Beyond Crop Hotspots: Why Overlooked Marginal Agricultural Lands Deserve Urgent Attention

Marginal agricultural lands play a critical role in global food security, especially for smallholder farmers in developing countries. However, these farmers are disproportionately affected by food insecurity and malnutrition and often rely on marginal lands for their livelihoods. These lands, characterized by poor soil quality, limited rainfall, steep slopes and other constraints, pose significant challenges such as low yields, high input costs, and environmental degradation. Although, there are suitable technologies for almost every marginal land, not many have used the appropriate technologies to harness the untapped potential in a sustainable manner. This perspective examines the key challenges of marginal agriculture while exploring emerging opportunities to boost both productivity and sustainability. We highlight innovations in agricultural technologies, the cultivation of alternative crops, climate change adaptation strategies, and incentives for sustainable practices that could transform areas into productive agriculture landscapes. Realizing this potential requires coordinated efforts of policymakers, researchers, plant breeders, farmers, and consumers. By tackling these challenges, we can improve smallholder livelihoods and make meaningful contributions towards global food security and sustainable development goals.