Global Croplands and their Importance for Water and Food Security in the Twenty-first Century: Towards an Ever Green Revolution that Combines a Second Green Revolution with a Blue Revolution

In an increasingly food insecure world, there is a critical need for us to have a comprehensive understanding of global croplands. The reality that the “green revolution” has ended is beginning to be felt around the World. Whereas, global population continues to increase at a rate of about 100 million per year and is expected to reach around 10 billion by 2050, cropland areas are not increasing and have stagnated around 1.5 billion hectares globally. Indeed, cropland areas have even begun to decrease in some countries with important food contribution (e.g., USA) due to increasing demand of fertile arable lands for alternative uses such as bio-fuels, encroachment from urbanization, and industrialization. [...]