Global crop production has increased substantially in recent decades.Studies of common crop groups (including cereals, oilseeds, fruits andvegetables)suggestthatcropproductionincreasedby47%between1985and2005(ref.18).However,considering all174crops trackedbytheUNFAO and ref. 15, we find global crop production increased by only 28%during that time18.This 28% gain in production occurred as cropland area increased byonly2.4%, suggesting a25%increaseinyield. However, croplandareathatwas harvested increased by about 7% between 1985 and 2005—nearlythree times the change in cropland area, owing to increased multiplecropping, fewer crop failures, and less land left fallow. Accounting fortheincreaseinharvested land,averageglobalcropyieldsincreasedby only20% between 1985 and 2005, substantially less than the often-cited 47%production increase for selected crop groups. (Using the same methods asfor the 20% result, we note that yields increased by 56% between 1965