The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have come together for the 14th year to prepare the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2018-2027. This report is enriched by our close collaboration with contributing member country institutions, specialised commodity bodies, and other partner organisations, and has become an annual benchmark that provides a consistent picture of medium-term trends in global agriculture. By bringing together evidence-based market and policy information from experts across a wide range of countries, the OECD and FAO are supporting our Members in the pursuit of their shared global priorities. This is particularly the case for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030.

Agriculture not only contributes to climate change (the sector still accounts for more than a fifth of all greenhouse gas emissions), but will also be impacted by climate change. So it is fundamental to promote the adaptation of agricultural sectors through sustainable practices that can also mitigate the impacts of climate change. Global agro-food trade will also play an increasingly important role in ensuring food security, especially for import-dependent regions. An enabling trade policy environment is a crucial condition to achieve the SDGs and make progress towards zero hunger, particularly in the context of climate change.

This year’s edition of the Agricultural Outlook includes a special chapter on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), a region where conflict and political instability have amplified issues of food insecurity and malnutrition. The need for the region to address these challenges, with limited land and water resources, will be further compounded by the expected impact of more frequent extreme climate-related events. We need to improve the resilience and sustainability of food systems in times of conflict, to valorise resources which are becoming ever more fragile and scarce.