DATE: September 2026
SECTOR: Global Agriculture, Productivity, Regenerative Agriculture
SOURCE: Virginia Tech Global Agricultural Productivity Initiative
TOPIC: The slowdown in global agricultural productivity and potential pathways to restart growth
SUMMARY: Virginia Tech’s annual GAP Report finds global agricultural productivity growth has fallen to its lowest rate in 50 years, increasing pressure on farmers, food systems and natural resources.
Description: Virginia Tech’s 2026 Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Report finds that global agricultural productivity growth slowed to just 0.63% annually between 2015 and 2024, down from a peak of 1.95% in 2001–2010.
With around half of current agricultural output growth now coming from increased use of land, fertilizer, machinery, and other inputs, the report warns of higher costs for producers and growing pressure on natural resources. It examines regenerative agriculture as one potential route to improving productivity and profitability through reducing purchased inputs, building productive natural capital and protecting output during periods of stress.
However, it also stresses the need for stronger evidence, research, farmer support, appropriate finance and locally relevant tools to translate that potential into measurable productivity gains at scale.
Read more: Agriculture is producing more with more. That’s the problem — Virginia Tech
Access the report: 2026 GAP Report — Virginia Tech
