IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/nature/v478y2011i7369d10.1038_nature10452.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Solutions for a cultivated planet

Author

Listed:
  • Jonathan A. Foley

    (Institute on the Environment (IonE), University of Minnesota)

  • Navin Ramankutty

    (McGill University)

  • Kate A. Brauman

    (Institute on the Environment (IonE), University of Minnesota)

  • Emily S. Cassidy

    (Institute on the Environment (IonE), University of Minnesota)

  • James S. Gerber

    (Institute on the Environment (IonE), University of Minnesota)

  • Matt Johnston

    (Institute on the Environment (IonE), University of Minnesota)

  • Nathaniel D. Mueller

    (Institute on the Environment (IonE), University of Minnesota)

  • Christine O’Connell

    (Institute on the Environment (IonE), University of Minnesota)

  • Deepak K. Ray

    (Institute on the Environment (IonE), University of Minnesota)

  • Paul C. West

    (Institute on the Environment (IonE), University of Minnesota)

  • Christian Balzer

    (Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California)

  • Elena M. Bennett

    (McGill University)

  • Stephen R. Carpenter

    (Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin)

  • Jason Hill

    (Institute on the Environment (IonE), University of Minnesota
    University of Minnesota, 2004 Folwell Avenue)

  • Chad Monfreda

    (Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes (CSPO), Arizona State University, 1120 S Cady Mall)

  • Stephen Polasky

    (Institute on the Environment (IonE), University of Minnesota
    University of Minnesota, 1994 Buford Avenue)

  • Johan Rockström

    (Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, SE-106 91)

  • John Sheehan

    (Institute on the Environment (IonE), University of Minnesota)

  • Stefan Siebert

    (Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, University of Bonn, Katzenburgweg 5, D53115)

  • David Tilman

    (Institute on the Environment (IonE), University of Minnesota
    Evolution & Behavior, University of Minnesota, 1987 Upper Buford Circle)

  • David P. M. Zaks

    (Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE), University of Wisconsin, 1710 University Avenue)

Abstract

Feeding a growing world sustainably In the coming years, continued population growth, rising incomes, increasing meat and dairy consumption and expanding biofuel use will place unprecedented demands on the world's agriculture and natural resources. Can we meet society's growing food needs while reducing agriculture's environmental harm? Here, an international team of environmental and agricultural scientists uses new geospatial data and models to identify four strategies that could double food production while reducing environmental impacts. First, halt agricultural expansion. Second, close 'yield gaps' on underperforming lands. Third, increase cropping efficiency. And finally, we need to change our diets and shift crop production away from livestock feed, bioenergy crops and other non-food applications.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonathan A. Foley & Navin Ramankutty & Kate A. Brauman & Emily S. Cassidy & James S. Gerber & Matt Johnston & Nathaniel D. Mueller & Christine O’Connell & Deepak K. Ray & Paul C. West & Christian Balz, 2011. "Solutions for a cultivated planet," Nature, Nature, vol. 478(7369), pages 337-342, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:478:y:2011:i:7369:d:10.1038_nature10452
    DOI: 10.1038/nature10452
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature10452
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/nature10452?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:478:y:2011:i:7369:d:10.1038_nature10452. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.