Meeting the rising demand for nutritious, affordable food as well as materials for fuel, clothing, housing and consumer products requires innovative, productive and sustainable food and agriculture systems.
Multi-faceted, collaborative solutions involving consumers, producers, agribusinesses, transporters, processors, retailers and policymakers can transform our food and agriculture systems to achieve a healthy population and a healthy planet.
will be able to easily access a variety of nutritious safe food, including fruits, vegetables, protein and cereals, and consumer food waste will decline.
purchase agricultural products from farmers, ranchers, foresters and fishers and use efficient and renewable energy sources of transport.
help farmers and the agri-food system manage risk and withstand external shocks such as weather and market challenges.
will incorporate nutritional concerns into the food they produce and use technology to reduce food loss and improve safety.
of different types and scales offer a variety of nutritious, safe affordable food and provide science-based information about nutrition and food content.
share advice and innovations that increase productivity and reduce the environmental footprint of agriculture.
are successful agricultural producers and stewards of their natural resources, generating stable incomes and creating value for their families and communities.
and citizens establish agricultural policies and regulations to ensure human health and safety, protect the environment and animal welfare and foster economic growth.
Letter From the Executive Director
The 2018 Global Agricultural Productivity Report® (GAP Report®) explores the consumer, producer and environmental trends that are changing the world’s food and agriculture systems.
Consumer expectations for food and agriculture producers and products are evolving. Their purchases reflect their preferences and values and help shape the decisions producers and retailers make. At the same time, GHI’s Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Index™ reveals that global agricultural productivity growth is not accelerating quickly enough to sustainably meet the demands and expectations of our growing world.
The 2018 GAP Report® is a call-to-action to transform our agriculture and food systems and help create a sustainable healthy world.
The Global Harvest Initiative and its partners have identified five strategic policy goals that foster productive sustainable food and agriculture systems. The policies bring benefits to consumers, the environment and producers.
Research and development (R&D) and extension programs drive the productivity and sustainability of food and agriculture systems. The knowledge and innovations developed in the public sector are transformed into products and practices that improve crops, livestock, soil and water health, agricultural machinery and food processing.
Explore the Full ChapterScience-based and information technologies help producers manage the ever-present risks in agriculture while improving sustainability and competitiveness. They help prevent waste and ensure quality and safety throughout the value chain.
Explore the Full ChapterPublic-private partnerships stimulate investment in physical infrastructures, human capital and community resilience. Roads, water, rail and airport infrastructures open new markets, while financial systems and telecommunications networks connect producers and consumers to capital and knowledge.
Explore the Full ChapterDevelopment assistance programs support the transformation to productive sustainable food and agriculture systems. Community participation in program design and collaboration with private-sector actors sets the stage for successful long-term development. Increasing food security, nutrition and incomes helps communities thrive.
Explore the Full ChapterForward-looking trade agreements efficiently move products to markets that need them, benefiting producers and consumers. An enabling policy environment for regional and global trade includes transparent policies and consistently enforced laws and regulations, as well as coherent trade rules and standards across countries.
Explore the Full ChapterResearch and development (R&D) and extension programs drive the productivity and sustainability of food and agriculture systems. The knowledge and innovations developed in the public sector are transformed into products and practices that improve crops, livestock, soil and water health, agricultural machinery and food processing.
Explore the Full ChapterGHI’s member companies are Corteva Agriscience™, the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont, John Deere, Monsanto Company (acquired by Bayer AG), The Mosaic Company and Smithfield Foods.
Our work is enhanced by contributions from consultative partners who share their knowledge and experience in agriculture, conservation, nutrition and the needs of small-scale farmers: 9b Group, ACDI/VOCA, Congressional Hunger Center, Conservation International, Farm Foundation, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Inter-American Development Bank, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture, The Nature Conservancy, New Markets Lab, Purdue University School of Agriculture, Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska, and Supporters of Agricultural Research (SoAR) Foundation.
