The 10 Most Important Crops In The World

(from businessinsider.com)
Cuisine varies greatly around the world, but the basic ingredients
that sustain humans are pretty similar. We eat a lot of corn,
wheat, rice and other simple crops.
Read on to find out which foods top the list of most important
worldwide, listed by annual production and average yield in 2008.
10. Plantains

Wikimedia
Annual Production 2008: 34,343,343 tons
Average Yield 2008: 6.3 tons/hectare
The rundown: Despite its similar look to the banana, plantains
differ from bananas in structure, feel, taste and use. Plantains are
starchier and lower in sugar than bananas, and they are cooked
before eating. Overall worldwide production of plantains have
been dropping since the 1970s, thanks to soil degradation, pests,
drought and poor crop husbandry. They are a good source of
potassium and dietary fiber.
9. Yams

Wikimedia
Annual Production 2008: 51,728,233 tons
Average Yield 2008: 10.5 tons/hectare
The rundown: Most yams are produced in West and Central
Africa, with Nigeria far and away the biggest producer in the
world. Yams are the first harvested crop of the year, which marks
the beginning of several Yams Festivals throughout Africa. They
can get up to almost five feet in length.
8. Sorghum

Wikimedia
Annual Production 2008: 65,534,273 tons
Average Yield 2008: 1.5 tons/hectare

Sorghum is the fifth most important cereal crop worldwide. It is

drought and heat tolerant and thus an important crop in arid
regions where major cereals do not produce sufficient yields.
Consumption of sorghum, however, has decreased considerably
in many African countries, especially in urban areas. (Source:
Reuters)
The rundown: Arid regions love sorghum, a heat and droughtresistant crop. Though overall consumption of sorghum has gone
down in many African countries, it's still considered the fifth most
important cereal crop globally. Sorghum bicolor is the name of the
edible plant -- it has other, wilder relatives that are grown as
foliage.
7. Sweet potatoes

Wikimedia
Annual Production 2008: 110,128,298 tons
Average Yield 2008: 13.5 tons/hectare
The rundown: Sweet potatoes are another crop native to South
America that is now majorly produced by China. They are only
distantly related to regular potatoes, and in the U.S. they are often
confused with yams. Sweet potatoes are a great source of
protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium. They grow very

harmoniously with the earth -- few natural enemies make

pesticides unnecessary.
6. Soybeans

Wikimedia
Annual Production 2008: 230,952,636 tons
Average Yield 2008: 2.4 tons/hectare
The rundown: Soybeans are on double duty as both nutritious for
humans -- with significant amino acids, protein and oil -- and for
soil as a natural fertilizer. It produces twice as much protein per
acre as any other major vegetable crop. Supply is far outweighed
by demand for this energizer bean.
5. Cassava

Wikimedia

Annual Production 2008: 232,950,180 tons

Average Yields 2008: 12.5 tons/hectare
The rundown: Cassava's importance in Africa and South
America can not be overstated. As a drought-resistant crop that
does well in poor soils, cassava is a starch-heavy lifesaver for
low-income areas. Cassava eaters know that the roots and leaves
must be cooked in order to lose that toxic level of cyanogenic
glucosides.
4. Potatoes

Wikimedia - Midori
Annual Production 2008: 314,140,107 tons
Average Yield 2008: 17.2 tons/hectare
The rundown: Potatoes are the number one non-grain food
product. Originally grown in the Andes, the Spanish introduced
Europe to the potato in the 16th century and the starchy crop
hasn't looked back since. China is now the largest potatoproducer worldwide.
3. Rice

Wikimedia
Annual Production 2008: 685,013,374 tons
Average Yield 2008: 4.3 tons/hectare
The rundown: Rice may be even more important than corn as a
food crop, since corn is used for other purposes outside
consumption. Thus, rice is the source of more than 1/5th of all
calories consumed by humans. It may also be the thirstiest crop:
according to the U.N., farmers need at least 2,000 liters of water
to make one kilogram of rice.
2. Wheat

Wikimedia
Annual production 2008: 689,945,712 tons

Average Yield 2008: 3.1 tons/hectare

The rundown: Wheat covers more of the earth than any other
crop. It's a resilient crop, growing in the dry and cold climates
where rice and corn cannot. Wheat is the leading source of
vegetable protein for humans worldwide.
1. Corn

Ashlyak at ml.wikipedia
Annual Production 2008: 822,712,527 tons
Average Yield 2008: 5.1 tons/hectare
The rundown: Corn is the most produced grain in the world. It's a
staple food for the majority of sub-Saharan Africa, and is a great
source of carbohydrates, protein, iron, vitamin B, and minerals.
Plus it is being used more and more for ethanol.