Data or statistical facts on the situation and perspectives of agri-food systems and the impact of policies
USD 4.5 trillion per year is the estimated value of new business opportunities linked to the transformation of agri-food systems by 2030 (Sutton, Lotsch & Prasann, 2024).
28% of the world's agricultural land is used to produce food that is wasted (Sutton, Lotsch & Prasann, 2024).
6.4 % of total agri-food system emissions come from fertilizer production and use (Sutton, Lotsch & Prasann, 2024).
52% of the world's agricultural soils are considered carbon depleted (Sutton, Lotsch & Prasann, 2024).
20% of the world's calories come from rice (Sutton, Lotsch & Prasann, 2024).
46% of agri-food emissions in high-income countries come from out-of-production processes, compared to 35% in middle-income countries and 6% in low-income countries (Sutton, Lotsch & Prasann, 2024).
USD 20 trillion per year, almost 20% of world GDP, is the cost of negative externalities of the global food system, including impacts not directly perceived by their generators (Sutton, Lotsch & Prasann, 2024).
64% of total employment in low-income countries is in the agrifood sector, compared to 39% in middle-income countries and 11% in high-income countries (Sutton, Lotsch & Prasann, 2024).
15 % emissions could be reduced by reducing fertilizer use or adopting organic agriculture, but this could also reduce agricultural production by 5 %, increase food prices by 13 % and make healthy diets more expensive by 10 % (Sutton, Lotsch & Prasann, 2024).
18-fold increase in annual investments, reaching USD 260 billion, will be required to halve food system emissions by 2030 (Sutton, Lotsch & Prasann, 2024).