20 Countries With the Highest Agricultural Population Density

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In this article, we will take a look at the 20 countries with the highest agricultural population density. If you would like to skip our discussion on the trends in the agriculture sector, you can go to the 5 Countries With the Highest Agricultural Population Density.

Agriculture, often regarded as the backbone of human civilization, is undergoing a period of significant transformation. Driven by population growth, climate change, and evolving consumer preferences, the way we produce food is being reshaped. With the United Nations projecting a global population of 9.7 billion by 2050, there is an urgent need to increase agricultural output to meet the nutritional requirements of this expanding population. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that food production will have to grow by 70% to feed everyone adequately by 2050.

Moreover, investing in agriculture is shown to be effective in reducing poverty compared to investment in other sectors. According to the World Bank, investing in agriculture is two to four times more impactful at lifting people out of poverty than investing in other sectors. Agriculture is the major driver for economic growth since it makes up 4% of the GDP globally. This figure goes up to 25% of the GDP in developing countries.

However, despite the importance of agricultural production, data from the US Department of Agriculture shows that the global agricultural production growth rate in the last decade declined to 1.14% per year from 1.19% a year a decade earlier. This trend is caused by an interplay of several factors. Extreme weather events, fueled by climate change, threaten to shrink average crop yields. Moreover, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and COVID-19 caused a further slowdown in this sector. As a result, the number of people facing food insecurity has risen to 333 million, compared to 200 million before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Precision agriculture has emerged as one of the promising solutions to address this issue. Precision agriculture employs a data-driven approach to farming, aiming to optimize yields while minimizing environmental impact. By utilizing sensors, drones, and advanced analytics, farmers can gain real-time insights into soil conditions, water usage, and crop health. This allows them to apply fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation more precisely, reducing waste and maximizing resource efficiency. Studies by USDA show that crop yield is higher for technology adopters than for non-adopters.

Growth of the Agricultural Robots Market

Technology is rapidly reshaping agriculture, ushering in an era of smart farming characterized by increased efficiency, precision, and sustainability. For instance, robots are taking on repetitive tasks like weeding, harvesting, and milking, freeing up human labor for more strategic decision-making leading to improvements in efficiency. According to Markets and Markets, the global agriculture robots market was estimated to be $13.5 billion in 2023. It is forecasted that the market will reach $40.1 billion by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate of 24.3%. Market drivers include rising costs of labor, the push toward farm optimization, and the availability of technological advancements. Key players in the agricultural robots market include Deere & Company (NYSE:DE), AGCO Corporation (NYSE:AGCO), and AgEagle Aerial Systems, Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:UAVS).