Three Crops Feed Half the World

We're feeding the planet on three crops. Seriously, just three. These grains make up 89% of cereal production, and in 2009 they supplied 43% of all the calories people ate. That number hasn't dropped much since.

Vivid Maps team put together maps showing exactly where wheat, maize, and rice grow around the world. 

Where Does All the Wheat Come From?

People started growing wheat in the Fertile Crescent 10,000 years ago. From there it moved into every place with decent soil and cool enough weather. It stores without rotting, survives frost better than other grains, and becomes bread, pasta, noodles, you name it.

China leads wheat production. They grew 136.6 million tonnes in 2023. India was second with 110.6 million tonnes. Russia produced 91.5 million tonnes. The U.S., France, Pakistan, Canada, Germany, Ukraine, and Turkey all grow substantial amounts.

Here's what gets me though. Somalia harvests 401 kg per hectare. New Zealand gets 9,668 kg from that same hectare. Why such a huge gap? Technology, irrigation, fertilizers, soil conditions, expertise. All of it matters.

Wheat uses less water than rice but you still need regular rain or irrigation systems. Regions already dealing with water problems are struggling more each year. And because of changing weather, wheat farming is moving north and uphill. In two decades, the map might look totally different.

Maize Shows Up Almost Everywhere

Maize came from Central America a very long time ago. Now it grows on every continent except Antarctica. Fresh corn, cornmeal, animal feed, fuel ethanol...the uses just keep expanding. Average yields worldwide hit around 5 tonnes per hectare. That's better than wheat or rice.

The U.S. grows more maize than anyone. They produced 384.8 million tonnes in 2023. China was second at 277.2 million tonnes. Brazil came in third with 131.9 million tonnes. Argentina and Ukraine export large amounts too.

Scientists who study plant diseases worry about maize. We grow so much of it in such huge monocultures. One new pathogen could wipe out enormous areas before anyone figures out how to stop it. We've seen this exact scenario play out with bananas and potatoes.

Rice Keeps Half the World Alive

More people depend on rice than any other food. It grows best in flooded fields. The standing water kills most weeds and keeps certain pests away. Typical yields average 4.7 tonnes per hectare, though top-performing regions exceed this significantly.

China grows 212.8 million tonnes every year. India produces 178.5 million tonnes. Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Vietnam all grow massive amounts. Surprisingly, Tajikistan had the highest yields in 2023 at 9,874 kg per hectare. That's probably from small intensive farms rather than big industrial operations.

But those flooded paddies create problems. They release a lot of methane. And methane is way worse for the climate than CO2. New irrigation techniques and rice varieties can reduce emissions, but getting farmers to switch takes forever. Plus, water is getting scarcer in places that have been growing rice for thousands of years.

Putting Everything on One Map

Layer all three crops together and you see distinct zones. Temperate areas grow wheat. Maize fits into various climates. Rice occupies wetter tropical and subtropical regions.

But this also shows our vulnerability. When drought hits a major growing region, prices jump worldwide. Political problems in one country affect food costs everywhere. Water fights between farms, cities, and factories get worse every year. And humanity is running on three species of grass.

Should we branch out? Millet survives droughts that kill wheat. Quinoa has better protein than rice. Amaranth and sorghum both handle heat that would devastate our main crops. All of them are nutritious and grow in tough conditions. Yet we barely cultivate them commercially.

Look, nobody thinks we should abandon wheat, maize, and rice tomorrow. They work. They feed billions. But depending so completely on three crops seems risky when you consider what's happening. Weather keeps getting weirder. Water keeps running out. Pests and diseases keep evolving.

Maybe growing more types of food would give us a safety net. When eight billion people need to eat, having alternatives matters. Should we diversify or keep doing what we're doing?

Books on Food Systems

Want to learn more? These books are good starting points. They're Amazon affiliate links, which means I earn a commission if you buy through them.

• The Fate of Food: What We'll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter, Smarter World by Amanda Little
• The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food by Dan Barber
• Food and the City: Urban Agriculture and the New Food Revolution by Jennifer Cockrall-King
• Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life by David R. Montgomery