
Distinguishing yield advances from yield plateaus in historical crop production - chaostheory
http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2013/131217/ncomms3918/full/ncomms3918.html
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taylan
I find these graphics by WRI particularly useful in understanding the
different angles to this problem:

[http://www.wri.org/blog/global-food-challenge-
explained-18-g...](http://www.wri.org/blog/global-food-challenge-
explained-18-graphics)

As a geneticist, I'm more than slightly offended that they don't include GMOs
in the arsenal of solutions though.

~~~
JoeAltmaier
Yes, the sensitive folk who object to GMOs will get shouted down soon, I hope,
when people need food and it isn't there.

Myself, I look forward to microchips that manufacture carbohydrate and protein
chains directly from electricity and air (water?). Then food, water and energy
will truly become fungible commodities. And grain becomes irrelevant.

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qwerta
> Strong evidence of yield plateaus in some of the world’s most intensive
> cropping systems

They use complicated theories to explain lower yield. But they totally ignore
subsidies which motivate farmers to grow less. Modern 'organic' agriculture
also lowers yield and is ignored in this study.

