Converting What We Grow toWhat We Eat

Crops to Human Food in kCals per Day

Crops Grown Globally Daily 100% 6,000

Waste: Left in the Ground -15%-900

Biofuels -8%-500

Edible Crop Harvest 77% 4,600

Waste: Post Harvest -10%-600

Fed to Animals -28%-1,700

Crops for Human Food 38% 2,300

Waste: Household/Other -13%-800

Crops Consumed 25% 1,500

Meat & Dairy Consumed 8% 500

Total Consumed 33% 2,000

The 6,000 kcals per person of crops produced per day globally turn into only 2,000 kcals of food for humans. Waste consumes 2,300. Animal feed and biofuels consume the rest.

Source: Professor Mike Berners-Lee Subscribe to the Chart of the Week