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Here’s Why the Amazon is So Important for Global Food Security

by Tessa Di Grandi
This post is by Tessa Di Grandi from Visual Capitalist

Published • Updated •
The following content is sponsored by Brazil Potash

Why is the Amazon Rainforest Important for Food Security?

The Amazon rainforest is home to 400 billion trees and covers 6.7 million square kilometers, but the ‘Earth’s lungs’, as it is commonly referred to, is so much more than that.

Aside from being a key carbon sink, it also plays a critical role in supporting crop growth by stabilizing the climate and balancing water cycles.

In this infographic, our sponsor Brazil Potash looks at how the Amazon regulates rainfall and temperature and how crop yields can be optimized. Let’s dive in.

Rainfall as a Primary Water Source

“Flying rivers” are air currents that carry enormous amounts of water vapor over thousands of kilometers. These airborne rivers are responsible for influencing regional and global weather patterns, including rainfall. 

The Amazon flying river cycle begins with water evaporating from the Atlantic Ocean. Wind currents then transport these vapors across the continent, exchanging moisture with the Amazon rainforest through evapotranspiration. Finally, these aerial rivers distribute the moisture as rain.

The trees in the Amazon rainforest release around 20 billion tonnes of water into the atmosphere daily—this is more water than the Mississippi River discharges in 13 months.

Because only around 6% of cropland in Brazil is irrigated, the region relies heavily on this rainfall as a (Read more...)

The Fertilizer Market: 4 Things Investors Need to Know in 2023

by Tessa Di Grandi
This post is by Tessa Di Grandi from Visual Capitalist

Published • Updated •
The following content is sponsored by Brazil Potash


Fertilizer market and what investors need to know in 2023

4 Things Investors Need to Know About the Fertilizer Market in 2023

Food security is of crucial importance many reasons—from ensuring both political and social stability, to supporting the health of the global economy.

You may be surprised to learn that fertilizer plays a crucial role in food security by enhancing the quantity and quality of harvests. In short, fertilizers can make food more affordable and accessible.

The above infographic sponsored by Brazil Potash digs into four major trends currently impacting the demand of fertilizer. Let’s break them down here.

1. Feeding 10 Billion People by 2050

The world’s population is increasing rapidly and is expected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050. This growth is particularly strong in developing countries where food security is already strained.

As the population grows, more crops are needed to support global food systems. Increasing crop production is essential and the fertilizer market is a critical ingredient in improving crop yields.

2. Less Farmland

After around 10,000 to 12,000 years of reshaping land for agriculture, the amount of arable land on earth is declining.

Based on the agricultural expansion predicted to take place between 2010 and 2050, an estimated 593 million hectares of agricultural land—nearly twice the size of India—will be needed.

With little room left to grow, fertilizers will take on an increasingly critical role in boosting crop production.

(Read more...)

Mapped: Where Does Our Food Come From?

by Tessa Di Grandi
This post is by Tessa Di Grandi from Visual Capitalist

Published • Updated •
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The following content is sponsored by Brazil Potash

Where Does Our Food Come From?

Did you know that over two-thirds of national crops originated from somewhere else?

Humans have been selecting and growing crops for specific traits since the origins of agriculture some 10,000 years ago, shaping where and what crops are grown today.

Now our food system is completely global and many of the world’s top producers of staple crops are in countries far from their historical origin. For example, Brazil is now the largest soybean producer in the world, though the crop is originally from East Asia.

The above infographic by Brazil Potash shows the historical origins of crops before they were domesticated across the globe and the main producers of our staple crops today.

Producers Of Staple Crops Today

Staple crops are those that are the most routinely grown and consumed. These can vary between countries depending on availability.

In 2020, sugarcane, maize, wheat, and rice made up around 50% of global crop production.

But when the production and distribution of staple crops are threatened, the consequences can be felt globally. Let’s take a look at the countries that were the top three producers of some of our staple crops in 2020.

CropCountryPercentage of Global Production
Sugar Cane🇧🇷Brazil40.5%
Sugar Cane🇮🇳India19.9%
Sugar Cane🇨🇳China5.8%
Maize🇺🇸U.S. (Read more...)

Ocean Economy: The Next Wave of Sustainable Innovation

by Sponsored Content

The following content is sponsored by Billy Goat Brands (CSE: GOAT).

ocean economy infographic

Ocean Economy: The Next Wave of Sustainable Innovation

Roughly 21–37% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are attributable to our current food system, which includes conventional agriculture and land use according to the latest IPCC report.

With the global population rising and more mouths to feed, now is the time to reconsider how we can tap into our global resources to build a more sustainable food system.

This infographic from Billy Goat Brands (CSE: GOAT) (“GOAT”) explores how the ocean economy—also referred to as the blue economy—plays a vital role in our fight against climate change and other environmental challenges facing the world today.

What is the Ocean Economy?

The ocean economy is described as the sustainable use of the ocean and its resources for economic development and ocean ecosystem health.

The global economic output of the ocean economy is $1.5 trillion each year. Here is an example of some of the activities and sectors that make up the ocean economy today:

ActivityRelated Sectors
Harvesting of living marine resourcesFisheries
Aquaculture
Harvesting of non-living marine resources 
Marine biology
Mining
Oil & Gas
Transport and trade
Tourism
Maritime transport
Shipping and shipbuilding
Coastal development
Renewable energy
Renewables (wind, wave, tidal energy)
Indirect economic activities
Carbon sequestration
Coastal protection
Waste disposal
Biodiversity

Financing ocean-related economic activities will ensure the future sustainability of this vital resource, and help combat threats that pose a risk to humanity, such as overfishing, pollution (Read more...)