Global Food Security in the 21st Century: Free USGS Public Lecture August 30

Global experts recognize that worldwide demand for food will require more than 1 billion hectares of new cropland to feed the 9 billion plus people expected to populate our planet by 2050, and are concerned because currently over 70 percent of all the water used by humans in most countries goes toward crops that produce food. To effectively monitor this rapidly evolving situation, scientists will be relying on satellite remote-sensing to supply crucial information that’s needed for decision-makers who’ll be developing policy guidelines affecting croplands and their water use around the world. The U.S. Geological Survey invites the public to our August Evening Public Lecture, where USGS research geographer Prasad Thenkabail will give a talk explaining the challenges of meeting the increasing need for cropland areas and agricultural water to meet the growing demand for worldwide food production.