Data or statistical facts on the situation and perspectives of agri-food systems and the impact of policies
74% of global cropland was harvested in 1961, while by 2020, this proportion increased to 92% (USDA, 2024).
1.62 trillion per year was the value of livestock and aquaculture products between 2016 and 2020, up from $433 billion in 1961-1965, with their share of global agricultural production rising from 37.5% to 39.2% (USDA, 2024).
6.3% was aquaculture's share of global agricultural production between 2016 and 2020, up from 0.4% in 1961-1965, with increases in vegetables and fruits and decreases in grains and livestock products (USDA, 2024).
187 million hectares were planted with GM crops in 2019, representing 12% of the global area of harvested crops (ISAAA, 2019).
1 billion liters was the global consumption of vegetable oils for biodiesel in 2000, increasing to more than 48 billion liters in 2020 (USDA, 2024).
$27.2 billion was global public agricultural R&D spending in 1991, rising to $48.9 billion in 2016, in constant 2015 purchasing power parity dollars (PPP$) (USDA, 2024).
381 million metric tons of total feed (in dry matter or grain equivalent tons) were used in agriculture in 1961, increasing to 1.585 billion metric tons in 2020 (USDA, 2024).
134% increase in global irrigated area between 1961 and 2020 (USDA, 2024).
More than 200 million workers left agriculture between 2003 and 2020 (USDA, 2024).
One-third of the global land area has been affected by land use changes since 1960, with phases of acceleration (1960-2005) and deceleration (2006-2019) in these changes (USDA, 2024).
