The study by Ray et al. (2013) examines the yield trends of four key global crops—maize, rice, wheat, and soybean—to assess whether current yield growth rates are sufficient to double global crop production by 2050. Using data from approximately 2.5 million agricultural statistics collected for 13,500 political units worldwide, the authors find that the average yield growth rates for these crops are 1.6%, 1.0%, 0.9%, and 1.3% per year, respectively, which are below the required 2.4% annual growth rate to meet the doubling target. At these rates, global production of these crops would increase by only about 67%, 42%, 38%, and 55%, respectively, by 2050, far short of the projected demands. The authors present detailed maps to identify regions where yield growth rates need to be increased to boost crop production and meet rising demands. The study highlights the urgency of increasing yield growth rates, especially in regions with low yield growth rates, to ensure global food security.The study by Ray et al. (2013) examines the yield trends of four key global crops—maize, rice, wheat, and soybean—to assess whether current yield growth rates are sufficient to double global crop production by 2050. Using data from approximately 2.5 million agricultural statistics collected for 13,500 political units worldwide, the authors find that the average yield growth rates for these crops are 1.6%, 1.0%, 0.9%, and 1.3% per year, respectively, which are below the required 2.4% annual growth rate to meet the doubling target. At these rates, global production of these crops would increase by only about 67%, 42%, 38%, and 55%, respectively, by 2050, far short of the projected demands. The authors present detailed maps to identify regions where yield growth rates need to be increased to boost crop production and meet rising demands. The study highlights the urgency of increasing yield growth rates, especially in regions with low yield growth rates, to ensure global food security.