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Mapping Earth’s Agricultural Footprint
Agriculture occupies a vast portion of the surface of our planet. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), about 37% of the world’s land surface, or about 4.8 billion hectares, is used for agriculture. This comprises both permanent pastures and meadows and croplands. To give an example, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has generated a 30-meter-resolution map showing the global distribution of croplands worldwide. The map shows where the crops are grown, providing insight into the production of agriculture in the world.
The Dominance of Four Major Crops
While many crops are grown around the globe, four crops dominate the agricultural production landscape: wheat, maize (corn), rice, and soybeans. Together, these crops occupy a significant share of global cropland cultivation.
Wheat: Approximately 20% of global croplands are seeded with wheat.
Maize (Corn): Maize is grown on around 17% of croplands.
Rice: Absorbing about 15% of farmlands, rice is a primary staple for over half of the globe’s population.
Soybeans: Covering about 11% of farmlands, soybeans are needed for human and animal consumption.
These crops are not evenly distributed; their cultivation is subject to local climates, soil conditions, and cultural practices.
The maps below, created by Reddit user Reldresal show the global distribution of these major crops in the world.
Agricultural Land Use and Its Environmental Effects
Aside from croplands, agriculture also covers vast portions of pastures and meadows for livestock grazing. Combined, croplands and pastures occupy around 38% of the Earth’s ice-free surface area. Agricultural land expansion has caused significant environmental modifications:
These changes have long-term implications for biodiversity, carbon storage, and climate regulation. The extent of global cropland is set to continue increasing, but at a slowing rate. These are motivated by population growth, changing diets, and the need for biofuels. Sustainable agriculture and technology attempts to balance agricultural needs with conservation, though.
