Agriculture

Agriculture is the practice of raising crops and livestock for the production of food and other goods.¹ Popular crops in North and South America include soybeans, corn, sugarcane, fruits, tree nuts, beets, cacao, vegetables and wheat.² In Africa, popular crops include coffee, okra, yams, sorghum, pearl millet, lentils, corn, palm oil, bananas and vegetables.³ The Middle East and Western Asia’s leading crops include wheat, apples, barley, rice, cotton, fruits and vegetables. In Southeast Asia, popular crops are rice, soybeans, corn, wheat, palm oil, sugarcane, fruits and vegetables.⁴ Various crops require specific types of soil, latitudes and longitudes. However, some crops such as corn, wheat, potatoes and soybeans can grow in a variety of conditions. Recent satellite weather technology, data analytics and other new technologies aid farmers in crop production and monitoring, and help reduce waste and environmental impact.⁵ The global population is projected to grow by over 2.3 billion people between 2009 and 2050. To meet new population demands, food production would need to grow by 70 percent by 2050.⁶