American scientists have found that earthworms may contribute 140 million tons of food globally every year, including 6.5% of cereals and 2.3% of beans. The researchers believe that investments in agroecological policies and practices that support earthworm populations and overall soil diversity are important to achieving sustainable agriculture goals.
Earthworms are important builders of healthy soil and support plant growth in many ways, such as influencing soil structure, water acquisition, organic matter cycling and nutrient availability. Earthworms also push plants to produce growth-promoting hormones that help plants fight off common soil pathogens. But their contribution to global agricultural production has yet to be quantified.
To assess the impact of earthworms on the production of globally important crops, Steven Fonte of Colorado State University and colleagues analyzed maps and previous data on earthworm abundance, soil properties and crop production. They found that earthworms contribute about 6.5% of global production of cereals (including corn, rice, wheat and barley) and 2.3% of production of legumes (including soybeans, peas, chickpeas, lentils and alfalfa). This is equivalent to more than 140 million tons of grain per year. The contribution of earthworms is particularly high in the Global South, where they contribute 10% to cereal production in sub-Saharan Africa and 8% in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The findings are among the first attempts to quantify the contribution of beneficial soil organisms to global agricultural production. Although these findings are based on analysis of a larger global North database. Researchers believe that earthworms are important drivers of global food production and require research investment and promotion of ecological agricultural management practices to strengthen the entire soil biota, including earthworms. Support a variety of ecosystem services that promote long-term sustainability and agricultural resilience.
