Sustainable Land Management to Ensure Food Security

The global food crisis due to the plunging production and rising prices in recent years, particularly in 2008, calls for solutions to ensure food security in most developing countries. The situation is worsened by the rising demands for food and water as consequences of the population explosion and cropland decline in these countries. By 2050, the world population is projected to rise to 9.2 billion and Iran will be one of the top 20 most populated countries in the world. According to a FAO report, agricultural production must be increased by about 70% during the years running up to 2050 in order to meet the projected food requirements. Finally, study has shown that more than 60% of the present population in Asia (particularly in South and South-West Asia) and a quarter of the African population suffer from malnutrition. The present paper explores the literature on sustainable land management and some of its components such as conservation agriculture, proper crop rotation, and proper management of soil organic content as the cornerstones of agricultural production toward food security.