DATE: September 2023
SECTOR: Farming, Food Production
SOURCE: University of Colorado (via Nature Communications)
TOPIC: The value of earthworms
SUMMARY: Earthworms’ contribution to global food production
DESCRIPTION: For the first time, researchers have quantified the vital role of earthworms in healthy soil and food production. The study from Colorado State University analyzed earthworm impacts on four grain crops, namely rice, maize, wheat and barley, as well as on legumes, including, among others, soybeans, peas and lentils. It found that earthworms support plant growth and drive global food production, contributing to approximately 6.5% of global grain production and 2.3% of legume production annually.
Read the report: Earthworms’ contribution to global food production
