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Maximising resource‐use efficiency, productivity and environmental sustainability are all fundamental requirements to raise global food production by ~70 per cent in order to feed a world population of ~9.7 billion people by 2050. Perhaps the most vital resource within our capacity to achieve this goal is our soil. Broadly, the fundamental question concerns whether or not satisfying this production demand will accelerate soil degradation, climate change, and the loss of soil carbon stocks. This paper builds upon the outputs of the UK Charity 'Food & Farming Futures' (chaired by Lord Curry of Kirkharle) virtual workshop held on 23 March 2021, entitled 'Capturing the Potential of Soil'. The event focussed on the link between soil health, primarily soil organic carbon (SOC), and agricultural productivity. Supported with commentaries by Professor Pete Smith (University of Aberdeen and Science Director of the Scottish Climate Change Centre of Expertise) and Professor Steve McGrath (Head of Sustainable Agricultural Sciences at Rothamsted Research), specific focus will be given to the research challenges within the UK's ability to improve soil health and functionality, the implementation priorities that must be held in order to improve soil management by 2050 and what the potential co‐benefits could be. These co‐benefits were scattered across environmental, economic, social and political issues, yet they may be summarised into six primary co‐benefits: developing natural capital, climate change mitigation, carbon trading, improvements in crop yield, animal performance and human health (nutrition). Additionally, the main barriers to improved soil management practices are centred on knowledge exchange‐regarding agri‐environmental techniques—whilst the most impactful solutions rely on soil monitoring, reporting and verification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is a strategic crop for Iran with respect to food security and environmental impact. In the northeastern Golestan Province irrigated and rainfed wheat production systems co-exist. In the light of climate change the comparative assessment of the two systems regarding productivity and sustainability is of urgent importance. This paper aims to contribute to a more informed debate on the viability of irrigation in marginal crop production regions. For this purpose, the present study investigates productivity and environmental impact of 540 wheat producing farm households (259 irrigated; 281 rainfed) in Golestan by partial life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology using greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and product carbon footprint (PCF) as environmental sustainability indicators. The study finds huge heterogeneity among wheat producers with regard to yield, GHG emissions and PCF. Comparing irrigated and rainfed production showed that irrigation in average leads to 22% higher yields. However, the environmental impact of irrigated production is disproportionally high leading to 110% higher GHG emissions and 62% higher PCF, which highlights the trade-off between productivity and environmental sustainability. The major contributors to total GHG emissions of wheat production are energy for irrigation (only in irrigated production), N 2 O emissions related to fertilization and residue handling, diesel for machinery, and emissions related to fertilizer production and transport. Increased GHG emissions and PCF in irrigated compared to rainfed production are not only attributed to the energy required for irrigation, but also to increased fertilizer and other production inputs. Splitting the farmers into high, medium and low yield groups indicates the potential for increasing yields through increased input intensity without negative effects on PCF. The study's results demonstrate the potential of better balancing the trade-offs between productivity and sustainability of wheat production in marginal wheat production regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Halophytes can desalinize the soil and increase the productivity of crops. • Some halophytes are used as intercropping and rotating species to reduce soil salinity. • Many halophytes are efficient when they are integrated in aquaponic systems. • Many Mediterranean halophytes have potential multipurpose uses. • Halophytes may find niches in the demanding Mediterranean market. The loss of agro-biodiversity, climate changes and food insecurity are major challenges in the Mediterranean countries with potentially multidimensional consequences. With respect to salinity, approximately 18 million ha, corresponding to 25 % of total irrigated land in the Mediterranean area, are salt affected. Intensive cropping and the excessive use of expensive inputs such as water and fertilizers aggravate this situation. Understanding how we could improve crop productivity in salinized environments is therefore critical to face these challenges. Our comprehension of fundamental physiological mechanisms in plant salt stress adaptation has greatly advanced over the last decades. However, many of these mechanisms have been linked to salt tolerance in simplified experimental systems whereas they have been rarely functionally proven in real agricultural contexts. The sustainability of farming systems in salt affected Mediterranean soils can be effectively achieved by the use of salt-tolerant halophyte plants even more effective through the use of intercropping, crop rotation and aquaponics.. Moreover, if these halophyte plants are removed from the soil to grow other species, pressure on generating salt-tolerant crop plants would be reduced and much healthier crop plants would be cultivated in less stressed saline soils. This paper will focus on the sustainable practices based on the cultivation of halophytes in saline soils by highlighting some experimental activities carried out at laboratory and field levels in the last few years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the effects of climate change in agriculture and food in Latin America. In response to Maletta (2009), this essay analyze the real impacts climate change will have in the region. We suggest that global impacts in agriculture and food will be high in Latin America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]