Grains

Grains occupy by far the largest area of cultivation on our Global Field. Worldwide, grains account for almost 50% of arable land and are the most important source of energy and carbohydrates. Although there are around 300 types of grain, 90% of all grain calories are obtained from four types: wheat, corn, rice and barley. A large proportion of this is grown in huge monocultures. Of the global grain harvest of over 2.8 billion tonnes in 2023, only 43% was used as direct food for humans. Over a third is fed to animals, and around 20% goes into fuel and energy production. Rice is the only one that reaches the significant figure of 90% use for human nutrition.