A new report by Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences warns that the world’s agricultural productivity is slowing at a concerning rate. The 2024 Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Report, titled Powering Productivity: Scaling High-Impact Bundles of Proven and Emerging Tools, highlights a growing challenge in feeding the planet’s increasing population.
According to the report, while innovations in farming tools and technologies are being developed, many farmers cannot access them, creating a gap between innovation and adoption. This gap, referred to as the “valley of death,” hinders the global effort to increase agricultural total factor productivity (TFP) growth, which is critical for meeting food demands by 2050.
The report shows that between 2013 and 2022, global productivity growth slowed significantly. Researchers now suggest a 2% annual increase in TFP is needed to meet future goals.
The GAP Report also emphasizes the importance of integrating proven tools with policy changes, particularly to help small-scale farmers. South Asia, which has seen positive growth in agricultural productivity, is highlighted as a potential model for regions experiencing slowdowns.
Experts urge international collaboration to bridge the gap between innovation and adoption to avoid worsening food security and environmental issues.
Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet News Hour and The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.