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 Zones (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 have been conducted periodically. Each update has expanded the scope of issues addressed, increased the size of the database, and improved the comprehensiveness of the results, providing guidance for agro-ecological development at global, regional, and national scales and support for assessments and indicators needed to achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). GAEZ v5 is the most advanced global tool for spatially assessing climate change impacts on land suitability and crop productivity, supporting informed planning decisions. It enables choices that enhance productivity while ensuring sustainability and resilience to climatic variability.

GAEZ data portals

News

23/06/2025
This technical webinar offers an opportunity to explore the updated methods, inputs, and dissemination tools introduced in version 5.
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.
14/11/2022
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), and in collaboration with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) will launch the updated version of the PyAEZ Python package (PyAEZ v2.0.0) during a virtual event on 28 November.
14/11/2022
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), and in collaboration with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) will launch the updated version of the PyAEZ Python package (PyAEZ v2.0.0) during a virtual event on 28 November.
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.

Publications

GAEZ v5 Model Documentation
2025

This model system documentation provides updated information on the GAEZ v5 methodological structure and describes the conceptual framework of individual...

Join the GAEZ community

Video

Mapping the future of food – FAO’s Geospatial story
11/04/2025

Food production is shaped by geography—land, water, and climate determine where, how and what food we grow. Since its earliest days, the Food and Agriculture...


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