In News:

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has released the latest edition of its flagship biennial report, The State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture (SOLAW) 2025. First published in 2011, SOLAW assesses global trends in land, soil, and water management to guide sustainable agricultural policies and ensure food security.

Purpose of SOLAW

The report evaluates how natural resources are being used for agriculture and identifies pathways to enhance sustainable food production, ecosystem resilience, and rural livelihoods. It bridges scientific research with policymaking at national and global levels.

Key Global Findings

• By 2050, agriculture must produce 50% more food, feed and fibre compared to 2012 levels to meet rising demand.
• However, expanding agricultural land is no longer viable, as most productive land is already in use.
• Agriculture currently covers one-third of Earth’s land surface (about 4.8 billion hectares).
• It accounts for around 72% of global freshwater withdrawals, contributing significantly to water scarcity and groundwater depletion.
• Since 1964, global agricultural output has tripled, mainly through intensification (high-yield crops, irrigation, and technology), while farmland expanded by only 8%.
• More than 1.6 billion hectares of land (over 10% of the world’s land area) are degraded, with over 60% of degradation occurring on agricultural lands.

This cycle of soil degradation, declining water availability, and ecosystem destruction is weakening the resilience of global food systems.

Major Concerns

• Overuse of chemicals and intensive farming is causing soil erosion, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
• Groundwater over-extraction and seawater intrusion threaten freshwater supplies.
• Agricultural expansion remains a driver of deforestation and degradation of carbon-rich ecosystems such as peatlands.

Pathways for Sustainable Production

The report highlights that future food gains must come from “producing more and better”, rather than expanding farmland.

Key Strategies

1. Closing Yield Gaps

• Improve productivity on existing farmland through better crop management and locally suited, resilient varieties.

2. Strengthening Rainfed Agriculture

• Promote soil moisture conservation, crop diversification, and drought-resilient practices.
• Conservation agriculture can enhance productivity without increasing water stress.

3. Integrated Farming Systems

• Adoption of agroforestry, rotational grazing, forage improvement, and rice–fish farming to enhance ecosystem services and diversify incomes.

4. Capacity Building

• Farmer training through extension models like FAO’s Farmer Field Schools (FFS).
• Such approaches support knowledge sharing and sustainable practices at the community level.

Future Outlook

The report indicates that with sustainable intensification, the world has the potential to feed up to 10.3 billion people by 2085 while safeguarding land and water resources.