Rome- The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today launched its Statistical Yearbook 2025, an annual publication offering a comprehensive overview of global food and agriculture trends. The Yearbook was launched in the context of FAO's 80th anniversary and World Statistics Day, which is celebrated once every five years.
The Statistical Yearbook synthesizes internationally harmonized data collected from national statistical offices and FAO's network of partners. It serves as a vital reference for policymakers, researchers, analysts and the general public, providing insights into the economic significance of agriculture, production inputs and outputs, food security and nutrition, and environmental impacts.
This edition of the Yearbook showcases a new indicator, the prevalence of minimum dietary diversity, which will support monitoring progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2): ending hunger and all forms of malnutrition. This indicator helps to measure progress by assessing whether segments of the populations, such as children and women, are consuming a diverse range of foods, which is crucial for ensuring adequate nutrient intake.
The 2025 Yearbook places special emphasis on the centennial of the first World Programme for the Census of Agriculture guidelines, as countries prepare for upcoming censuses. It also features improved data on forest product trade, including processed wood and paper products.
As the world looks to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, trees are ever more important in absorbing and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Better management of forests, including smarter use and consumption of forest products, will help the transition towards a sustainable bioeconomy. In this context, forest product trade data can help fuel progress towards achieving this goal.
"The Statistical Yearbook and Pocketbook series remains the most authoritative source of information on world food and agriculture. In the face of increasing demand for data, statistics and the trust we build around them remain our biggest asset," said José Rosero Moncayo, Director of FAO's Statistics Division and Chief Statistician. "Reliable data is essential for designing effective policies, monitoring progress, and ensuring accountability."
The digital version of the Yearbook offers interactive visualizations that enhance data accessibility and reuse. It is accompanied by the Statistical Pocketbook, a concise summary of key facts and trends.
Beyond data compilation and dissemination, FAO continues to strengthen national statistical capacities, set global standards, and leverage innovations such as big data and new data collection and processing technologies. Through its FAOSTAT platform, the world's largest database on food and agriculture, FAO ensures free access to over 20 000 indicators across 245 countries and territories.
Statistical work has been at the core of FAO's activities and mandate. With this Yearbook, FAO reaffirms its commitment to providing timely, trusted and accessible data to support the transformation toward more sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems.
