Agricultural Landscape Understanding At Country-Scale

The global food system is facing unprecedented challenges. In 2023, 2.4 billion people experienced moderate to severe food insecurity [1], a crisis precipitated by anthropogenic climate change and evolving dietary preferences. Furthermore, the food system itself significantly contributes to the climate crisis, with food loss and waste accounting for 2.4 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per year (GT CO2e/yr) [2], and the production, mismanagement, and misapplication of agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and manure generating an additional 2.5 GT CO2e/yr [3]. To sustain a projected global population of 9.6 billion by 2050, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that food production must increase by at least 60% [1]. However, this also presents an opportunity: transitioning to sustainable agricultural practices can transform the sector from a net source of greenhouse gas emissions to a vital carbon sink.