To improve food security, a farming cooperative evaluates the land area required to produce protein. Intensive beef farming yields 25 kg of protein per hectare per year (kg ha−1 year−1\text{kg ha}^{-1}\text{ year}^{-1}kg ha−1 year−1), whereas crop-based soy production yields 120 kg of protein per hectare per year.
The cooperative needs to produce a total of 900 kg of protein annually. If they transition from obtaining 100% of this protein from beef to obtaining 60% from soy and the remaining 40% from beef, what is the net reduction in land area required?
4.5 hectares4.5\text{ hectares}4.5 hectares
17.1 hectares17.1\text{ hectares}17.1 hectares
18.9 hectares18.9\text{ hectares}18.9 hectares
21.6 hectares21.6\text{ hectares}21.6 hectares