PubTalk 8/2012 — Global Food Security in the 21st Century

--the increasing need for food production, cropland areas, and agricultural water

by Prasad Thenkabail, Research Geographer

• Worldwide demand for food will require more than one billion hectares of new cropland to feed 9 billion plus people by 2050
• Presently, of all the water used by humans over 70% goes towards agriculture to produce food in most countries
• Remote-sensing from space will provide crucial data for policy development affecting croplands and their water use
• Social scientists recognize global food security as a primary requirement for human advancement, overall health, and peaceful coexistence.