Just 16 percent of the world’s farmlands are free of problems like chemical contamination, acidity, salinity, and poor drainage, according to a study by the International Food Policy Research Institute and the World Resources Institute. Using satellite data, the groups found that as little as 6 percent of Asia’s farmlands are free of such fertility problems. They concluded that a whopping 29 percent of North America’s farmlands are still in good shape. WRI’s Adlai Amor said, “Agricultural production is being achieved at the expense of our ability to feed ourselves and future generations.”
