield and residue and their respective nutrient concentrations are the factors that influence crop nutrient removal. Farmers can improve crop management by understanding crop nutrient removal rates and long-term trends of nutrient removal rates. This data will help make agriculture more sustainable and help fight for food security worldwide.
Sustainability Solutions
Agmatix’s Sustainability Center solution serves as a key resource for promoting sustainable agriculture by providing agronomists and growers with data-driven tools to adopt eco-friendly practices and optimize food production while minimizing ecological impact.
The RegenIQ framework, integrated into the Sustainability Center, supports a locally tailored regenerative approach that focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing biodiversity, and improving water and soil conservation. These strategies aim to build resilient agricultural systems that can meet future food demands.
Agmatix combines cutting-edge technology with scientific principles to empower stakeholders in making informed, data-driven decisions for sustainable farming. The Digital Crop Advisor solution further optimizes crop nutrition through customized plans based on field-specific data and scientific analysis, supporting various crops with real-time insights into soil, water, and tissue. This results in precise nutrient recommendations that enhance crop performance and address sustainability goals.
Agmatix’s Sustainability Solutions seamlessly integrate advanced analytics and practical tools to enhance farm productivity and foster regenerative practices.
Building a Resilient Future with Integrated Agricultural Solutions
Agmatix offers a comprehensive approach to managing agricultural productivity and sustainability. By integrating field trials, crop nutrition optimization, and global nutrient databases with sustainability metrics, Agmatix ensures that farmers can make data-driven decisions that not only increase crop yields but also protect natural resources. This holistic approach helps address critical global challenges such as food security and climate change, supporting a more resilient and sustainable agricultural system
World Food Day and Agmatix
World Food Day is a perfect time to consider taking your agribusiness to the next level of sustainability with Agmatix. Precision agriculture technology that uses standardized data to inform decision-making at the field level will help farmers produce more high-quality food while minimizing environmental impact. And that’s what it will take in the continuous quest for food security.
Agmatix makes using data and agricultural technology easy. With Agronomic Trials & Insights, the Global Crop Nutrient Removal Database, and Sustainability Solutions, agronomists can make data-based decisions at the field level to fuel sustainable agriculture practices.
On World Food Day, we reflect on those facing hunger and the efforts of those dedicated to improving food production sustainability. By leveraging advanced agricultural technology, we can significantly impact food security and create a better future for millions.
