Data or statistical facts on the situation and perspectives of agri-food systems and the impact of policies
24 vessels per day transited the Panama Canal during the 2023–24 El Niño drought, down from the usual 36, with draft restrictions set at 44 feet (Noll, 2026).
In the sectoral mapping of PAIs, agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing accounts for 248 PAIs (34.8%), followed by manufacturing (188), tourism (70) and ICT (51); additionally, 32 PAIs in health are identified, according to the report (ECLAC, 2025).
7% of forest cover was lost between 1990 and 2020 in Latin America and the Caribbean, equivalent to 138 million hectares, highlighting the scale of landscape degradation in the region and the urgency of advancing large-scale restoration and conservation efforts (World Resources Institute, 2024).
23% of the world’s forests and 60% of global biodiversity are located in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting the region’s strategic importance for ecosystem and biodiversity conservation. This significant share also reflects the critical role of LAC in providing essential ecosystem services and in supporting global efforts to address environmental degradation and climate change (Worl...
58% of greenhouse gas emissions in Latin America and the Caribbean originate from land use, land-use change, and the forestry sector, highlighting the significant weight of these activities in the region’s climate dynamics and the urgent need to strengthen mitigation efforts (World Resources Institute, 2024).
Up to 70% of agricultural productivity growth in Latin America and the Caribbean is reduced when environmental costs are taken into account. The increase in production has been driven mainly by the intensive use of inputs rather than by technological or managerial improvements, highlighting the need for policies that integrate sustainability and innovation. (IDB, 2025)
According to the report (ECLAC, 2025), 26.6% of the 497 Productive Articulation Initiatives (IAP) (20 countries, 2023–2025) have as their strategic focus access to new markets or internationalization.
0.4% of the 497 productive articulation initiatives (PAI) (same 20 countries; 2023–2025) focus on specialized public infrastructure development (ECLAC, 2025).
8.9% of the 497 productive articulation initiatives (PAI) (20 countries, 2023–2025) prioritize product or process innovation as their strategic focus, according to the report (ECLAC, 2025).
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing sector accounts for 248 productive articulation initiatives (PAI), representing 34.8% of the total, according to the report (ECLAC, 2025).
