Global harvested crop area hits 23-year high as cereals, organic farming expand : FAO
FAO reported that cereals continued to dominate global cropping systems over the past two decades.
GLOBAL – The global harvested area of crops climbed to a 23-year high of 1.49 billion hectares in 2023,marking a 26 percent increase from 2000, driven largely by sustained growth in cereal production, according to the latest statistical assessment from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
In its 2025 Statistical Food and Agriculture Yearbook, FAO reported that cereals continued to dominate global cropping systems over the past two decades.
“Global cereal production accounted for more than half of the world’s harvested area during the period, even though its share declined to 50 percent in 2023,” the organisation stated.
Despite the marginal decline in share, cereals remained the backbone of global food and feed supply, reflecting their central role in food security and livestock production.
The expansion in harvested area has closely tracked rising demand for staple foods and animal feed, particularly in emerging economies.
FAO data show that while cereal crops were the single largest category between 2000 and 2023, oil crops accounted for 24 percent of harvested area, followed by roots and tubers at five percent and fruits at five percent.
Looking ahead, FAO’s medium-term projections indicate that global cereal output will continue to rise through 2034, supported by both yield improvements and area expansion in key producing regions.
Nigeria is expected to be a notable contributor to this growth, with cereal output projected to increase by an additional 2.7 million metric tons by 2034.
The increase is closely linked to rising demand from the livestock feed sector, which is expected to push more farmers toward maize cultivation, a core raw material in compound feed production.
According to FAOStat, Nigeria currently produces an average of 11.16 million metric tons of maize annually.
Beyond West Africa, FAO highlighted India and Ethiopia as major drivers of the projected global cereal surge.
Cereal yields in India are forecast to increase by 4.1 million metric tons by 2034, while Ethiopia’s output is projected to grow by 3.2 million metric tons over the same period.
These gains are expected to come from a combination of improved agronomic practices, gradual mechanisation, and expanded use of improved seed varieties.
In 2023, agricultural land under certified organic management, or in conversion to organic, reached 99 million hectares globally.
Australia accounted for the largest share of organically managed agricultural land, followed by India at five percent. Argentina, Uruguay, and China each contributed around four percent.
Collectively, these countries represented 78 percent of the world’s total organic agricultural area.
“One visible aspect of the efforts to make the agricultural sector more sustainable is the rise of organic agriculture, the main feature of which is its avoidance of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides,” FAO noted.
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