The World's Countries By Percentage of Cultivated Land

Different countries use their land for various activities including agriculture and protected areas, green spaces, infrastructure, settlement, and industrial zones. Countries with over 50% of cultivated land include those in Europe such as Denmark, Ukraine, and Hungary, those in Africa including Burundi and Rwanda, those in Asia including India and Bangladesh as well as Pacific Islands such as Tuvalu, Kiribati, and Micronesia.

The World's Countries By Percentage of Cultivated Land

Comoros

Comoros has 76% of its land under cultivation, the largest of any nation. The economy of the country largely relies on agricultural activities, and its arable land accounts for 45% of its total land area. 60% of the cultivated land belongs to village reserves as stipulated by customary law, 20% belongs to native landowners who reside in urban areas and hire laborers to cultivate on their land, while the rest 20% belongs to various company estates. Comoros produces bananas, rice, manioc, sweet potatoes, coconuts, cloves, corn, peppers, sugarcane, and sisal. The Comoros is also a top exporter of the ylang-ylang perfume plant. Agricultural productivity in the Comoros is however low as rudimentary cultivation methods are used.

Tuvalu

Tuvalu has 66.67% of cultivated land. The agricultural sector in Tuvalu is characterized by the cultivation of coconut and swamp taro. Tuvalu's cuisine is made of the staple of coconut where the fresh, coconut milk, and coconut water are used to flavor dishes. Pulaka is the primary source of carbohydrates for Tuvalu's residents, and it is cultivated in huge pits of composted soil under the water table. Breadfruits and bananas serve as supplemental products. Most of the cultivated crops in Tuvalu feed the local demand while copra is the primary agricultural export.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh has 65.5% of its land under cultivation. Agriculture in Bangladesh accounts for 16% of the nation's GDP and further employs 47% of its labor force. Jute and rice rank as the top crops grown in the nation while wheat has been gaining ground. Tea plantations exist in the northeastern region. Bangladesh prides in fertile soils while its ample water supply facilitates the cultivation and harvesting of rice three times annually. Bangladesh ranks as the 4th largest rice producing State in the world. Wheat is not one of the country's traditional crops, and it began gaining popularity in the 1960s and 1970s.

Moldova

Moldova has 64.2% of its land under cultivation. The agricultural and food processing sectors in Moldova contribute about 40% of the country’s GDP. Moldova’s location near the Black Sea experiences a mild and sunny climate. Moldova's fertile soils facilitate the cultivation of barley, wheat, soybeans, corn, sugar beet, and tobacco. Extensive vineyards characterize the southern and central regions making world-class wine, Moldova's best-known export. The nation also produces apples, sunflower seeds, and walnuts.

Methods To Improve Yields

In most cases, developing republics have most of their land under agriculture. Low productivity, however, makes it difficult for these countries to reap the benefits of their fertile soils and suitable climates. While rainfall has been relied upon for centuries to sustain farmlands, its increasing unpredictability in the face of climate change means that irrigation has to be developed as a sustainable solution. The access to fertilizers should also be improved to ensure farmers get the right fertilizers at the right time and in affordable amounts. The adoption of both high-yield crop and genetically modified crop cultivation practices have also been encouraged as has the adoption of modern and technological cultivation techniques.