About FAO News Multimedia Main topics Statistics Members Publications

Global Agro-Ecological Zoning (GAEZ)

GAEZ

About

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) have cooperated over several decades to develop and implement the Agro-Ecological Zoning (AEZ) modelling framework and databases. AEZ relies on well-established land evaluation principles to assess natural resources for finding suitable agricultural land utilization options. It identifies resource limitations and opportunities based on plant eco-physiological characteristics, climatic and edaphic requirements of crops and it uses these to evaluate suitability and production potentials for individual crop types under specific input and management conditions.

The AEZ methodology was initially implemented in the 1980s to assess the capacity of the world's natural resources to meet the needs for food of a fast-growing global population. Rapid advancements in information technology have led to increasingly detailed and extensive global databases, enabling the first global AEZ assessment in 2000.

Since then, Global AEZ assessments were conducted periodically; in 2002 (GAEZ v2), 2012 (GAEZ v3), 2021 (GAEZ v4), and in 2025 (GAEZ v5).

Each update has expanded the scope of issues addressed, increased the size of the database, and improved the comprehensiveness of the results, providing stronger guidance for agro-ecological development at global, regional, and national scales. With improved spatial resolution, updated datasets, and an accessible platform for geospatial analysis, GAEZ v5 represents the most advanced global tool for assessing climate change impacts on land suitability and crop productivity and for supporting informed planning decisions.It enables choices that enhance productivity while ensuring sustainability and resilience to climatic variability.


Access the GAEZ v5 data portal here ❯

What's new in GAEZ v5

The new Global Agro-Ecological Zoning version 5 assessment (GAEZ v5) offers an updated dataset and enhanced methodology compared to its predecessor, GAEZ v4. This update incorporates a 2020 baseline (previously a 2010 baseline in v4) and includes statistical data from 2019 to 2021 along with the latest spatial representations of land cover, protected areas, high-biodiversity regions, soil resources and climatic conditions.

Soil data is derived from the updated Harmonized World Soil Database (HWSD v2.2), while climate data integrates historical observations from the AgERA5 Copernicus program with future climate projections derived from CMIP6 models used in the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6). AgERA5 provides daily time-series data and 20-year climate averages for the baseline periods 1981–2000 and 2001–2020.

Future climates are based on bias-corrected ISIMIP3b CMIP6 forcing under three Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP1-RCP2.6, SSP3-RCP7.0, and SSP5-RCP8.5), representing low, medium, and high emissions futures. Five selected climate models capture a representative range of climate sensitivities and structural differences. Projections are generated for four future periods (2021–2040, 2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100), enabling consistent assessment of climate change impacts on land suitability and crop productivity within GAEZ v5.

GAEZ v5 also introduces modeling for new crops, including traditional and adapted crops in alignment with the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS). These new crops include bioenergy crops, fruit crops (such as avocado, cashew, mango, and watermelon), oil crops (sesame), and cereals (finger millet, fonio, and tef). Additionally, global spatial resolution has been enhanced to 30 arc-seconds (approximately 1 km) for key outputs, such as attainable yield estimates and crop suitability assessments.

GAEZ v5 assessment is complemented by the GAEZ v5 Geospatial Platform, an open-access platform hosting the vast collection of spatial indicators on natural resource and agro-ecological crop analysis results from GAEZ v5.




News

Exploring GAEZ v5: data access and applications through the new platform
23/06/2025
This technical webinar offers an opportunity to explore the updated methods, inputs, and dissemination tools introduced in version 5.
Launch of Global Agro-Ecological Zoning Version 5 and signature of MoU with IIASA
14/04/2025
GAEZ v5 introduces enhanced methodologies and updated datasets on climate, soil, and land, offering invaluable tools for better decision-making in agriculture and land-use management, and exploring the impacts of climate change on land suitability and crop productivity.
Consultation on Global Agro-Ecological Zoning Platform and Applications
19/09/2022
FAO NSL Geospatial Unit, in collaboration with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), the Environmental System Research Institute (ESRI) and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), will conduct a consultation to provide to GAEZ users a demonstration of functions and tools of the GAEZ Data Portal and discuss options and user expectations for future GAEZ development.