OPINIO
Trade4go
Jul 10th, 2024
Original content
In 2024, the global agricultural landscape is evolving rapidly, spurred by technological advancements, sustainable practices, and an ever-growing demand for food, fiber, and fuel. The agricultural sectors of various countries are continuously innovating and adopting new methods to meet these increasing demands, such as crop type classification with satellite data. Global crop production is now dependent on tech support.
Cereal production growth is projected to slow as per capita consumption reaches saturation in many countries. By 2032, 41% of cereals will be consumed by humans, 37% will be used for animal feed, and the rest for biofuels and industrial purposes. Crop production growth will mainly result from advancements in plant breeding and intensive production systems, with yield improvements accounting for 79%, cropland expansion for 15%, and higher cropping intensity for 6%. Sugar consumption will rise in Africa and Asia, where current intake is low, while high-income countries will see a decline.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, oilseed is the leading crop in terms of global crop area coverage, accounting for 266.46 million hectares and a projected 269.82 mil in 2024. However, corn takes the lead for global crop production, with 1155.63 million tonnes in 2022/23 and a projected 1235.73 mil for 2023/24. Let us look into the top five grown crops worldwide.
infographic provided by EOSDA
Corn is extensively grown worldwide, with the U.S., China, and Brazil leading production. It’s vital for food, livestock feed, ethanol, and bioplastics. GM maize research enhances yields and resistance. In 2022–2023, 1156 million tonnes were produced on 200 million hectares, and the projection for 2024 is 1235 million tonnes on 204 million hectares.
Wheat, a staple for 2.5 billion people, is primarily produced by China, India, and Russia. Its pricing affects global food inflation, and diverse varieties are gaining popularity among health-conscious consumers. For the 2022–2023 season, 220 million tonnes of wheat were produced on 789 million hectares. In 2024, 223 million tonnes are expected to be produced on a decreased area of 784 million hectares.
In 2023, the Asia-Pacific led the oilseed farming market, followed by Western Europe. The market includes revenues from soybeans, sunflower seeds, rapeseeds, sesame seeds, and other oilseeds grown in open fields annually. In 2022–2023, 266 million tonnes were gathered from 634 million hectares, and for 2024, the expected growing number of hectares by 4 million will bring 26 million additional tonnes.
Rice, a staple for nearly half the world’s population, is predominantly produced in Asia. Thailand and Vietnam are vital exporters. The industry faces sustainability challenges, including high water usage and methane emissions. In the 2022–2023 sowing season, 165 million tonnes of rice was produced on 512 million hectares. For 2024, the numbers are expected to stay at almost the same level with 165 million tonnes on 513 million hectares.
Soybeans are primarily cultivated in the U.S., Brazil, and Argentina. They are a protein source in tofu, soymilk, meat alternatives, and oilseed for edible oils and industrial products. Soybean production of 136 million tonnes on 375 million hectares in 2022–2023 will grow with a predicted 139 million tonnes on 399 million hectares.
Global crop production faces significant threats from pests and diseases, causing substantial yearly losses. Between 20% and 40% of crops are lost annually due to pests. In comparison, 15% to 80% of seasonal losses and financial damages result from ineffective weed control, amounting to an estimated $290 billion in global economic damage. The type of crop matters, too. The most damaging pests and pathogens for wheat include leaf rust (3%) and Fusarium Head Blight (2.5%). Corn is severely affected by Fusarium and Gibberella stalk rots (5%) and fall armyworm (2.5%). Cyst nematode and white mold cause a 4.5% yield loss in soybeans. Rice is impacted most by sheath blight (7.5%) and stem borers (6%).
infographic provided by EOSDA
There are a couple of tools, and one of them is scouting. Scouting implies regular field inspection for deviations in crop development and promotes grounded decisions. When applying integrated pest management, growers need to be aware of pest threats in the fields every season and in the long run. Timely scouting helps detect problems early and save yields. Platforms like EOSDA Crop Monitoring provide a valuable scouting feature that allows users to effectively detect vegetation decline in the field, set scouting tasks to check a specific area using GPS coordinates, assign tasks to team members, and receive comprehensive reports with inspection details, including attached photos of the specified area.
Moreover, remote farming platforms enable convenient planning and controlling of any IPM agricultural activities in every individual field. Users can select the activity type, set the timeline, and monitor its status. Regular scouting can also show if the integrated pest management practices bring the desired results. Through a number of vegetation indices, growers can monitor the crop’s state in the field and detect changes. If the problem areas do not recover after applying IPM components, it indicates that pest populations are likely to increase, signaling the chosen strategy’s failure and the necessity to consider another integrated management option.
Complex tasks require up-to-date tech solutions, like satellite data and imagery, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery, big data processing, customized algorithms, and neural networks and AI. Satellite data offers a proactive approach to identifying crops, predicting and controlling diseases, assessing crop health, and detecting potential threats early. As a global provider of AI-powered satellite imagery analytics, EOS Data Analytics possesses the required technologies and proposes them in the form of custom solutions for its clients. Those solutions include:
Among those, crop classification using remote sensing can be used in crop production dynamics and prediction. This solution allows food producers to determine their crop coverage remotely and adjust their plans accordingly, ensuring 90% accuracy based on scientific expertise. Tools like these help trace the crop rotation history and choose what to grow next.
In conclusion, the global agricultural landscape heading into 2024 is characterized by rapid evolution and innovation, driven by technological advancements and sustainable practices. As staple crops like wheat, rice, maize, and soybeans face increasing demand worldwide, the agricultural sector is leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as satellite data analytics and AI to enhance productivity, monitor crop health, and mitigate risks from pests and diseases. Knowing how to identify crops just might save them, and farmers need that tech at hand. These advancements are crucial as the world prepares to meet future food security and sustainability challenges. With continued innovation and strategic adaptation, agriculture remains pivotal in feeding a growing population and fostering economic resilience and environmental stewardship on a global scale.
Author:
Vasyl Cherlinka is a Doctor of Biosciences specializing in pedology (soil science), with 30 years of experience in the field. With a degree in agrochemistry, agronomy and soil science, Dr. Cherlinka has been advising on these issues private sector for many years.
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