New data shows that crops like wheat, coffee, beans and cassava could lose half of the best land for growing them by 2100

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has upgraded its innovative ABC-Map geospatial app with a new indicator which shows that several major crops including wheat, coffee, beans, cassava, and plantain could lose half their best or optimally suitable land by 2100. Designed for policymakers, technicians, and project designers, the Adaptation, Biodiversity and Carbon Mapping Tool (“ABC-Map”) offers an initial screening of the climate-related risks, essential biodiversity indicators, and the carbon reduction potential of a selected project. It is an open-source satellite imagery app, based on Google Earth Engine, with information from global datasets. Following its upgrade, ABC Map now features a new indicator, providing information on the suitability of major crops in evolving climate scenarios to the end of the century. FAO Senior Natural Resources (Climate Change) Officer Martial Bernoux says the new information could help ensure our capacity to cope ...