(MENAFN) A recent report by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned that feeding an anticipated 10 billion people by 2050 will require “bold and smarter choices in how the world manages its land, soil and water.”

The latest edition of State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture (SOLAW 2025) highlighted that these resources are limited and must be carefully preserved to ensure food security “now and in the decades ahead.”

In 2024, an estimated 673 million people faced hunger, and many regions continued to endure severe and recurring food crises, according to the report.

"These pressures will intensify as the global population approaches 9.7 billion by 2050, requiring agriculture to produce 50 percent more food, feed and fibre than in 2012, alongside 25 percent more freshwater," the FAO stated.

However, meeting this growing demand presents significant challenges. Over the past six decades, global agricultural output has "tripled" while agricultural land area increased by only 8%, though this growth came with “high environmental and social costs.”

The report noted that more than 60% of human-induced land degradation occurs on farmland, warning that expanding agriculture by clearing forests or sensitive ecosystems is "no longer viable."

To address these challenges, the FAO recommended science-based approaches to manage land, soil, and water more efficiently. The report emphasized that the planet could potentially feed up to 10.3 billion people by 2085, but this outcome depends on production methods and their environmental and social impacts.

Future agricultural gains must focus on “smarter, not simply more, production.

This means closing yield gaps (the difference between currently obtained and potentially attainable yield); diversifying into resilient crop varieties; and adopting locally-tailored, resource-efficient practices suited to specific land, soil, and water conditions," the agency said.

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