According to Bill Nye, it took about 1/2 an acre to feed a family a couple of centuries ago, but it currently takes about 1/2 a soccer field to feed ONE person. In your own words, why do you think this large change has occurred?
3 answers
There are several factors that have likely contributed to this increase in land needed to feed a person. One major factor is the shift towards a more industrialized and globalized food system, which requires large-scale agriculture to produce food for a growing population. Additionally, modern farming practices often involve intensive monoculture farming, which can deplete soil nutrients and require more land to produce the same amount of food. Climate change and environmental degradation may also play a role in reducing crop yields and necessitating more land to feed a single person. Overall, a combination of population growth, changing dietary habits, and agricultural practices are likely to blame for the significant increase in land needed to feed a person today compared to centuries ago.
Make it a short answer
The increase in land needed to feed one person today compared to centuries ago is likely due to the shift towards industrialized agriculture, global food systems, intensive monoculture farming practices, population growth, changing dietary habits, and environmental degradation.