A staggering 1.7 billion people worldwide live in areas where agricultural productivity is declining because of human-caused land degradation. This largely invisible crisis is undermining both food security and ecosystem health across the globe.

By Maile Matsimela, Digital Editor at African Farming

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) released these alarming findings in its latest The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) 2025 report, presented at FAO headquarters in Rome. This comprehensive analysis represents the most detailed examination to date of how human activities are degrading land and directly impacting crop yields.

The numbers paint a stark picture: 1.7 billion people are affected by crop yields that are 10% lower than their potential, and 47 million children under the age of five are suffering from stunting in these degraded areas. Asian countries bear the heaviest burden because of their high population density combined with accumulated degradation over time.

Understanding the Crisis

FAO defines land degradation as the long-term decline in land’s ability to provide essential ecosystem functions. Although natural factors such as soil erosion and salinisation contribute to the problem, human activities have become the dominant force driving this crisis. Deforestation, overgrazing, unsustainable cropping practices and poor irrigation management are now among the leading contributors to agricultural land degradation worldwide.

Also read: Land reform – the path towards equitable development

The report uses sophisticated machine-learning models to assess the severity of the problem, comparing current soil conditions with their natural baseline states. Researchers measured three critical indicators: soil organic carbon, soil erosion and soil water content, creating a comprehensive picture of how human interference has altered the land’s productive capacity.

Hope on the Horizon

Despite these sobering statistics, the report offers genuine reason for optimism. The research shows that reversing just 10% of human-induced degradation on existing croplands could restore enough agricultural production to feed an additional 154 million people annually. This finding represents far more than abstract numbers, as it reveals real opportunities to strengthen global food security, reduce pressure on natural ecosystems and build more resilient agricultural systems for the future.

The SOFA 2025 report emphasises that recovery is achievable through integrated approaches combining sustainable land management practices with targeted policy interventions. Farmers can implement crop rotation systems, cover cropping and soil health preservation techniques that restore productivity and contribute to biodiversity conservation.

Also read: 1.3 billion lives depend on livestock: Global summit unveils game-changing solutions

On the policy front, the report says governments can establish regulatory measures for deforestation control while creating incentive-based programmes that reward farmers for adopting sustainable practices. Cross-compliance mechanisms that link agricultural subsidies to environmental outcomes show promise, though the report stresses that solutions must be tailored to different farm sizes and local conditions. Smallholder farmers face distinct financial constraints compared with larger operations, requiring specially designed support systems.

Global Leadership and Commitment

The international community has recognised land degradation as a critical global challenge, with more than 130 countries pledging to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. FAO stands at the forefront of these efforts, providing essential data monitoring through its Global Agro-Ecological Zoning system and tracking soil health via the Global Soil Organic Carbon Map.

As FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu emphasised in the report’s foreword: “Sustainable land management requires enabling environments that support long-term investment, innovation and stewardship.”

The report makes it clear that land degradation affects agricultural operations of all sizes, but success depends on implementing policies and practices that account for local farm structures and economic realities. Through this targeted approach, the international community can begin reversing decades of degradation while building a more sustainable and food-secure future.

Also read: