Impacts of Air Quality on Global Crop Yields and Food Security: An Integrative Review and Future Outlook

Air pollution is an escalating global challenge with profound implications for agricultural production and food security. This review explores the impacts of deteriorating air quality on global crop yields and food security, emphasizing both direct physiological effects on plants and broader environmental interactions. Key pollutants such as ground-level ozone (O3), fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) reduce crop yield and quality. They have been shown to inhibit plant growth, potentially by affecting germination, morphology, photosynthesis, and enzyme activity. PAH contamination, for example, can negatively affect soil microbial communities essential for soil health, nutrient cycling and organic matter decomposition. They persist and accumulate in food products through the food chain, raising concerns about food safety. The review synthesizes evidence demonstrating how air pollution undermines the four pillars of food security: availability, access, utilization, and stability by reducing crop yields, elevating food prices, and compromising nutritional quality. The consequences are disproportionately severe in low- and middle-income countries, where regulatory and infrastructural limitations exacerbate vulnerability. This study examines mitigation strategies, including emission control technologies, green infrastructure, and precision agriculture, while stressing the importance of community-level interventions and real-time air quality monitoring through IoT and satellite systems. Integrated policy responses are urgently needed to bridge the gap between environmental regulation and agricultural sustainability. Notably, international cooperation and targeted investments in multidisciplinary research are essential to develop pollution-resilient crop systems and inform adaptive policy frameworks. This review identifies critical knowledge gaps regarding pollutant interactions under field conditions and calls for long-term, region-specific studies to assess cumulative impacts. Ultimately, addressing air pollution is not only vital for ecosystem health, but also for achieving global food security and sustainable development in a rapidly changing environment.