Policy Memo-Closing Yield Gaps

Policy Brief-Closing Yield Gaps

Connor Thiets

10/12/2015

With the expanding population, global food production needs to be increased by 60-110% by 2050 to meet the demand for food and feed for livestock. (Pradhan) Expansion of agriculture land by land conversion and intensification of current agriculture land are two methods which can be utilized to attain this goal. However, because land conversion to be used for agriculture has drastic impacts on the greenhouse gas emissions and the negative impacts on biodiversity and natural ecosystems, it is not a viable solution in the long run for expanding global food. Closing yield gaps is essential to increase food production to cope with a quickly growing global population. If maximum global crop production levels are achieved, then most countries will be able to be self-sufficient in food production. Two major determining factors are affecting the yield food production. The management of soil viability and fertilizer misuse are affecting the potential food production levels. In addition, there are socioeconomic factors which are having an impact on yield gaps. The yield variability and travel time to the nearest market are impacting the yield gap of crops. (Mueller)The intensification of agriculture depends on these factors for increasing the global food production in an environmentally safe manner.

Many areas of the world contain good land for agriculture but the land is being mismanaged by the farmers controlling the land. The land could be far more productive if proper nutrient and soil management was being utilized. To obtain above average crop yields, fertilizer application is needed in addition to natural nutrient regeneration (Pradhan). To achieve the potential crop yields, specific management interventions are needed to be put in place. One of the management interventions is addressing the issue of soil constraints which is needed to overcome the poor nutrient status. The poor nutrient status can be...