Rome -Disasters have inflicted an estimated $3.26 trillion in agricultural losses worldwide over the past 33 years - an average of $99 billion annually, roughly 4 percent of global agricultural GDP - according to a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The Impact of Disasters on Agriculture and Food Security 2025 highlights how digital technologies are transforming how farmers, governments and communities can monitor risks, anticipate impacts, and protect livelihoods.
The report provides the most comprehensive global assessment to date of how disasters - from droughts and floods to pests and marine heatwaves - are disrupting food production, livelihoods and nutrition. It also demonstrates how digital innovations are shifting agrifood systems from reactive crisis management to proactive data-driven resilience-building.
"Digital technologies are already revolutionizing how we monitor risks, deliver early warnings and support farmers' decision-making. From the 9.1 million farmers now accessing parametric insurance through digital platforms to the communities using our early warning systems to evacuate 90 percent of at-risk populations before disasters strike, we are witnessing a fundamental shift from reactive response to proactive risk reduction." said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu in the foreword to the report.
Heavy toll on global food security
Between 1991 and 2023, disasters wiped out 4.6 billion tonnes of cereals, 2.8 billion tonnes of fruits and vegetables, and 900 million tonnes of meat and dairy. These losses translate to a daily per capita reduction of 320 kilocalories - 13-16 percent of average energy needs.
Asia accounts for the largest share of global losses of 47 percent, totaling $1.53 trillion, reflecting both the scale of agricultural production and the region's high exposure to floods, storms and droughts.
The Americas represent 22 percent of global losses or $713 billion, driven by recurrent droughts, hurricanes, and extreme temperature events that heavily impact large commodity crop systems.
Africa, while recording lower absolute losses of $611 billion, suffers the highest proportional impacts, losing 7.4 percent of agricultural GDP to disasters - the largest relative burden of any region. In economies where agriculture accounts for a significant share of employment and income, these losses have had severe consequences for food security and rural stability.
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) remain among the world's most vulnerable to disasters such as cyclones, floods, and sea-level rise. Despite relatively small agricultural output, disaster-related losses represent a disproportionately high share of agricultural GDP.
The report also finds that marine heatwaves caused $6.6 billion in losses between 1985 and 2022, affecting 15 percent of global fisheries. Yet, losses in fisheries and aquaculture remain largely invisible in disaster assessments, despite supporting the livelihoods of 500 million people.
Digital technologies transforming risk management
FAO's report identifies digital transformation as a game-changer for agricultural disaster risk reduction. Emerging tools such as artificial intelligence (AI), remote sensing, mobile connectivity, drones and sensors are now enabling hyperlocal, real-time insights that improve early warning, advisory services, risk transfer mechanisms and anticipatory action.
Examples include:
- FAO's Climate Risk Toolbox (CRTB), which integrates global datasets to guide agricultural planning in more than 200 projects.
- Rift Valley Fever Early Warning Decision Support Tool (RVF-DST) has accurately forecasted Rift Valley fever outbreaks in countries like Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, allowed for timely vaccinations and limited the spread of disease.
- Soil Mapping for Resilient Agrifood Systems (SoilFER), a geospatial platform that matches soil and fertilizer data to promote efficient, sustainable farming.
- Fall Armyworm Monitoring and Early Warning System (FAMEWS), FAO's mobile-based system for tracking fall armyworm infestations across 60+ countries.
- Parametric insurance platforms, which have insured over 9 million farmers through digital risk assessment tools.
- Early warning systems, like the Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS), which have enabled anticipatory actions that can yield returns of up to seven dollars for every dollar invested.
- FAO's first integrated Risk Monitoring and Situation Room at FAO headquarters delivering real-time monitoring to coordinate early detection, warning, and response.
- The Financing for Shock-Driven Food Crisis (FSFC) Facility, a mechanism that builds on the existing initiatives to anticipate and prevent escalating food emergencies before they occur.
- Digital innovation allows farmers and policymakers to make better decisions and act earlier. From predictive analytics to mobile insurance, these tools are saving lives, protecting livelihoods and strengthening food systems.
From innovation to inclusion
Over 2.6 billion people remain offline, many in rural areas, most exposed to disaster risks. While digital solutions are expanding rapidly, the report warns that their full potential can only be realized through human-centred design.
FAO stresses that digital transformation must go hand in hand with capacity development, institutional strengthening, and coherent policy frameworks to ensure that innovations reach smallholder farmers, women, youth and Indigenous communities.
The report calls on governments, international partners and the private sector to advance digital innovation to enhance efficient and effective disaster risk reduction in agriculture and food security. It also emphasizes the need for integration of these digital solutions into national agricultural policies and strategies and calls for increased investments to support agrifood system transformation. Furthermore, the report underscores the critical importance of scaling up digital infrastructure and literacy to enhance accessibility and enable innovation to influence decision-making.
