Global food yields have grown steadily during last six decades [Video]

A comprehensive study of worldwide food production finds yields have continued to grow at roughly the same rate since the 1960s, contrary to widespread concerns that global crop yields have stagnated in recent decades.

John Baffes of the World Bank and Xiaoli Etienne of the University of Idaho reported these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on Nov. 27, 2024.

Almost 10 billion people are expected to inhabit Earth by 2050, so agricultural production will become increasingly critical to feeding the growing population.

Over the past six decades, much of the growth in food production has stemmed from technological advances, including the widespread development and use of better crop varieties. But some studies have suggested the growth …